Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 93 Ratings

  • Starring: Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet
  • Summary: Set in contemporary Brooklyn, New York, Carnage centers on two pairs of parents one of whose child has hurt the other at a public park, who meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos. (Sony Pictures Classics)


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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 40
  2. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. Reviewed by: Steven Rea
    Jan 12, 2012
    88
    Think "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," but then think fun.
  2. Reviewed by: Vadim Rizov
    Oct 4, 2011
    80
    Relatively light-hearted for a Polanski film (no one dies), Carnage is fun verbal warfare cleanly filmed.
  3. Reviewed by: Adam Smith
    Jan 30, 2012
    80
    A quartet of pitch-perfect performances from a cast uniformly at its career best, together with a director on shockingly mischievous top form, this is a shot of pure, exhilarating cinematic malice. And if nothing else, it contains the most surprising puking sequence since Monsieur Creosote.
  4. Reviewed by: Kerry Lengel
    Dec 29, 2011
    60
    If anything, Carnage does too little to adapt to the new medium, and the result is a film that makes its audience feel as trapped as its characters.

See all 40 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 26
  2. Negative: 2 out of 26
  1. 9
    Write out of the box I knew this movie was going to be a winner. With an intelligent, hilarious, and ruthless script not much could go wrong, especially when it is supported for 4 talented actors. It was unique and memorable, which counts a lot in my book. Expand
  2. 8
    I gotta say , at the start I thought the movie will be supper boring . The first 15 min was boring but finally it turned out to be really funny. Haven't seen this kinda comedy film in ages ! One Apartment , 2 couples fighting over something so silly and all with the phone and hamster amazing . Good actors and their acting and Kate was clearly the best among them. Nice directing by Roman and Really good screenplay too . Over all a different kinda fun movie ! Expand
  3. Two couples gather for a civilized discussion about an incident between their young sons. Before it's over, barriers drop and things get real. It's a strong cast (Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly, Christopher Waltz), but with the exception of Reilly, they aren't known for their comic chops (and neither is director Roman Polanski). Making it worse, the script isn't funny. The film starts with promise and potential, but never escalates to outrageous or deteriorates to dull. It stays at the same, uninspired level of energetic ennui. Expand
  4. Carnage suffers from a bad script that is simply unfunny. The actors are quite good and know how to play there role, but they cannot save this 71 minute long film from feeling like a total drag. This is also the first polanski film that I have not enjoyed. Expand

See all 26 User Reviews

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