50
At heart a heist movie, snappy and dry in its humor, clever in its elaborate robbery scheme, and somewhat bloated and unspooled in its storytelling.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
70
Athale has a flair for guy-pal banter; here, the talk is funny and profane, silly and profound, often in the same breath.
40
It’s a waste, for sure — of talent and your time.
50
The Playlist by Kevin Jagernauth
Lethargic and not particularly invigorating or fresh, you can skip Wasteland and wait for the next Brit crime flick that will be following before long.
38
The shallow, derivative and contrived British heist thriller Wasteland lives down to its unfortunate name.
70
The Hollywood Reporter by Michael Rechtshaffen
Wasteland is a deconstructed heist film that eschews the genre’s usual quick cutting and gritty visuals in favor of a quieter, more intimate approach. While it doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, it does offer a distinct way of watching it spin, with a young, fresh-faced cast to help bring it to life.
70
The New York Times by Miriam Bale
To borrow from a term for the gritty, working-class British dramas that this film also nods to, it’s a kitchen-sink caper.
50
Los Angeles Times by Robert Abele
The frustrating thing about the British heist flick Wasteland is how it creates two admirably entertaining storytelling strands — one a friendship saga, the other a robbery caper — yet can't merge the two successfully.
50
Wasteland reveals itself as little more than a bloodless plot engine, but it purrs and hums under the ultra-slick chassis.