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Skyscraper

20 July 2018English1h 42m
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 4 scored reviews · 1 not rated

Johnson and Campbell hold their own, but the script is strictly borrowed goods.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Johnson and Campbell's grounded performances
  • Criticised: Derivative, formulaic, logic-defying plot

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Critic consensus

What 5 critics are saying

Critical reception for Skyscraper leans mixed-to-negative, with most reviewers acknowledging the film delivers serviceable action entertainment provided audiences arrive with low expectations. Johnson's physical presence and his on-screen chemistry with Neve Campbell were singled out as keeping the film grounded, and the stunt sequences were noted as capable of generating genuine tension despite their implausibility. However, critics consistently pointed to the film's derivative nature, borrowing heavily from earlier action films, and its shallow, formulaic storytelling as significant drawbacks. Several reviewers flagged a persistent 'seen-it-all-before' feeling that undermines engagement.

How the 4 scores spread

1 not-rated review isn't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 5 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (5)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    Rawson Marshall Thurber is more intent on showcasing Dwayne Johnson's indisputable superhuman, but also much exposed, talents.
  2. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    It is also disappointingly derivative. It borrows the hubris of the Towering Inferno, the European villain from Die Hard, and the family in peril from Johnson's own Fast & Furious films.
  3. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    Despite all these negative aspects, the movie falls smack down the middle of 'you get what you paid for' territory. This allows you to push logic out of the building (pun intended) and savour the mayhem as it unfolds. Johnson and Neve Campbell, as Sawyer's wife Sarah, have ample experience to keep their performances rooted enough without being campy. That said, this one might be worth your money and time only if your expectations aren't sky-high and you enjoy predicting what happens next in movies
  4. Deccan Chronicle

    Film review ·

    While Johnson looks cool doing all that unbelievable action, the film bugs you with constant 'been-there-seen-that' feeling.
  5. The Hindu

    Film review ·

    As is obvious, Skyscraper's premise is pretty stretched. Plus, a suspension of disbelief is imperative to avoid sniggering at director Rawson Marshall Thurber's audacious stunts. But in the end, that inevitable, pesky gasp will creep in when Sawyer's hand slips on a railing and he's dangling thousand feet in the air.

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Cast & crew

Cast

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