Eddington (2025)

Aster fearlessly satirises the pandemic era and its divisions in a heightened comedic western that descends into farce while maintaining insight and confidence. The critic calls it an audacious, farcically funny digest of the times, though the ending may divide viewers.

Aster widens his scope from single protagonists to an ensemble in a small New Mexico town during 2020, creating a blood-soaked state-of-the-nation black comedy that skewers Covid-era divisions, cults and identity politics. The critic praises the visual comedy, ensemble performances and the film's sweep as a microcosm of America.

The critic views it as a deeply cynical film for cynical times that plunges the knife into an eternally fucked-up society, praising its authentic depiction of social media brain-rot and gorgeous shooting by Darius Khondji. They note it is not fully convincing overall despite strong elements like Phoenix's committed performance.

The critic calls it thematically rich but overlong, praising its overflowing ideas and Phoenix's splendid performance as the unhinged sheriff while noting the two-and-a-half-hour runtime and editing issues prevent it from being a killer piece. They single out the parable-like quality and online lies theme for praise.

Aster delivers an unsparingly funny dark comedy that skewers right-wing conspiracy theorists and self-righteous white liberals alike while capturing the madness of 2020 America. The critic highlights the well-observed details and social media chaos but notes it can feel overstuffed.

The pointedly deranged black comedy about Covid and culture wars is more insightful than expected, with a misanthropic smirk that feels sadder this time. It evokes the feelbad energy of prior Aster films while reminding of classic American desert-town stories.

The critic sees it as an ambitious but only partly coherent mishmash of tones, hampered by too many plates spinning and a confusing last act, though it has insightful moments about division and polarization.

Aster’s first film that does not quite combust is a clever but underwhelming social satire of 2020 America that mines conspiracies and tension without breaking new ground. The long fuse leads to a perfunctory detonation.

The critic finds tone the big problem in this western-flavoured satire of 2020 culture wars, calling attempts to say something important silly while noting it works better with OTT violence and set pieces. They single out the fitfully amusing satire and moments of absurdity but criticize its handling of real events.

Aster’s Cannes premiere is a meandering, self-indulgent hodge-podge that piles on too many disasters and themes without a measured approach, despite glimmers of brilliance and strong turns from Phoenix and Pascal. The critic finds it frustrating and not a return to the director’s earlier form.

The critic describes it as a wan, hyperbolic narrative that falls short in skewering right-wing American ideology, offering little insight into the problems it identifies. They single out the strained satire and the main character's underwhelming portrayal despite Phoenix's bullheaded integrity.

The critic calls the film a bloated, indulgent mess and a misguided pandemic satire that punches in all directions with dated jokes and disingenuous messaging. They single out the camerawork by Darius Khondji for praise while criticizing the waste of talented actors like Pascal and Stone in one-dimensional roles.

The film is a bafflingly dull and self-important satire that fails to offer anything new on its themes of Covid, conspiracy theories and social division. It wastes a strong cast through a moderate script and stolid pace.

The critic finds the film a distancing slog that confuses absurdism with incoherence, neither suspenseful nor funny enough, with too many ideas that fizzle out. Praises the cast's efforts but notes no standout performances and undistinguished visuals.

The critic praises Ari Aster's dystopian western farce for capturing the absurd madness of the 2020 pandemic era with sharp satire and humor. She singles out the film's keen eye for the absurdities of human nature and its effective use of visual and thematic elements to convey isolation and misinformation.

The film is a sour-spirited and self-indulgent parody that amounts to little more than trolling without wit or insight. It presents a calculatedly unlovable, obnoxious distortion of Covid-era America.

The critic finds it bracingly nasty and centerless, unsure of what it's trying to say, but appreciates the depiction of fractured reality and Joe’s downward spiral; didn't love or even like it much.

The critic praises Ari Aster's direction for capturing the madness of the pandemic era without his usual stylistic horror flourishes and Joaquin Phoenix's standout performance as the sheriff embodying societal ills. They single out the film's unflinching portrayal of human greed, power struggles, and ridiculousness amid crisis.

The critic finds it a perverse delight that holds a mirror to American insanity through a twisted Western satire set in 2020, praising Joaquin Phoenix and Ari Aster's collaboration for its restraint and ambiguity.

Aster delivers an ambitious, tonally slippery black comedy that starts as an election satire before morphing into a hyper-violent neo-Western thriller.

The critic sees it as Aster's most direct social commentary, immersing viewers in the chaos of the COVID era and modern existence through Phoenix and Pascal's performances and formal control. They single out the personal observations on populism, cultural divides, and the stress-dream quality of the storytelling.

The review finds the film an ugly but intentional depiction of an ugly time, praising Phoenix's fearless lack of vanity in the lead role and Aster's cinematic mastery. They single out the drag in the early sections and question the purpose of revisiting the era without a clearer reason.

Aster's COVID-era political satire is a fascinating but ultimately unpleasant and disappointing film that struggles to contain its ambitions about American societal collapse.

The critic calls Eddington an extraordinary satirical neo-Western that takes a big swing at modern American politics and MAGA culture with biting dark humor. It singles out the film's explosive approach to politics and its depiction of Covid-era chaos as the Big Bang for current divisions.

The critic finds the film ultimately satisfying as it shifts from genteel satire to fully embodying manic energy, praising Aster's knack for confrontation. It singles out the mid-film pivot that allows the story to enact American carnage rather than just winking at it.