The Tall Man
User Score
6.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 27
  3. Negative: 2 out of 27

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  1. Tss5078
    Feb 22, 2013
    5
    The Tall Man tries very hard to be something it's not, a Stephen King story. Parts of this film reek with King's influence, but I don't think he'd be all that thrilled about it. When the film first started I thought it was a pretty good movie, but by the end I was just confused. The story follows a local resident in the town of Cold Rock, who has taken over her husband's medical practice after he passed away. That resident is played by Jessica Biel, whose performance and looks are really the only reason to watch this movie. In the town of Cold Rock, the children have been disappearing without a trace and the only thing people have seen is a tall man, dressed in black, leaving the scene. Some people say he's an urban legend, while others claim to have witnessed his abductions, and the whole town is terrified. I found it kind of funny that in a town crippled by fear, not knowing whose child could be next, the kids parents, let them ride their bikes to the store and let them play alone in the fields, it's just one of many parts of this film that just off. As I said, the beginning of this film is terrific, but then it gets weirder and weirder and builds to a conclusion that doesn't make any damn sense! I know this must of have been someone's passion and that they spent years developing it, but before you released it to the public, did you bother to watch it? Jessica Biel is sexy and a terrific actress who is way too good to be doing b-movies like this. If you're a die-hard fan, check it out, she's great, but if you're not, I'd definitely stay away from this one.… Expand
  2. Rikiege
    Jan 27, 2013
    6
    A horror film that could be a lesson to parents.
  3. MegWhiteley
    Aug 31, 2012
    5
    A new horror movie, what happen? Any new, is good, have some creepy moments, the performances are regular, have some problems in the development. The Tall Man don't have something new, but scares.
  4. ILHM
    Jan 31, 2013
    7
    Over the past decade, children have been disappearing in the downtrodden town of Cold Rock, but now, one mother is fighting back when her son becomes the next victim of the Tall Man. Pascal Laugier, writer and director of the controversial shocker MARTYRS, returns with THE TALL MAN, a suspense thriller that marks a dramatic shift in style and tone from the director's previous film. THE TALL MAN echoes the writings of Stephen King in many ways, but mainly in its small town setting, the monster of legend that plagues the town, and in the narration that is provided by one of the town's young children. Jessica Biel stars as Julia Denning, a nurse whose selfless attempts cannot save the dying community from itself. Biel's performance carries the film, but despite her best efforts, her character simply isn't compelling enough to garner our sympathy or support. While the final reveal may seem like a cheat to the many viewers who set their sights on the supernatural, Laugier still surprises with an altruistic message of hope that few could have anticipated. THE TALL MAN will hold a certain appeal with fans of both Stephen King and M. Night Shyamalan.… Expand
  5. Mad_Hatter91
    May 8, 2013
    8
    The Tall Man is a 2012 thriller film directed by Pascal Laugier. Cold Rock A children are disappearing and people are blaming a mysterious entity called The Tall Man The film has an excellent director and a photograph really well done. The cast was very well chosen and the plot took a turn unexpected mid-film, which surprised me. A pretty good movie that manages to make you spend 1 hour and 40 minutes without boredom.… Expand
  6. Friskytiger81
    Aug 31, 2012
    5
    What it lacks in terror and gore it makes up for in premise. Once you see what's going on, you'll applaud the effort if not totally satisfied by it. Interesting, but there's a lot of plot holes and plausibility issues.
  7. Nixy
    Sep 27, 2012
    7
    Different, engaging and thought provoking. Definitely not a horror film in the traditional sense, perhaps not even a horror film at all, but definitely worth a watch.

    Casting was spot on.

    I thought the twist was both unexpected and original. Extremely hard film to review without giving anything anyway but you find yourself perhaps identifying with different characters and different c    oncepts in a way which may be surprising.… Expand
  8. vincentvergeer
    Sep 19, 2012
    10
    First off: if I could rate this film 11 out of 10, I would. Sure, there were some plot holes and plausability issues, but the overall premise was rock solid and though provoking. It won't resonate with everyone, nor will everyone understand or accept the underlying idea, but that doesn't deter from the fact that this will likely become a cult classic in years to come. It was on par with Dark Water in terms of overall mood, and goes way beyond the cheap scares and mindnumbing drivel finding its way to theaters these days.… Collapse

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
52 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 4 out of 8
  1. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Mark Olsen
    Sep 1, 2012
    40
    Long on atmosphere and short on sense, The Tall Man becomes less gripping as it grows more ridiculous.
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  2. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Kyle Smith
    Aug 30, 2012
    38
    Spits out enough scares and twists to maintain our interest, but the film's psycho-sociological layer is almost as cheesy and unconvincing as its low-rent action scenes.
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  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Jeannette Catsoulis
    Aug 30, 2012
    90
    Ultimately his story draws more energy from class than from criminality: awash in sludgy browns and rotting greens - the colors of poverty and decomposition - this unpredictable oddity is a little bonkers but a lot original.
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