40 Acres: reviews

What the critics say average 7.2 from 41 outlets

• 10 San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen Johnson But the depth of his characters, brought to life by a terrific cast, and tactile world building are what set “40 Acres” apart. Read
• 9.1 Original-CinThom Ernst As a feature-film directorial debut, 40 Acres marks a stunning entrance for Thorne into the cinematic landscape—Canadian or otherwise. Read
• 9.1 FilmSpeakMaxance Vincent How she can command the camera to respond to a face that has seen the worst in humanity and still hasn’t recovered from her trauma will honestly blow you away so much that you may think she is the greatest working actor. Read
• 9.0 MovieJawnTessa Swehla I have watched a lot of low budget post-apocalyptic thrillers over the years, but 40 Acres represents the best of what this genre can be, in action, in acting, in production design, and in philosophical complexity. Read
• 8.8 The Washington PostTy Burr This is a movie to see and a director to watch. Read
• 8.8 The Movie CricketSean P. Means The drama and the action work in tandem, with Thorne’s blocking of the action sketching out the geography of the Freeman farm, giving us a visual touchstone to match the emotional importance Hailey assigns to the place.
• 8.5 The Globe and MailBarry Hertz 40 Acres is a top-tier genre film that Trojan-horses a flood of knotty, provocative conversations into multiplexes via the best kind of speculative fiction. Read
• 8.3 IndiewireChristian Zilko By turning the tables and making a Black woman the landowner, the filmmaker manages to both subvert the past and illustrate the same economic forces that led to all the inequality we still face in the real world. Read
• 8.0 IGNDevan Suber Danielle Deadwyler shines in 40 Acres, a post-apocalyptic home-invasion thriller that injects heart and soul into standard thrills. Read
• 8.0 ColliderJason Gorber This is a complete vision from a newly minted feature director, and it’s a work very much welcome as it joins the many that have tilled similar acreages. Read
• 8.0 VarietyStephen Saito Though R.T. Thorne’s dynamic siege thriller has some familiar moves, it is full of fresh ideas. Read
• 8.0 New York TimesRobert Daniels There’s a tense beauty to “40 Acres.” Deadwyler’s forceful energy fills the frame; through her rigid stature and her cleareyed speech, she lends power and humor to this lovingly stern mother. Read
• 8.0 Film ThreatMichael Talbot-Haynes Instead of watering down the dark future tone of the film, these efforts to flesh out the participants increase the sharpness of the speculative edge that is being held against the viewer’s throat. Read
• 8.0 Rolling StoneDavid Fear Deadwyler is what makes 40 Acres feel like there’s something special happening here. The script has brains. Her Hailey has heart and soul. She gives us the postapocalyptic hero we deserve. Read
• 8.0 Radio TimesJeremy Aspinall There are plenty of grisly action encounters, too, and Deadwyler is mesmerising, remaining sympathetic as she deftly blends tough-love motherhood with unyielding survivalist discipline. Read
• 8.0 NPRBob Mondello It is, put bluntly, a striking feature directing debut. Read
• 8.0 Houston ChronicleCary Darling But for those looking for something more incisive and less polished, more thought-provoking and less escapist, then "40 Acres" is there lurking in the background, like Hailey, armed and ready. Read
• 7.5 Slant MagazineRoss McIndoe 40 Acres continually finds clever ways to either subvert those familiar story beats or to make them land with extra impact. Read
• 7.5 Roger EbertCortlyn Kelly A slow build of suspense steadies the pacing, allowing the audience to piece together the puzzle alongside the characters. Read
• 7.5 DeciderJohn Serba 40 Acres is an engrossing, well-crafted gem of a thriller, as smart as it is entertaining. Read
• 7.5 Digital JournalSarah Gopaul Writer-director R.T. Thorne’s debut feature tackles a variety of subjects, but the Freemans are the heart of the story, whether they’re tending the land or fighting off marauders. Read
