Critic Reviews
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Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Donner directs with an efficient hand. He keeps the action moving briskly. But most important for this format, he knows how to slip in a quick joke or two without detracting from the tension of the suspenseful plot.
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Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
The film starts to sour after 20 minutes...
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Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
...more long-winded than cunningly elaborate, more simplistic than elegantly simple, and more nonsensical than anything else.
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Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
...the strong impact that Gibson makes as damaged goods is diluted by selling Jerry as cute and redeemable.
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Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
In the hands of stars in denial about their stardom and a director who can't be bothered to take things seriously, it has come out implausible and unsatisfying, a comic thriller that is not especially funny or thrilling.
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Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
There's nothing quite like a big, handsome, movie-star-driven Hollywood film when it's done right.
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David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...a marginally engrossing thriller that ultimately comes off as something of a disappointment...
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Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Two-thirds of a fine comedy of paranoia.
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
About a truth seeker who has a difficult time figuring out who to trust in a world where everyone seems to be playing multiple roles.
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James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
If you've ever questioned Gibson's appeal, this serio-comic thriller offers 135 minutes of persuasive evidence as to why he's become one of the world's most reliable box-office draws.
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Christine James, Boxoffice Magazine
...even at two hours and 15 minutes, Conspiracy Theory is fast-paced and exciting, effectively mixing drama, comedy, ingenuity, suspense, revelation and a heartening sense of a triumph of humanity.
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Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Parece que se tornou uma especialidade de Hollywood transformar idéias boas, criativas, em filmes de perseguição constante.
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Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
I guess a Julia Roberts fetish can't overcome a crummy script and bad production values after all.
Read all 13 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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Gibson and Roberts, throw in patrick stewart and the movie should have been a lot better. Decent movie but just okay.
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Another outstanding collaboration of the "Lethal Weapon" dream team Gibson and Donner, creating a funny, enthralling and exciting conspiracy thriller with all elements it needs. While Gibson's character is clearly a lunatic he finally may be onto something as suddenly… More
Another outstanding collaboration of the "Lethal Weapon" dream team Gibson and Donner, creating a funny, enthralling and exciting conspiracy thriller with all elements it needs. While Gibson's character is clearly a lunatic he finally may be onto something as suddenly an agency is out to have him killed, and only Julia Roberts (who never looked cuter) can help him. The chemistry between the two stars is great and helps a lot to make this work, the smart and engrossing script helps too and of course Donner knows how to direct chases. Sometimes the lunacy goes a bit over board, but the dots of humor doesn't make the overall threat any smaller and the movie always manages to keep you on the edge of your seat. Carter Burwell delievered an excellent soundtrack for it, too. And the last five minutes are near-perfect. Excellent thriller movie making.
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Whilst Mel Gibson's performance is ridiculously over the top, the storyline is of interest as a paranoia/conspiracy film.
In real terms, the storyline seems completely far fetched, but then aren't most conpiracies?
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Paranoid cab driver Mel Gibson becomes the target for government spooks when one of his many bizarre conspiracy theories turns out to be true. The team that brought us the Lethal Weapon franchise reunite for more slapstick action in this Hollywood thriller that couldn't be more… More
Paranoid cab driver Mel Gibson becomes the target for government spooks when one of his many bizarre conspiracy theories turns out to be true. The team that brought us the Lethal Weapon franchise reunite for more slapstick action in this Hollywood thriller that couldn't be more middle of the road if it were scattered with roadkill. Gibson goes through the usual likeable loon motions as he tries to romance terminally bland attorney Julia Roberts while being chased by the usual gun toting, black clad suspects in helicopters and on motorbikes. Donner is quite adept at mainstream action but thanks to some unnecessary chases and flabby pacing it gets less and less interesting as it goes and a potentially interesting plot twist is jettisoned in favour of the usual idiot pleasing happy ending, provided by a quite excruciating final scene. Slightly reminiscent of Jackie Chan's early combinations of espionage and comedy it's inoffensive junk, but it's still junk.
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It's an ok thriller, a little too long and not as clever as it maybe hoped. A strong cast line up raises it a bit above average and the story is ok and interesting for a one time watch. Looking a little dated now though.
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I loved the idea of this movie and it completely delivered. Mel Gibson was amazing and gave one of his best performances in years. It actually turned out to be a very touching story that you can't help but get wrapped up in. Richard Donner always has a great style that is easy to… More
I loved the idea of this movie and it completely delivered. Mel Gibson was amazing and gave one of his best performances in years. It actually turned out to be a very touching story that you can't help but get wrapped up in. Richard Donner always has a great style that is easy to follow.
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There is a Conspiracy Theory going around that this is a good film!
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really good
i like a good old 'you have to think' sort of movie and this movie deosnt disappoint.
