--- title: "Touch of Evil: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/touch-of-evil/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/touch-of-evil" critics_score: 86 critics_reviews: 13 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." --- # Touch of Evil (1958): what the critics said Critics' score 86 from 13 reviews: 12 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics are strongly favourable, with praise clustering around the film’s visual craft, sustained tension and Welles’s performance as the corrupt Captain Quinlan. The opening tracking shot draws repeated attention for its control and suspense, while the expressionistic cinematography gives the noir melodrama much of its force. The reviews also value the moral ambiguity and depth of character, finding more than thriller mechanics beneath the elaborate staging. Reservations are scattered rather than shared, and several concern particular versions or releases rather than the film itself. Little White Lies finds the story potentially contrived, while Variety welcomes the reconstruction’s greater clarity without seeing it as a change in the film’s artistic standing. The handling of music produces a smaller distinction: The AV Club praises the revised opening without music for increasing suspense, whereas Variety regrets the absence of Mancini’s theme over the end credits. ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/5/5. 10 July 2015. Jenkins praises the film as a soulful, baroque character study that upends conventional ideas of heroism and villainy. He singles out its eccentric supporting characters and surreal climax, while noting that the story can seem contrived. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/touch-of-evil-1958) ## Radio Times — Tony Sloman Rating 5/5. Sloman regards the film as a major American masterwork and a culmination of film noir. He praises its enduring stature and its deeply disturbing melodrama. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-pyriaa/touch-of-evil/) ## Time Out — Joshua Rothkopf Rating 5/5. 5 July 2015. The review calls the film a masterclass in tension, visual panache and B-movie excess. It singles out the legendary three-minute tracking shot as a standout. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/touch-of-evil) ## Empire — Angie Errigo Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2011. Errigo regards the film as a superb and influential noir masterpiece. She especially praises its audacious cinematography, including the celebrated opening shot and its complex set-pieces. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-touch-evil-review/) ## Slant Magazine — Budd Wilkins Rating 4.5/5. 25 April 2022. Wilkins treats the film as a landmark noir whose moral ambiguity remains potent. He praises the UHD transfers for their clarity and depth, especially in the night scenes. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/touch-of-evil-4k-review-orson-welles/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2015. Bradshaw praises the restored film as a brilliant, remarkable noir melodrama. He singles out Welles’s Shakespearean performance as the corrupt Captain Quinlan. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/09/touch-of-evil-review-orson-welles) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 1998. Turan welcomes the re-edited version as a clearer realization of Welles’ intentions. He particularly praises Welles’ commanding performance and the film’s expressionistic cinematography. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-sep-06-ca-19865-story.html) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2002. Phipps praises the restored version and considers the film one of Welles’s best. He singles out the revised, music-free opening as more suspenseful and Welles’s corrupt cop as especially compelling. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/touch-of-evil-restored-version-1798195480) ## The Independent — Geoffrey Macnab Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2015. Macnab regards the film as a magnificent work, elevated from a B-movie thriller to Shakespearean grandeur. He singles out Welles’s performance and the celebrated, unbroken opening scene for praise. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/touch-of-evil-film-review-orson-welles-magnificent-piece-of-work-that-has-been-remastered-10378927.html) ## The New York Times — Stephanie Zacharek Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2008. Zacharek praises the film as a seductive, precisely crafted noir that rewards repeated viewing. She singles out Welles’s commanding screen presence and the chance to compare three versions of the film. [Read the review](https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-940CE7DD123BF934A3575AC0A96E9C8B63.html) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 23 December 1998. Festival review. McCarthy finds the reconstruction a worthwhile, clearer presentation that will please Welles enthusiasts, though it does not change the film’s artistic standing. He praises the improved sound mix and the way the pristine print reveals Welles’ visual craft, while wishing Mancini’s theme had been included over the end credits. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1998/film/reviews/touch-of-evil-re-issue-1200456175/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). The page text was inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict and specific praise cannot be verified. No review details are available to summarize reliably. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-touch-of-evil-1958) ## Collider — Rob Vaux Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2014. The critic praises the film as a richly layered noir masterpiece, while criticizing the Blu-ray for offering little new to existing owners. He especially singles out the depth of the characters and Welles’ overlapping dialogue. [Read the review](https://collider.com/touch-of-evil-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/touch-of-evil.md