• 7.0 Screen RantFerdosa Abdi Ultimately, the film has some heartfelt moments and themes, and while dark and violent, it is, in the end, an uplifting story about family, legacy, and hope. Read
• 7.0 Geek Vibes NationJaylan Salah It works in some parts, others it doesn’t. 40 Acres doesn’t spare the violence, but also leaves no place for a dull moment to pass by. Read
• 7.0 Willamette WeekRudy Valdez Director R.T. Thorne and co-writer Glenn Taylor showcase a solidly crafted story about the terror of letting kids make mistakes and trusting others while the world falls apart. Read
• 7.0 We Live EntertainmentAaron Neuwirth With Danielle Deadwyler becoming more of a name, let alone a mark of quality on anyone’s film, placing her at the center of a dystopian action-thriller featuring predominantly Black and indigenous people’s faces in front of the camera should feel like a real win for moviegoers. Read
• 7.0 The Mercury NewsRandy Myers It’s a remarkable directorial debut and a reminder that Deadwyler can do almost anything with the steely-eyed look she’s known for. Read
• 7.0 EscribiendoCineEmiliano Basile On a budget of barely eight million dollars, the film holds the attention with an absorbing, sweeping narrative drive. Read
• 6.3 Movie NationRoger Moore “40 Acres” is a tense, violent and generally satisfying survivalist thriller. Read
• 6.3 Paste MagazineJesse Hassenger For all of its craft, 40 Acres feels fenced in. Read
• 6.0 Los Angeles TimesAmy Nicholson Thorne has made a resolute portrait of a woman who can’t break free of generational trauma. Read
• 6.0 The GuardianCath Clarke Deadwyler’s performance is the driving force here. Without her, the audience’s attention might drift to the predictability of a plotline that hinges on Manny’s adolescent rebellion against his mum. Read
• 6.0 The Sydney Morning HeraldJake Wilson In other words, Thorne has consciously set out to flip the script of the kind of old-fashioned Western or exotic adventure story where non-white hordes are treated as cannon fodder. Read
• 6.0 FilmHoundsWilliam Stottor The predictability and general serviceability of 40 Acres means it doesn’t set itself apart from others in the genre, but nevertheless, its propulsive action and grounded setting ensure it sails through this dystopian future with a striking cruelty. Read
• 6.0 Common Sense MediaJeffrey M. Anderson This dystopian thriller may feel a little too familiar in the plot department, but it's skillfully made, and its historical context makes it worth a watch. Read
• 6.0 The Hollywood ReporterLovia Gyarkye Deadwyler is naturally compelling as a steely woman trying to translate her painful experiences of war to her sheltered children. Read
• 6.0 The WrapChase Hutchinson In Deadwyler’s eyes, we see many lifetimes of pain and struggle that have hardened into a shell Hailey rarely lets down. While “40 Acres” can be shaky in its dialogue and staging, it’s her performance that keeps it moving. Read
• 5.0 The A.V. ClubMatt Donato The problem is that 40 Acres simply sprinkles its few unique ideas atop a shambling post-apocalyptic template. Read
• 5.0 Always Good MoviesFilipe Freitas Despite this intriguing layer, everything in 40 Acres feels carefully telegraphed, playing into the familiar rhythms of survivalist cinema we’ve seen countless times. Read
• 5.0 Casey's Movie ManiaCasey Chong Again, Deadwyler is the star of the show, and she steals every scene here, but too bad even with Thorne showing some promise in the action department and leaving ample room for most of his actors to excel in their roles, 40 Acres still feels like a missed opportunity. Read
• 5.0 VultureBilge Ebiri More important, the characters never quite come to life and neither does the movie, stuck as it is between Hailey’s hard eyes and some pro forma action-y standoffs. Read
• 4.2 InSession FilmWill Bjarnar Yet 40 Acres never manages to evolve beyond the “keep the outsiders out” mantra that its lead character preaches with the fury of an angry judge banging her gavel through the wood of her stand. Read