---
title: "Nightmare Alley: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/nightmare-alley-2021/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/nightmare-alley-2021"
critics_score: 65
critics_reviews: 30
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Nightmare Alley (2021): what the critics said

Critics' score 65 from 30 reviews: 20 positive, 1 mixed, 9 negative.

Most critics come down in favour of del Toro’s noir, and the praise gathers in the same places. The production design and cinematography are admired almost everywhere, with the carnival half of the film repeatedly singled out for its grotesque detail. Bradley Cooper is widely thought to work against his usual charm, and Cate Blanchett’s femme fatale is a favourite even among reviewers who dislike the film around her.

The reservations cluster on length and polish. Many find it overlong, and a sizeable minority argue that so glossy a finish sits badly with a sleazy story; Vulture compares it to a fake dive bar and the Financial Times finds the deluxe finish pointless. The spread is wide: twenty positive reviews, nine negative, one in between, so critics tend either to fall for the world del Toro has built or to find it hollow. The New Yorker and The Times are the sharpest dissenters, finding it bloated and dull.

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 December 2021. 

The critic praises the film as a spectacularly grim neo-noir that treats the genre as a lavish funhouse, with Bradley Cooper’s brooding performance capturing the putrefaction of one man’s American dream. The intricately designed carnival world and Blanchett’s malevolent femme fatale are highlighted for their visual and performative richness.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-12-16/nightmare-alley-review-bradley-cooper-cate-blanchett-guillermo-del-toro)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 23 January 2022. 

The critic praises this neo-noir as a dazzling, deliciously damnable drama with human monsters and a bleak conclusion. Production design, cinematography and score are singled out for their evocative power.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jan/23/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro-bradley-cooper-cate-blanchett-rooney-mara)

## Empire — Ben Travis

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 January 2022. 

The review praises the enveloping atmosphere, compelling characters led by Cooper, gorgeous filmmaking, and del Toro's shift to noir while retaining his signature beastliness and detail.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/nightmare-alley-2022/)

## Little White Lies — Leila Latif

Rating 4/4/4. 18 January 2022. 

Del Toro delivers a deliciously dark, visually sumptuous neo-noir feast with architectural precision and lush textures, especially in the carnival and art-deco sequences. The critic praises Blanchett’s commanding turn and the pitch-black conclusion but notes some heavy-handed metaphors and an overlong runtime.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/nightmare-alley)

## Radio Times — Max Copeman

Rating 4/5. 

Del Toro delivers a luxurious love letter to film noir with high production values, glossy finish and a jet-black heart. Cooper subverts his charismatic image and Blanchett offers a glorious femme fatale, making this a handsome, fascinating character study despite its indulgent length.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-qp496y/nightmare-alley/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Sheri Linden

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 December 2021. 

The critic praises del Toro's adaptation as a blood-dark jewel and luminous noir vision, highlighting the vivid worlds created, strong performances especially Cooper's, and the film's fluent direction, while noting some literal screenplay moments.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/nightmare-alley-review-1235051149/)

## IndieWire — David Ehrlich

Rating B. 2 December 2021. 

The critic finds it a glossy noir remake where del Toro pivots from supernatural but the film is haunted by the difference between monsters and men; praises Cooper's shine but notes it's a strange fit for the director's style, with a sleek patina that doesn't fully suit the bleak material.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/2021/12/nightmare-alley-review-2021-1234682896/)

## The Independent — Lindsey Bahr

Rating 3/4. 15 December 2021. 

The critic praises del Toro's adaptation as a decadent, genre-true noir about a hustler's rise and fall, highlighting the strong cast and lavish production design in both carnival and city settings.

[Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/guillermo-del-toro-bradley-cooper-ron-perlman-willem-dafoe-pete-b1976842.html)

## The i Paper — Geoffrey Macnab

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 January 2022. 

The critic commends Cooper's career-best performance as the anti-hero and the excellent supporting cast, along with the rich visuals, while noting the overly long runtime as a drawback.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/nightmare-alley-review-bradley-cooper-guillermo-del-toro-cate-blanchett-rooney-mara-1412990)

## Total Film

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 21 January 2022. 

The critic notes that del Toro’s distinctive nightmares stand apart from the pack in this adaptation.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro/)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 January 2022. 

The review highlights strong performances, especially from Cooper and Blanchett, and the atmospheric noir spectacle, but criticizes the wordy, shallow script and some miscasting.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro-bradley-cooper-cate-blanchett-b977651.html)

## Sight and Sound — Kim Newman

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 20 January 2022. 

Del Toro’s remake is a grotesque yet fanciful carnival noir with a clammy, quease-making lead performance from Bradley Cooper. The critic praises the director’s eye for oddballs and the carnival world as a haven, while noting the film adds Freudian elements that sometimes undercut the central performance.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/nightmare-alley-guillermo-del-toro-returns-with-creepy-carnival-noir)

## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 December 2021. 

The critic notes that del Toro’s adaptation hews more faithfully to the novel than the 1947 film but sentimentalizes the source material. The carnival setting is described as rich with grotesque and sleazy details that suit the director’s style.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/15/movies/nightmare-alley-review.html)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 3/5. 17 December 2021. 

Del Toro crafts an immaculately designed morality tale with deliciously grotesque carnival scenes and strong supporting turns, but the remake prioritises craft over moral complexity and lacks the original’s tension. Cooper’s assured performance feels too knowing from the start, making the central character less compelling.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/nightmare-alley-2021)

## Financial Times — Danny Leigh

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 20 January 2022. 

