Maverick 1994

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: This movie doesn't have the wry kick of the TV show at its best. Too rich, too loaded, Maverick may have misplayed its cards, kept its eyes on the pot instead of the players. In movies, as in poker, you can't always trust a pat hand. Read more

Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune: [Maverick] succeeds, just barely, on the good will of its stars and the sumptuousness of its Western locations. Read more

Peter Rainer, Los Angeles Times: Maverick is smart-alecky without being very smart. It's full of spoofy, har-dee-har-har ribaldries -- this film practically winks at you. Read more

Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel: Maverick reminds us of what killed the western in the first place. Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: Maverick never takes itself seriously, which establishes the tone for serious fun. Goldman's screenplay is a model of ingenuity, setting increasingly complicated traps for the three leads, and rather amazed that they wriggle free. Read more

Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: By the time Donner crowds his climactic poker game with a bevy of veteran Western character actors, decades of movie tradition have been reduced to window dressing, and Maverick leaves you hungry for the real thing. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: [Gibson and Garner] can make you smile contentedly even when the script is wandering and they're just sort of standing around waiting for its next good part to develop. Read more

Caryn James, New York Times: Maverick exploits and undermines every western cliche from gunfights to war-whooping Indians to runaway stagecoaches and heroes hanging off cliffs. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: True deft wit is just plum missing from this good-natured, flat-footed, eager-to- please, tee-hee Western. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Maverick may be as close as anything comes to a perfect summer movie (as opposed to a perfect movie). Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The first lighthearted, laugh-oriented family Western in a long time, and one of the nice things about it is, it doesn't feel the need to justify its existence. It acts like it's the most natural thing in the world to be a Western. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: A financially successful exercise in target-marketing, but not much of a movie. Read more

Leonard Klady, Variety: There can be little doubt that a whole new generation is about to discover the charm, wit and fun of Maverick. Read more

Joe Brown, Washington Post: Affectionate, amiable, eager-to-please, in a TV-movieish sort of way. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: A gaudy reincarnation of the TV series with Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster and James Garner flashing diamonds, breaking hearts and clubbing cliches damn near to death. Read more