--- title: "Tucker and Dale vs. Evil: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 15 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." --- # Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 15 reviews: 10 positive, 5 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, with praise centred on its reversal of the slasher formula: the supposed backwoods threats are well-meaning men caught in disastrous misunderstandings. Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine draw consistent approval for their likeable performances and chemistry, giving the bloody farce some warmth. The reviews also credit the comic timing, sight gags and inventive gore, finding an affectionate approach to horror conventions rather than a mean-spirited spoof. The disagreement concerns how long the central joke lasts. Several critics find that repetition sets in and the later stretch loses momentum, while others remain entertained by the escalating accidents. The New York Times finds the comedy grows funnier as it progresses; The AV Club finds it too slick, cute and repetitive after the first half-hour. The spread runs from enthusiastic to mixed, with no outright negative verdicts: even the reservations generally leave room for the premise and leads. ## Empire — Adam Smith Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 September 2011. The film is an irresistibly likable comedy-horror that cleverly reverses the slasher formula through a central misunderstanding. The hillbilly duo at its heart provides the main appeal and heart of the story. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/tucker-dale-vs-evil-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 September 2011. The film is a lively horror-comedy bromance that refreshingly upends genre tropes with its focus on two peaceful rednecks mistaken for threats. The sincere chemistry between the leads makes the over-the-top gore and parodic humor feel endearing rather than mean-spirited. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-sep-30-la-et-tucker-dale-evil-20110930-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2011. The film cleverly upends slasher-movie clichés by making the hillbilly protagonists sweet and helpful while the college kids cause the mayhem through misunderstandings. The performances of Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk as the affable leads anchor the gory farce. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil-2011) ## The Hollywood Reporter Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2010. Festival review. The horror-comedy inverts typical expectations as a cheeky tribute to slasher classics, with strong performances from the leads and inventive camerawork that propels the twists. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil-29235/) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. Eli Craig's Appalachian horror-comedy entertainingly imagines The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a farce. It delivers a neat reversal of the kids-in-the-woods genre that is genuinely funny, if quite bloody. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/tucker-dale-vs-evil-review-7426777.html) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2011. First-time director Eli Craig gets the horror-comedy mix right with charming leads and an original central joke about backwoods men mistaken for killers by city teens. The single-joke premise works well but the plot runs out of steam. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/sep/22/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil-review) ## The New York Times — Neil Genzlinger Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2011. Eli Craig’s comedy is a droll sendup of the killer-in-the-swamp genre that grows funnier as it progresses through accidents and misunderstandings. The best bits highlight the absurdity of the psychology student’s attempts to resolve the escalating conflicts without violence. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/movies/eli-craigs-tucker-and-dale-vs-evil-review.html) ## The AV Club — Noel Murray Rating C+. 29 September 2011. The premise of the horror-comedy is clever in flipping the slasher perspective, but the film feels too slick, cute, and repetitive after the first half-hour, though the kill scenes are well-crafted. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/tucker-dale-vs-evil-1798169803) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2011. The film flip-flops genre dynamics in a cute but not uproarious way, with clever subversion of slasher tropes that stays amiable thanks to gore and self-aware humor, though it rarely elicits big laughs. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil/) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2011. The film flips horror clichés by portraying rednecks as sweet-natured pacifists and city kids as idiots, delivering a smart and funny idea with strong sight gags. It runs out of steam in the third act. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/comedy/article/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil-8nrc25236ql) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 3/5. 20 September 2011. The critic praises it as a witty reversal of the slasher template with charming leads and inventive gore, but notes the final act drags a bit into horror territory. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/tucker-dale-vs-evil-1) ## Den of Geek — Caroline Preece Rating 4/5. 22 September 2011. The critic calls it a fun, good-natured horror comedy and an affectionate tribute to woodland hillbilly scares that hits every note. She singles out the titular characters for their hearts of gold and strong performances by Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/tucker-dale-vs-evil-review-2/) ## HeyUGuys — Lisa Giles-Keddie Rating 4/5. 22 September 2011. Festival review. The critic praises the film as a clever, hilarious homage to horror clichés that flips the usual hillbilly-villain trope on its head with expert comic timing and a strong sense of the genre. The standout elements are the likeable, rounded performances of Alan Tudyk and Tyler Labine as the well-meaning leads and the fresh perspective they bring to the story. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/frightfest-2011-tucker-dale-vs-evil-review/) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B. 29 September 2011. The review calls the concept novel and genuinely funny with heart, strong performances from the leads, and a brilliant role reversal, while noting that the idea works better as a short film than a full feature and that the second half leans on familiar gore and laughs. It ultimately recommends the film for horror fans seeking something light-hearted and cult-friendly. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/review-tucker-dale-the-hillbilly-horror-buddy-comedy-you-never-knew-you-wanted-20110929/) ## Paste — Michael Burgin Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 2 September 2011. The critic finds the central premise clever but the execution uneven due to an identity crisis between farce, spoof, and gore fest. Praises the lead actors Tudyk and Labine but notes it falls short of comparisons to Shaun of the Dead. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil-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/tucker-and-dale-vs-evil.md