The critic finds the polished aesthetics a poor fit for the sleazy, despairing tale, describing the result as pointlessly deluxe. Production design is highlighted as overly fussy in a grim morality story.

[Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/384f5eb5-ee9b-45b5-aba0-2cf36375f9e9)

## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2021. 

The critic criticizes the film for being too art-directed and lacking real darkness, calling it the noir equivalent of a fake dive bar; praises the bursts of violence and the ending but finds it distancing and stylized in a way that undercuts the pulpy material.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-guillermo-del-toros-nightmare-alley.html)

## Screen Daily

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 2 December 2021. Festival review. 

Del Toro’s rich remake is a noir richer in mood than compelling characters, with impeccable period details and a seductive look, but the muddled script lacks killer instinct. The film is chilly and views the world as full of cynical takers, though it will appeal to upscale audiences.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/nightmare-alley-review/5165676.article)

## The New Yorker — Richard Brody

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2021. 

The critic finds the remake bloated, literal in its messaging, and overdecorated, with del Toro’s grotesque flourishes emptying out the story rather than expanding it. The extended length and elaborate period sets are singled out as draining tension and spontaneity from the narrative.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/review-nightmare-alley-and-the-pitfalls-of-the-period-remake)

## The Times — Kevin Maher

Rating ★★☆☆☆. 8 December 2021. 

The review calls the film a glossy, overstretched and needlessly bloated noir that is visually gorgeous but profoundly dull. It criticises the narrative and casting choices while noting strong production design.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/article/nightmare-alley-review-first-look-at-guillermo-del-toros-disappointing-but-glossy-noir-kmgk5rcrm)

## NME — Paul Bradshaw

Rating 5/5. 20 January 2022. 

Del Toro’s version is overwrought and overlong but also a masterpiece and his best film in years. It is praised for its lavishly detailed world-building across carnival, noir, and melodramatic acts.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/nightmare-alley-review-horror-guillermo-del-toro-3141855)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2021. 

The critic praises the performances of Cooper and Blanchett, the production design and cinematography, calling it a vivid film noir remake that noir and del Toro fans should enjoy. They single out the sumptuous visuals and the strong cast for praise.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/video/nightmare-alley-review-bradley-cooper-cate-blancehtt-guillermo-del-toro-rooney-mara/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating B+. 13 December 2021. 

The critic praises del Toro for crafting a chilling noir that explores monstrous humanity through its doomed protagonist. The film is noted as immaculately made but perhaps too polished to fully capture the grime of its characters.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro-bradley-cooper/)

## Den of Geek — Don Kaye

Rating 4/5. 16 December 2021. 

Del Toro’s most satisfying film in years, with exceptional control of noir themes and stunning visuals, especially in the carnival half. It is critiqued for narrative imbalance between halves but rewarded for its rich psychological drama.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/nightmare-alley-guillermo-del-toro-noir-freaky-good/)

## /Film — Chris Evangelista

Rating 8/10. 2 December 2021. 

The film is a thrilling, stylish carnival noir with a hauntingly beautiful world and an all-timer ending. Cate Blanchett's icy femme fatale is the standout, though pacing drags in the second half.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/675752/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toros-carnival-noir-is-stylish-as-hell-with-a-standout-cate-blanchett-performance/)

## Consequence

Rating B. 2 December 2021. 

The critic describes the glossy tragedy about the dangers of ambition, with human monsters replacing del Toro's usual supernatural ones. While hampered by some sentimentality, it remains entrancing as the director grapples with his own themes.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2021/12/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro/)

## Polygon — Joshua Rivera

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 29 December 2021. 

The critic calls it a stylish and dark work about lies and liars that shouldn't be overlooked in theaters. It is praised as a sordid drama acutely of the moment, spinning a cycle of exploitation with few major studio films matching its feel.

[Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/22851859/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro/)

## The Ringer

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2021. 

The critic argues that the film often fails on both spectacle and thematic counts despite del Toro's knack for combining the two. It is seen as outwardly accomplished but frictionless, fetishizing its Depression-era despair without deeper resonance.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2021/12/17/movies/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro-bradley-cooper)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 16 December 2021. 

The critic finds the film visually gorgeous but lacking in noir intensity and substance, calling it an empty impersonation and a rare misstep for del Toro. They praise the carnival scenes and some performances like Dafoe and Collette but complain about the lack of depth.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/nightmare-alley-film-review-guillermo-del-toro-bradley-cooper-cate-blanchett-2021/)

## The Playlist — Marya E. Gates

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 2 December 2021. 

The noir misses its mark overall despite Blanchett adding verve as the femme fatale. Cooper is miscast, the film is bloated and emotionally inert with excessive CGI and unclear thematic intent.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/nightmare-alley-review-guillermo-del-toro-noir-cate-blanchett-20211202/)

## Paste — Dom Sinacola

Rating 6.0. 16 December 2021. 

The critic finds the film a feel-bad holiday hit that resembles a fetish object more than a strong adaptation, with its context and execution failing to land effectively. Del Toro's take on the bleak ending from the novel is acknowledged but overall the result is deemed underwhelming.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/guillermo-del-toro/nightmare-alley-guillermo-del-toro-review)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/nightmare-alley-2021.md