Narc
Metascore
70 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 34
  3. Negative: 2 out of 34
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  1. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Nathan Rabin
    90
    Carnahan alternates gritty neo-realism with bursts of extreme stylization -- most notably in a breathless opening chase filmed with handheld cameras -- but thankfully, his stylistic flourishes are in the service of the film's story, not the other way around.
  2. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: David Denby
    90
    A blood-soaked, hellish experience -- a midnight special for lovers of a violent genre -- yet it has been made with a mixture of ferocity and sweetness which leaves one exhausted but at peace. [27 January 2003, p. 94]
  3. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    89
    Fresh and raw like a blown-out vein, Narc takes a walking-dead, cop-flick subgenre and beats new life into it.
  4. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Lisa Schwarzbaum
    83
    Narc is as cop movie as a cop movie can be.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
  1. wololooo
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. Narc outdid my every expectation - after reading the summary, I was in no way anticipating such a hugely original and deeply emotional thriller. It's dark, stylish and endlessly gritty. The acting is spot-on, and it's Ray Liotta's performance that really shone through, but every element is crafted with a huge amount of creative thought and technical expertise. This is a phenomenal debut from writer/director Joe Canahan and though his successive films haven't lived up to the sheer brilliance that is Narc, it just goes to show what a hugely effective film it is incredible too. The twists are mindblowing, as repeated flashbacks from different perspectives offer conflicting recounts of the murder. Liotta's character being "revealed" as the murderer would have been a great ending in itself, but to turn it back and finally see the truth blew me away. The cinematography is stylized and very much reflective of the anxious narrative, and really added a subtle realism to the film. To summarize, Narc is possibly the most refreshing and effective crime thriller I've seen since Silence of the Lambs and one I'll gladly revisit.… Full Review »
  2. JBridge
    9
    I don't understand what this deal is with people vomiting over the violence in this movie. The violence is in this movie to add reality. It was by no means over the top. At all. The movie was very well acted and the plot kept me very interested. What I loved most was that I had Liotta pegged for the murder from the beginning, and I was so surprised at the end. The revelation was actually a REVELATION.… Full Review »
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