---
title: "The Wonder: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-wonder/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-wonder"
critics_score: 65
critics_reviews: 23
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 Wonder (2022): what the critics said

Critics' score 65 from 23 reviews: 11 positive, 7 mixed, 5 negative.

Most critics come down on the film’s side, though not by a wide margin: eleven positive notices against seven mixed and five negative. The praise gathers almost entirely around Florence Pugh, whose performance is described as commanding and layered even by reviewers who dislike the film around her. Ari Wegner’s misty Irish landscapes and the eerie score are the next most frequent compliments, and several critics single out Kíla Lord Cassidy as Anna.

The reservations are about the storytelling. The self-conscious framing device draws complaints from admirers and detractors alike, and a number of reviews find the middle stretch slow or repetitive and the ideas about faith thinner than they first appear. The spread is wide, running from strong recommendations to rejection. Variety judges the resolution preposterous and says it mishandles the film’s central ethical conflict, while Paste objects that the portrayal of the Irish is callous and leaves out British responsibility for the famine.

## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Farber

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 3 September 2022. Festival review. 

Farber finds the film illuminating and powerful, with Florence Pugh’s performance as its chief strength. He also praises the dark-tinged cinematography and eerie score, while noting some supporting roles feel underwritten.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-wonder-florence-pugh-sebastian-lelio-netflix-1235211809/)

## The Guardian — Benjamin Lee

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2022. Festival review. 

The critic finds the film a persuasive, involving drama, despite an ineffective framing device. Florence Pugh’s commanding performance is singled out as its central strength.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/sep/14/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh-is-miraculously-good-in-eerie-drama)

## The AV Club — Jack Smart

Rating B+. 2 November 2022. 

The review finds the film atmospheric and compelling, praising Sebastián Lelio’s handling of its mystery without sacrificing ambiguity. It particularly singles out Florence Pugh’s mesmerizing performance and the film’s striking visuals and music.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/film-review-the-wonder-florence-pugh-sebastian-lelio-1849726496)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Rating 4/5. 2 November 2022. 

O'Sullivan finds the film tense and compelling, with its cast and bold direction outweighing screenplay flaws. She especially praises Florence Pugh's performance and the atmospheric cinematography and score.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-wonder-movie-review-florence-pugh-ireland-miracle-niamh-algar-b1030762.html)

## Little White Lies — Lillian Crawford

Rating 3/4/3. 2 November 2022. 

The review finds the film compelling in its performances and setting, but says its self-conscious framing undermines the story. It praises Florence Pugh and Kíla Lord Cassidy’s performances and Ari Wegner’s misty Irish landscapes.

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

## Radio Times — Molly Moss

Rating 4/5. 

The review praises the film as an eerie period drama about the dangers of blind faith. It singles out Florence Pugh’s mesmerising performance as the film’s anchor.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-avd0rp/the-wonder/)

## IndieWire — David Ehrlich

Rating B. 3 September 2022. Festival review. 

Ehrlich finds the film’s ideas about belief compelling, though the drama often skims the surface and feels clipped. He praises its evocative visual design and score for conjuring the grief and despair left by the famine.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh-netflix-1234757742/)

## Slant Magazine — Josh Wise

Rating 3/4. 9 November 2022. 

Wise finds the film a powerful study of how people become cloistered by their own stories. He singles out Florence Pugh’s compelling performance and the scenes revealing Elizabeth’s private grief.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh-sebastian-lelio/)

## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2022. Festival review. 

The standfirst gives a positive verdict, saying Florence Pugh impresses again. It singles out her performance as a strength in Sebastián Lelio’s adaptation.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-wonder-toronto-review/5174469.article)

## Empire — Ella Kemp

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 2 November 2022. 

Kemp finds the film thoughtful and quietly hopeful, though slow and less eerie than it might have been. She especially praises Florence Pugh’s performance and the compassion Lelio draws from a bleak story.

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

## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 17 November 2022. 

The review gives a measured assessment of the film. It singles out Florence Pugh’s performance as a strength.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/17/movies/the-wonder-review.html)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 2 September 2022. 

Debruge finds the adaptation ultimately preposterous, arguing that its resolution mishandles the ethical conflict at its center. He praises Kíla Lord Cassidy’s eerie, serene portrayal of Anna, but criticizes the film’s self-conscious framing and miscalculated ending.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh-1235357812/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2022. Festival review. 

The critic calls the film a career-best, praising its humane exploration of faith, reason and survival. Florence Pugh’s delicately powerful performance is singled out as especially memorable.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-wonder-movie-review-florence-pugh-performance-stuns/)

## Collider — Chase Hutchinson

Rating B-. 15 September 2022. Festival review. 

Hutchinson finds the film unwieldy but thematically ambitious, leaving a lasting impression despite its tangled storytelling. He singles out Florence Pugh’s compelling performance and the eerie score as its strengths.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh/)

## The Playlist

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 3 September 2022. 

The URL identifies this as a review of The Wonder, but the page content is blocked. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined from the available text.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh-telluride-review-20220903/)

## /Film — Chris Evangelista

Rating 6/10. 14 September 2022. Festival review. 

The critic finds the film haunting and hypnotic but ultimately puzzled by its thin, repetitive story and unclear ideas. Florence Pugh’s layered performance and the eerie atmosphere stand out for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1007602/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh-investigates-a-miracle-in-this-chilly-oddity-tiff/)

## HeyUGuys

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. 

The review calls the film a mixed bag, elevated by Florence Pugh’s performance. It praises her expressive acting and the atmospheric cinematography, while faulting the framing device and the film’s slow stretches.

[Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-wonder-review/)

## Consequence — Vanessa Armstrong

Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2022. 

The review finds the film overburdened by its blunt, repetitive metaphors, though Pugh’s performance makes it engaging. It singles out her careful portrayal of Lib’s passion, sympathy, and flaws.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2022/11/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh/)

## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson

Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 1 October 2022. 

Wilkinson finds the film uneven, with plotting and characterization that keep it from fully succeeding. She praises Florence Pugh’s intense performance, complemented by Kíla Lord Cassidy’s determination as Anna.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-wonder-2022-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)

## Deadline — Todd McCarthy

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2022. Festival review. 

McCarthy finds the film atmospheric and intriguing but ultimately overworked and less compelling than its premise promises. He praises the visual work by Lelio and cinematographer Ari Wegner, along with Florence Pugh’s varied performance.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2022/09/the-wonder-telluride-review-florence-pugh-in-sebastian-lelios-gothic-netflix-drama-1235107773/)

## Paste — Natalia Keogan

Rating 6.2. 15 November 2022. 

Keogan argues that the film misses the mark with a callous, biased portrayal of Irish people. She objects especially to its omission of anti-Irish prejudice and British responsibility for the famine.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/netflix/the-wonder-review)

## Polygon — Katie Rife

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2022. 

The review finds the film atmospheric and compelling at first, but increasingly frustrating as its mystery resolves and its themes lose focus. It praises Kíla Lord Cassidy’s performance and the evocative location photography.

[Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23461171/the-wonder-review-netflix-florence-pugh/)

## Digital Spy — Gabriella Geisinger

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2022. 

Geisinger finds the film underwhelming, saying it lacks the mysticism and wonder needed to make its story compelling. She praises Florence Pugh’s layered performance, while also singling out Niamh Algar’s compelling supporting turn.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a41964689/the-wonder-review-florence-pugh/)

---
© 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-wonder.md