Gibson is a man who people may think is crazy as he thinks theres conspirosys everywhere and everyones watching and listening to everything everyone says.
This movie keeps… More
really good
i like a good old 'you have to think' sort of movie and this movie deosnt disappoint.
Gibson is a man who people may think is crazy as he thinks theres conspirosys everywhere and everyones watching and listening to everything everyone says.
This movie keeps you on the egde of your seat and keeps you interested in the plot!
Really worth a watch
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Didn't like this one. Although Gibson rips off another great performance the storyline and thrils are completely wasted and muddled. Not to mention Roberts has the "why did I sign up for this part" look on her face throughout the entire movie. Love Patrick Stewart as… More
Didn't like this one. Although Gibson rips off another great performance the storyline and thrils are completely wasted and muddled. Not to mention Roberts has the "why did I sign up for this part" look on her face throughout the entire movie. Love Patrick Stewart as the bad guy, but the Hollywood ending and length (2 hrs and 12 minutes, give me a break) makes me say no to this one.
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Very thrilling with Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts on their runs in this suspense film.
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Mel's mind is all messed up but he knows he has to look out for Julia. Want to cry during the eye scene.
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Fun movie where I guy bites someones nose off. Awesome...
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Nice thriller with a few good twists, end is rather obvious though
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Conspiracy Theory begins with an interesting premise: what if the paranoid delusional nutcase actually is right about something? It also boasts credible star power, with Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts and a coldly menacing Patrick Stewart leading the cast. However, the film offers nothing… More
Conspiracy Theory begins with an interesting premise: what if the paranoid delusional nutcase actually is right about something? It also boasts credible star power, with Mel Gibson, Julia Roberts and a coldly menacing Patrick Stewart leading the cast. However, the film offers nothing for audiences to grab on to, no foothold or solid plot thread. Its meandering pace hurts the "thriller" aspect greatly - a good number of the scenes seem twice as long as they actually need to be, for one. Mel Gibson appears to be enjoying himself, but his character is not much more than a rambling, incoherent and absurd mess. The whole mystery of what exactly happened to him doesn't matter much when it's not a character you really care about. Julia Roberts is fairly believeable as a US Attorney worker, and her calm and rational character is supposed to work as a counterpoint for Gibson's, but a lot of their chemistry seems forced and overly awkward. Patrick Stewart actually doesn't do much at all - those glasses and the scar on his nose do all the work for him. In addition, the film is tonally very odd and inconsistent - the main character of Jerry Fletcher seems to have stepped straight out of a comedy, but the film really wants to be a tense thriller, and in the end it isn't really either one. This film may have worked in theory, but in practise doesn't hold together.
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This was one of those where you have to rewind because you didn't get it the first time. DON'T watch this movie with anyone who believes in conspiracy theories because they will say, "See see!!!! I told you! It's true!' or "They are making him out to be… More
This was one of those where you have to rewind because you didn't get it the first time. DON'T watch this movie with anyone who believes in conspiracy theories because they will say, "See see!!!! I told you! It's true!' or "They are making him out to be fanatic and a crazy person when really that theory is most likely true." Etc. etc. They will interrupt, so watch it alone or with people who don't interrupt movies.
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People are suckers for conspiracy theories. This film is quite entertaining as it tickles the notion through this conspiracy obsessed protagonist. Gibson seems to play well the guy verging on insanity.
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I think the wrong movie was made here. Mel Gibson as an actor seems to be at his best when his character is a lunatic (art reflects life). The opening moments seems to promise an interesting story of one of those conspiracy nuts who talk about the grassy knoll and black helicopters,… More
I think the wrong movie was made here. Mel Gibson as an actor seems to be at his best when his character is a lunatic (art reflects life). The opening moments seems to promise an interesting story of one of those conspiracy nuts who talk about the grassy knoll and black helicopters, but then the movie becomes a lazy action movie in which the crazy man is right. Its also worth noting that the attempts at humor that are sprinkled here and there seem forced and don't work.
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Mel Gibson plays Jerry, a paranoid New York cab driver who writes newsletters about government conspiracy. Unfortunately, one of these proves to be true, and he is now being hunted by Dr. Jonas (Patrick Stewart) and his team. Patrick Stewart gives a calmly effective performance as the… More
Mel Gibson plays Jerry, a paranoid New York cab driver who writes newsletters about government conspiracy. Unfortunately, one of these proves to be true, and he is now being hunted by Dr. Jonas (Patrick Stewart) and his team. Patrick Stewart gives a calmly effective performance as the villain. Julia Roberts plays the attractive attorney who tolerates Jerry Fletcher, because he had rescued her a few years ago when she was being mugged even though she thinks he is a pain in the neck. But when four of the five subscribers of Jerry´s magazine have been murdered, and then someone tries to kill Jerry she becomes interested in his theories...
Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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