67
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90Los Angeles TimesNoel MurrayLos Angeles TimesNoel MurrayFrom the shockingly raunchy dialogue to the ironic yuletide pop songs, this movie is a fun kind of nasty.
- 90Village VoiceApril WolfeVillage VoiceApril WolfeIt’s only October, but Christmas has come early for horror fans.
- 80TheWrapAlonso DuraldeTheWrapAlonso DuraldeDelightfully unpredictable and surprisingly shocking, this is the kind of wintry wickedness that will see you through both Halloween and Christmas, especially if you like those holiday flavors together.
- 75The A.V. ClubKatie RifeThe A.V. ClubKatie RifeThe film will continue to defy your expectations.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterJordan MintzerThe Hollywood ReporterJordan MintzerThe sadistic horror comedy Safe Neighborhood is the kind of film that’s tough to categorize but easy to enjoy, especially if you like watching teenagers do some very twisted things for the holiday season.
- 70VarietyDennis HarveyVarietyDennis HarveyWhat starts out looking like a prank run amuck gradually grows more sinister, with director Chris Peckover (“Undocumented”) nicely handling the swerves toward dramatic peril and fatal consequences while still maintaining a confectionary “family entertainment” veneer of antic doings in a glossy suburban setting.
- 70We Got This CoveredMatt DonatoWe Got This CoveredMatt DonatoBetter Watch Out is a good movie you should watch knowing nothing about, like a spoiler-free Christmas morning.
- 70Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzArizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzCo-writer and director Chris Peckover clearly knows his way around both the holiday and horror genres, and while this isn’t the first time someone has blended the two, it is one of the more-effective efforts. It’s scary and fun, if your idea of fun involves occasional gore and torture, things like that.
- 58The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakOnly when I was certain of the stakes could I sit back and let the proceedings unfold, my skepticism evaporating to appreciate the sadistically laid plans.
- 25San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonSan Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonA horror “comedy” about a deranged 12-year-old boy with a script that feels like it was written by a deranged 12-year-old boy.