59
Metascore
12 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Film ThreatAlan NgFilm ThreatAlan NgAs Sawyer, Hermione Corfield is probably the most famous of the film’s cast. She is the film’s solid foundation and carries it to the finale. She’s believable, strong, and sympathetic.
- 75ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliRust Creek, an uneven but ultimately satisfying thriller from indie director Jen McGowan, seamlessly blends horror and thriller elements across its 108-minute running time.
- 70New York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinNew York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinRust Creek lets you exhale just a bit. It’s tight without being punishing, and its humor takes you happily by surprise. In this sort of film, you’re on guard for pop-up scares and sudden spasms of gore, not for moments of blessed connection. The humanism feels positively radical.
- 67The PlaylistWarren CantrellThe PlaylistWarren CantrellTense, relatable, and cut from a familiar narrative cloth, Rust Creek manages to overcome a few character and pacing issues to emerge as a quality thriller.
- 67The A.V. ClubKatie RifeThe A.V. ClubKatie RifeScreenwriter Julie Lipson’s well-written, naturalistic dialogue helps pass the time, as does Michelle Lawler’s lovely scenic cinematography. But although what we get instead stands on its own merits, this survival thriller could have used a few more thrills.
- 60Los Angeles TimesNoel MurrayLos Angeles TimesNoel MurrayToo many scenes run longer than they need to, padded out with overly folksy and reflective dialogue. But McGowan makes good use of autumnal Appalachia, staging a lot of scenes outdoors in the barren, brown hills.
- 58The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakThese characters are sufficiently complex and intertwined to remain interesting, but how they interact can be uninspiring.
- 50Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreThe violent payoffs are well-staged and edited, and the archetypes solid. But McGowan can’t force herself or her cast to just get on with what they know they must get on with. The “Creek” never quite dries up, but we never get to the rapids either.
- 50The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisCorfield is fine in a role that gives her little opportunity to do more than run and fight, but a woman this empowered removes the question mark from her survival — and the tension from the movie.
- 50RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoRogerEbert.comBrian TallericoWhat’s perhaps most interesting about director Jen McGowan’s film is how much she rescues it from that dreadful opening act, although she can’t quite get it back to something worth recommending, largely due to a major flaw that grows more prominent in contrast as the film gets better.