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The Good, the Bad, the Weird
Metascore
69 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    88
    The Good, the Bad, the Weird may owe a lot to other films, but it is always fresh and never boring.
  2. NPR
    Reviewed by: Mark Jenkins
    85
    Sergio Leone learns to speak Korean in The Good, the Bad, the Weird, an exuberant tale of greed, vengeance and, well, weirdness.
  3. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: M. E. Russell
    83
    Director Kim Ji-woon creates a funny, fast-moving pastiche of Spielberg, Woo, Leone and George Miller, but it's really a must-see for its three big action set pieces -- which go on for a million years each and become almost hallucinatory.
  4. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Noel Murray
    83
    The story's many advances and reversals can be hard to follow at times, but this isn't really a movie where plot is paramount. Everything boils down to the action, and what that action means.
  5. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: David Fear
    80
    At its best, this pomo oater gets within chaw-spitting distance of action-flick greatness; at its worst, the movie is simply unadulterated guns-and-guts fun.
  6. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    78
    Mines the traditional Western genre and infuses it with fresh, frequently hilarious life.
  7. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Maggie Lee
    70
    A jaunty, happy-go-lucky adventure that packs a fistful of dynamite in the spectacular showdown.
  8. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Robert Abele
    70
    Knives, explosions and knockabout humor have been added to taste. As vigorously staged as it all is -- sometimes confusingly, occasionally with camera-torqueing flair and impressive stuntwork -- the urge to thrill grows wearisome. Were audience members to be included as a collective character as well, they'd be "The Tired."
  9. Variety
    Reviewed by: Derek Elley
    70
    East meets West meets East again, with palate-tingling results, in The Good the Bad the Weird, a kimchi Western that draws shamelessly on its spaghetti forebears but remains utterly, bracingly Korean.
  10. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    63
    It's a lot of fun before it wears you out, and it wears you out sooner than it should.
  11. Empire
    Reviewed by: Dan Jolin
    60
    A tangled narrative and damp-squib ending detract from an otherwise joyous Spaghetti Eastern.
  12. Boxoffice Magazine
    Reviewed by: Ed Schied
    60
    The entertaining non-stop action has the potential to give the film wide cross-over appeal and cult status.
  13. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nicolas Rapold
    40
    Kim's filmmaking is generally cartoonish in a bad sense, as he squanders his set pieces, flashbacks, and other attention-getting with sometimes downright wretched staging.
  14. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Mike Hale
    40
    The ever reliable, rubber-faced Song Kang-ho plays Tae-goo, the train robber, and gives the film what little comic spark it has.
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User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 19 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. grandpajoe6191
    6
    "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" presents the Korean world of cowboys, which is cool and full of visual action but lacks the brains and a better plot.
  2. ImUnavailable
    10
    This is the kind of action movie you've always wanted to see. A great cast, stunning soundtrack and imaginative action sequences. The movie is light-hearted, with the plot being both simple and complex simultaneously. It has a vibrant visual style that allows the movie to look more expensive than it actually was. Action scenes tend to last upwards of 10 minutes each but you never grow weary as they constantly bring something new to the table. The movie's biggest success is its almost childlike sense of adventure that absorbs you into a crazy world that you don't want to leave… Full Review »
  3. moviekretik
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link to view. Off-kilter Korean neo-western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird," is a frenetic genre mash-up packed with visceral, loopy violence. That isn't a complement so much as it is a description. The problem for me is that the plot, for as convoluted as it gets, is much too threadbare to sustain so much motion. The plot is basically get the map while we learn a bit about the characters, but not so much that the never ending chase and blood bath is really allowed to pause. It has enough motion for easily fifteen other films. In all honesty I looked at the clock at one point and was shocked that the film wasn't even half over. I was exhausted. Despite an interesting setting, lovely visuals, good music and kinetic action this is not a film that works. It is essentially a chase movie that never stops but a poor script, poorly paced action scenes and an overly long running time prevent it from realising it's potential. I like the film, I don't love it. I can recommend the film, but at the same time I wish it was better. If you can get past the plot problems and just concentrate on the action you're going to have a great time.… Full Review »
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