--- title: "The Fugitive: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-fugitive/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-fugitive" critics_score: 79 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 Fugitive (1993): what the critics said Critics' score 79 from 8 reviews: 7 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics greet The Fugitive as an intelligent, tightly paced thriller, with praise clustering around Andrew Davis’s direction and the pairing of Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. The reviews credit Davis with sustaining suspense through large action sequences, particularly the train crash, without losing the wit or clarity of the chase. Ford’s performance earns broad approval, while Jones’s wisecracking marshal often attracts the stronger notices. Several critics also praise the screenplay’s economy and crisp dialogue. The reservations concern formula and plausibility, though the spread runs from strong enthusiasm to one distinctly mixed assessment. Time Out finds the chase glossy and formulaic, while still admiring Jones and Ford’s handling of the physical demands. The Independent dissents more sharply, dismissing the story as silly and objecting to its treatment of the legal system. Even that review finds vitality in Jones, making his performance the clearest point of agreement across the divide. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 6 August 1993. Davis’ “The Fugitive” is one of the best entertainments of the year, a tense, taut and expert thriller that becomes an allegory about an innocent man in a world prepared to crush him. The critic singles out the virtuoso train crash sequence and the performances of Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-fugitive-1993) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 August 1993. “The Fugitive” is a super-adrenalized stemwinder, a crisp and jolting melodrama that screws the tension so pitilessly tight. The critic singles out the intelligence, wit, and the duel between Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones as a confrontation to remember. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-08-06-ca-20803-story.html) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 August 1993. The film version of “The Fugitive” turns out to be a smashing success, a juggernaut of an action-adventure saga. The critic singles out the direction by Andrew Davis and the performances by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones for sustaining crisp intelligence and a relentless pace. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1993/08/06/movies/review-film-back-on-the-trail-of-a-one-armed-man.html) ## Empire — Angie Errigo Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic hails it as far and away the most exciting adventure thriller of the year, packed with high-speed action, crisp dialogue and strong performances from Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. Director Andrew Davis is praised for handling the clever screenplay with imagination and urgency. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/fugitive-review/) ## Radio Times — John Ferguson Rating 4/5. The big-screen adaptation improves on the source material. Harrison Ford is solid as the wrongly convicted surgeon, but Tommy Lee Jones steals the film with his Oscar-winning turn as the pursuing marshal, while director Andrew Davis keeps the suspense high with memorable set pieces like the train crash. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-nad72v/the-fugitive/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 9 August 1993. The review covers the 1993 film directed by Andrew Davis. The critic examines the thriller's chase dynamics and lead performances. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1993/08/16/on-the-run-2) ## Time Out — GA Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. A glossy, formulaic chase movie relying on extravagant action sequences, most notably a massive train crash. Harrison Ford handles the physical demands well but is outshone by Tommy Lee Jones as the wisecracking marshal on his trail. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-fugitive) ## The Independent — David Thomson Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 9 October 1993. The critic views the film as expensive nonsense and a silly piece of Hollywood entertainment that defames the legal system. He singles out Tommy Lee Jones' energetic, wisecracking performance as the film's main source of vitality and engine. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/cinema-disgusted-rural-texas-the-real-star-of-the-fugitive-is-tommy-lee-jones-david-thomson-studies-his-style-1509946.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Duane Byrge 2 August 1993. The critic praises the film as cinematic storytelling at its best with a propulsive mix of action, suspense and humor, highlighting the lean screenplay and strong performances by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. The only minor reservation is about the credibility of the antagonist's actions. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/fugitive-review-1993-movie-1195822/) --- © 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-fugitive.md