---
title: "The Dark Crystal: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal"
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 8
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."
---

# The Dark Crystal (1982): what the critics said

Critics' score 75 from 8 reviews: 6 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative.

Most critics respond warmly to The Dark Crystal, with praise clustering around its puppetry, creature designs and richly detailed fantasy setting. The reviews repeatedly find that the handmade characters have energy and personality, making the adventure engaging beyond its technical achievement. Several also value the humour, heartfelt wonder and moral concerns, particularly the story’s interest in healing and balance.

The reservations centre on storytelling rather than craftsmanship, though the available verdicts range from qualified approval to strong enthusiasm rather than outright rejection. The AV Club finds the pacing uneven and the video effects dated, while maintaining that the puppetry remains convincing. Den of Geek offers the clearest reservation about the writing, arguing that the visual imagination exceeds the storytelling. Collider is more enthusiastic about the story itself, finding its message nuanced and its concerns still relevant.

## Radio Times — David Parkinson

Rating 4/5. 

Parkinson calls the film mesmerising and says it will enchant older children and adults. He particularly praises Jim Henson’s affinity for fantasy and the humour enlivening the adventure.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-e2c2kk/the-dark-crystal/)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1982. 

The review is positive, praising the film as entertaining while offering a moral allegory. It singles out the memorable world and characters created by Henson and Oz, especially Aughra.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1982/film/reviews/the-dark-crystal-1200425408/)

## Empire — Ian Nathan

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Nathan finds the film an imaginative, successful children’s fantasy adventure. He especially praises its extraordinary design and the energy of its puppets.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/dark-crystal-review/)

## The AV Club — Tasha Robinson

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 5 September 2007. 

The critic finds the film’s pacing sometimes lumpy but praises its heartfelt wonder and enduring imaginative world. The puppetry and handcrafted creature designs remain especially convincing despite dated video effects.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-dark-crystal-labyrinth-1798202961)

## Time Out — DP

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 

The accessible page identifies this as a film review, but provides no critic verdict. Its metadata snippet points to the technical challenges of epic fantasy filmmaking, without revealing the review’s praise or complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-dark-crystal)

## Collider — Marco Vito Oddo

Rating A-. 17 December 2022. 

The review finds the film fresh and relevant even four decades later. It especially praises the puppets and practical effects, along with the story’s nuanced message of healing and balance.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-dark-crystal-review-jim-henson-frank-oz/)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 25 May 2015. 

Kermode finds the film an enduringly enjoyable fantasy, with strong characterisation and an inventive setting. She particularly praises the puppetry and the detailed craftsmanship behind its creatures and world.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-dark-crystal-1982-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

## Den of Geek — Mark Pickavance

Rating 3/5. 20 August 2009. 

Pickavance calls the film a flawed masterpiece whose visual imagination outstrips its storytelling, and finds the Blu-ray transfer underwhelming. He particularly praises the puppet work and Brian Froud’s extraordinary creature and world designs.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-dark-crystal-blu-ray-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/the-dark-crystal.md