Big Bad Wolves 2013

Rex Reed, New York Observer: Unpredictable, with a twisted surprise around each corner, Big Bad Wolves is a clever and arresting shocker. Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: Despite its undeniable chops, this comic thriller from directors Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado never becomes more than a stylishly gruesome exercise. Read more

A.A. Dowd, AV Club: Its points about the misplacement of blame, and the morality of fitting punishment to crime, are never less than trenchant. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: It is an intriguing film with much to admire, but it doesn't always earn its pitch-black attempts at humor. Read more

Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader: The most novel thing about this Israeli torture extravaganza is that writer-directors Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado play the grisly material for broad comedy. Read more

William Goss, Film.com: A masterfully queasy blend of dark humor and darker humanity. Read more

Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter: This mesmerizing revenge thriller is filled with surprising plot twists and generous doses of mordant humor. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: There's little to the movie other than shocks and gross-outs. Read more

Ian Buckwalter, NPR: Big Bad Wolves uses child abduction as tinder to spark both characters' and viewers' emotions, before asking us to examine the extremities of the reactions. Read more

Jordan Hoffman, New York Daily News: The Middle Eastern setting adds a rich quality and the movie works as both a suspense flick and a vehicle to examine the ethics of justice. Some scenes get gruesome without warning, but the violence is always earned. Read more

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: All the filmmakers seem interested in is the ugliness of the main Israeli characters, each of whom proves a virtuoso of violence. Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: A suspenseful, violent horror film that touches on the inner lives of sexual predators, the question of guilt and remorse in the human soul, and the practice of torture. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: While Big Bad Wolves delivers the Hostel-like torture jolts with ruthless precision, the movie is also a rudely funny satire of a macho, paranoid culture where the protection of children is used to justify any conduct. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: [It] does creepily entertain even as it shocks with graphic violence. Read more

Nigel Floyd, Time Out: Delivering on the promise of 2010's 'Rabies', this is a bleakly funny mash-up comedy about child murder, corruption, torture and the siege mentality Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: The movie is never less than involving, but rarely amounts to more than a third-generation grindhouse knockoff. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Village Voice: The filmmakers know just what our vulnerabilities are. ... But as we wince, they're laughing with us, not at us. Read more