50
This half-hearted, half-witted remake of Robert Aldrich's compelling 1965 tale of survival, ingenuity, and teamwork generates no heat.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
75
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
Effective action, solid suspense, excellent Ribisi, plus enough clichés to equal the grains of Gobi sand that fill the screen.
38
ReelViews by James Berardinelli
This remake replaces suspense with boredom and witty dialogue with lame lines any self-respecting actor should be embarrassed to utter.
80
Los Angeles Times by Kevin Thomas
An excellent job of retaining key elements of the original plot but have created a whole new set of characters that gives the film an entirely contemporary feel.
80
Washington Post by Michael O'Sullivan
This is high-carb filmmaking at its finest. When it's all over, you'll have a knot in your stomach.
50
The Hollywood Reporter by Michael Rechtshaffen
While it certainly looks swell thanks to director John Moore's striking visuals, the wings of this rebuilt "Phoenix" have been clipped by generic scripting and a short supply of dramatic tension.
38
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
This clunky remake can't rise from the ashes, nor would you want it to.
50
Shows both how far Hollywood's tech departments have advanced in 40 years and how shallow the pool of solid action thesps has become.
75
Entertainment Weekly by Scott Brown
Refreshingly, it's actually about action, albeit arbitrary action, and how it defines us and keeps us alive.
25
Seattle Post-Intelligencer by William Arnold
It's a botched job...the new "Phoenix" lacks the very things that made the old one special.