Gangster Squad
Metascore
40 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 38 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 38
  3. Negative: 10 out of 38
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  1. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Ann Hornaday
    Jan 10, 2013
    38
    Slick, sick, self-consciously stylish and defiantly shallow, Gangster Squad is one of those movies you can't talk about without invoking other (often better) movies. A lot of movies.
  2. Charlotte Observer
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Toppman
    Jan 10, 2013
    38
    It begins as energetic, clichéd nonsense and ends as irritating, clichéd nonsense.
  3. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Nathan Rabin
    Jan 9, 2013
    33
    Gangster Squad aims for the pop-operatic intensity of "The Untouchables," but ends up feeling like a savage, simple-minded comic strip.
  4. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Anthony Lane
    Jan 19, 2013
    30
    The over-all result is a misstep for Fleischer. [21 Jan. 2013, p. 78]
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  5. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Joe Morgenstern
    Jan 10, 2013
    30
    Mr. Beall, a former LAPD cop, has written a script so devoid of feeling that the cartoons blur into thin line drawings, while what's been done with the marvelous Ms. Stone - i.e. next to nothing - is downright criminal.
  6. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nick Pinkerton
    Jan 8, 2013
    30
    The proximity of horrible headlines scarcely matters - released on any day of any calendar year, Gangster Squad would be a crime against cinematic sensibility.
  7. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    Jan 10, 2013
    25
    This movie made my ears hurt. Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett and James Ellroy could have turned this pulp into insinuating jazz. What's here is a cartoonish bore.
  8. The Playlist
    Reviewed by: Charlie Schmidlin
    Jan 8, 2013
    25
    In lieu of any sharp insight into the period and its notorious figures, the film's brash, ultraviolent encounters instead build a showy exterior with nothing of import left standing.
  9. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Glenn Heath Jr.
    Jan 8, 2013
    25
    Ruben Fleischer's film is a perfect example of Hollywood hypocrisy, something to be ignored diligently.
  10. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: A.O. Scott
    Jan 10, 2013
    10
    His (Fleischer) first feature, "Zombieland," was a half-witty genre parody. This one might be described as genre zombie-ism: the hysterical, brainless animation of dead clichés reduced to purposeless, compulsive killing. Too self-serious to succeed as pastiche, it has no reason for being beyond the parasitic urge to feed on the memories of other, better movies.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 168 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 58
  3. Negative: 9 out of 58
  1. sesostris
    10
    Angels: This is a good gangster movie. The dialog is tough, and smart, the characters are interesting, The plot is exciting, the scenery and costumes are very stylish, and the violence is, well, very violent. What is not to like. I have an admission to make. This movie is really an 8/9, but I gave it a 10, because I wanted to raise its average to combat the 'haters'. Because of the negative reviews I almost did not go to see the movie, but my buddy out-voted me, and I am very glad that he did. Did I say that Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling knock the ball out of the park? Look, those boys really get into character, and I am a sucker for pretty boy Ryan. Now, the critics say, this movie is no LA Confidential. Which must be true, because it's called 'Gangster Squad'. A very enjoyable night out.… Full Review »
  2. ineedmoreaction
    10
    I dont get why critics dont like it. It is a great movie with great action and good cast .
  3. hypnofeed
    10
    A movie like this should be rated on it's entertainment value, and this movie is brilliant. I don't understand why people don't like it? It is an all round superb movie, in fact i loved it so much i'm going to see it again. It was very emotional at some parts and shocking at others. No major issue stood out at me at all. I love that era and location in history and this movie was perfect for entertaining that.… Full Review »
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