--- title: "Romancing the Stone: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/romancing-the-stone/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/romancing-the-stone" critics_score: 69 critics_reviews: 9 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." --- # Romancing the Stone (1984): what the critics said Critics' score 69 from 9 reviews: 7 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics find Romancing the Stone a lively, likeable adventure, with praise centred on its old-fashioned escapism, comic energy and romantic leads. Kathleen Turner’s performance draws particular approval, as does her chemistry with Michael Douglas: their verbal sparring gives the action a welcome lightness. The favourable reviews also enjoy the treasure-hunt ingredients and the heroine’s growing resourcefulness, generally accepting the familiar storytelling as part of the pleasure. The reservations concern originality and the assumptions behind the romance, though their severity varies considerably. Some otherwise appreciative reviews acknowledge dryness or familiar plotting. Variety is cooler about the heroine’s transformation, treating it as a predictable screen formula. Slant Magazine offers the sharpest dissent, arguing that the film’s xenophobia and male self-importance make its adventure a defence of white male protection. The spread is therefore wider than the broadly favourable consensus might suggest: the objections extend beyond how efficiently the entertainment works. ## The Hollywood Reporter — Arthur Knight Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 1984. Knight considers it a superior, highly entertaining adventure that knows exactly what it is. He particularly praises Kathleen Turner’s transformation into a daring, resourceful heroine. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/romancing-the-stone-review-1984-michael-douglas-1235361510/) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 4/5. The critic praises the film as a lively, old-fashioned adventure with clever humor and top-notch action. Kathleen Turner’s exhilarating performance and chemistry with Michael Douglas stand out. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-w7ffrx/romancing-the-stone/) ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The review finds the film lively, entertaining adventure fare. It praises Douglas and Turner’s chemistry, the exuberant direction, and DeVito’s performance. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/romancing-stone-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 3/4. 30 March 1984. Ebert regards the film as an enjoyable adventure. He praises its lively old-fashioned escapism. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/romancing-the-stone-1984) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 March 1984. Maslin’s review is broadly positive about the film as an entertaining action comedy. It singles out the comic energy of the adventure. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/30/movies/screen-romancing-the-stone-action-comedy.html) ## Time Out — JP Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). The review presents the film as engaging wish-fulfilment. It singles out the lively combination of treasure maps, crocodiles and romantic adventure. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/romancing-the-stone-1) ## Slant Magazine — Paul Schrodt Rating 2/4. 1 September 2006. Schrodt gives the film a negative verdict, calling it a Douglas vanity project. He criticizes its xenophobia and male self-importance, which he says turn its adventure-romance template into an un-ironic defense of white male protection. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/romancing-the-stone/) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1983. The excerpt offers only a faintly critical verdict, suggesting the heroine’s transformation follows a familiar screen formula. It singles out the story’s expected complications but gives no clear praise of a performance or craft element. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1983/film/reviews/romancing-the-stone-1200425989/) ## Eye for Film — Stephen Carty Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 24 July 2010. Carty finds the film an enduringly likeable adventure, despite some dryness and questions of originality. He singles out the natural chemistry and verbal sparring between Douglas and Turner as the film’s chief strength. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/romancing-the-stone-film-review-by-stephen-carty) --- © 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/romancing-the-stone.md