48
Metascore
12 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Film ThreatAlex SavelievFilm ThreatAlex SavelievGripping and mercifully short, it doesn’t quite achieve the status of cinematic gold. Perhaps it’s for the best, or Hayes may have fallen prey to his ambitions.
- Tension does build and there is a satisfying conclusion, but there is a significant stretch where, undeniably, a sizable amount of air comes out of the balloon.
- 67IndieWireSusannah GruderIndieWireSusannah GruderWhile a nihilistic vision of the future — of climate disaster, war, disease, or some combination of the three — is certainly relatable, Gold ends up being rather empty itself, void of any real message aside from the lyrics to the Nick Cave song that play as the credits roll: “People Ain’t No Good.”
- 67Austin ChronicleAustin ChronicleIf you’re ready for 90-odd minutes of relentless desert scenes with Efron struggling to survive, then this movie is for you.
- 60The GuardianLuke BuckmasterThe GuardianLuke BuckmasterGold is a minimalistic production, story and setting wise, with an interesting kind of contextual ambiguity: we know there is a wider world beyond the frame, though we don’t know what it looks like. Sparseness is intriguing, but this film is so damn sparse.
- 50RogerEbert.comChristy LemireRogerEbert.comChristy LemireIt's pretty standard man vs. nature stuff. It’s also a pretty simple parable about the perils of greed. All of this would be fine if “Gold” had more to it, but aside from its undeniable style, there’s very little there there.
- 42The PlaylistThe PlaylistAs a movie, things play out as an obvious parable about the greed that grips men’s hearts once civilization’s fires die out. In terms of a one-man show for Efron, however, it provides too little dramatic flair to show he has a range beyond his pretty-boy charms. The film’s scope and setting are too barren to give Efron that opportunity.
- 38Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreGold isn’t really bad. It’s just not enough to amount to anything, or anything much.
- 38Slant MagazineMark HansonSlant MagazineMark HansonThroughout, Efron seems almost determined to wipe away the last vestiges of his youthful looks.
- 30The New York TimesAmy NicholsonThe New York TimesAmy NicholsonThe movie’s mood is unrelentingly miserable. Its cinematography, by Ross Giardina, is bleached-bone bright; its soundscape features more buzzing flies than music.