Critic Reviews

• Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

  Although at times the film gets bogged down in psychological murkiness, the relentless pace and brooding charisma of its star overcomes its narrative deficiencies.

• Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

  The film's explicit depictions of regional violence have upset some audiences, but there's no denying their impact: those butchered pigs are only the beginning.

• V.A. Musetto, New York Post

  For some reason, the film, directed by Josh Crook, has a schmaltzy happy ending that's out of step with the rest of the story.

• Lisa Rosman, Time Out New York

  Rings painfully familiar.

• Aaron Hillis, Village Voice

  The subgenre's clichéd two-way street of corruption and redemption predictably sees our antihero finding liberation in a childhood sweetheart while facing down the crooked lawman who led him to a life of transgression.

• Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant Magazine

  It's nearly impossible to discern crook from cop in the handheld, trigonometric angles and slice-and-dice editing of La Soga.

• Jerry Portwood, New York Press

  The focus could have been refined and made for a simpler tale. As is, it's a thrilling ride -- as long as you don't try to dig too deep into the narrative structure.

• Kam Williams, NewsBlaze

  From 'Shots! Shots! Shots!' to 'Hot! Hot! Hot!'

• Michelle Orange, Movieline

  A film loaded with interest that somehow fails to be interesting.

• Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru

  A captivating, well-acted, intense and suspenseful thriller that suffers from excessive flashbacks and a contrived romantic subplot.

• Sam Adams, AV Club

  Even a breaking glass is filmed in slow motion and accompanied by ominous soundtrack pounding -- unless that thud is the movie hammering the same point home again and again.

• David Noh, Film Journal International

  This emptily callous film tries to be an edgy expose of the Dominican criminal world, but plays more like a particularly juvenile game of shoot-'em-up.

• Clay Cane, BET.com

  Despite its flaws, which are minimal for a movie that doesn't have millions of dollars like the big Hollywood flicks, 'La Soga' keeps the audience engaged right to the last frame. This is a gritty urban drama that transcends language and culture.

• Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze

  So is this anguished assassin guilty of a Faustian bargain with his chosen profession, or its victim? Maybe only the the satanic carnival Lechones dancing at his doorstep know for sure. Or in other words, the devils made him do it.

• Harvey S. Karten, Rotten Tomatoes

  The best movie about a vegetarian butcher that you'll see this year.

Read all 15 critic reviews