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(1 - 22) of 22 OFCS Rating: 55% Rotten Page   1   "just like its protagonist, Harsh Times is fatally flawed, but in a manner that still remains compelling to watch."   Eye for Film   Anton Bitel 3/5 "A crazy little film, modest in its scope but grand in its ambition. It paints it's story in loud primary colors, with intense pressure cooker characterizations."   CinemaBlend.com   Brian Holcomb C+ "Harsh Times certainly wins points for being a vivid evocation of Los Angeles criminal life; I only wish Ayer had stuck with the almost improvisational feeling of the film's midsection for the whole shebang."   FilmJerk.com   Brian Orndorf A- ""Harsh Times" is a modern and raw reflection of the disastrous effects of war on the soldiers that survive them and the potential danger they pose."   ColeSmithey.com   Cole Smithey 4/5 "This is the sort of intelligent, daring work the genre truly needs."   eFilmCritic.com   David Cornelius 2.5/4 "...[Bale] delivers one of his best performances..."   Reel Film Reviews   David Nusair C- "Takes off fast and rarely pauses along the way, but doesn't manage to take you anywhere worth going."   One Guy's Opinion   Frank Swietek 3/4 "Few individuals who go off to war and experience its devastation and chaos return as the same person. This factor lies at the heart of what Harsh Times illustrates."   ReelViews   James Berardinelli 4/5 "Harsh Times sneaks up on you."   FilmFocus   Joe Utichi C "Christian Bale, who also executive produced, has gone to the psycho well one too many times..."   Reeling Reviews   Laura Clifford C- "If more action propelled this water-treading plot, Ayer might have produced the mean streets classic that Harsh Times aspires to be."   Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema   Mark Pfeiffer "Before Harsh Times I would have sworn that there was no role that could trip up Christian Bale... But even he seems flummoxed by... Jim Davis, ex-Army Ranger, wannabe cop, and homeboy from the dangerous streets of South Central Los Angeles."   Flick Filosopher   MaryAnn Johanson C "If you took out every swear word and all of the "homeys" and "dawgs," the rest of the dialogue would fit on a page or two."   Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies   Nell Minow 2/4 "The only thing holding together the loopily overwrought Harsh Times is its unintentional humor."   Slant Magazine   Nick Schager 2/5 "Por alguns instantes, o filme parece ter algo relevante a dizer sobre a desumanização provocada pela guerra ou o niilismo de uma geração entediada e descrente, mas constatamos que quer apenas chocar, desperdiçando as ótimas atuações de Bale e Rodriguez."   Cinema em Cena   Pablo Villaca 2.5/5 "As a character study it lacks characterization, and it’s too predictable to be an effective cautionary tale."   Film Threat   Pete Vonder Haar 3.5/5 "There's a sharp edge of attitude and humour in the script that keeps us riveted, especially since it's so brilliantly played."   Shadows on the Wall   Rich Cline C+ "Jim Davis (Christian Bale) may be the most aggressively self-destructive character since Johnny Boy Civello in 'Mean Streets.'"   Laramie Movie Scope   Robert Roten 4/5 "One of the finest actors working today, Christian Bale creates a character who's both hateful and despicable -- but you won't be able to take your eyes off the guy."   eFilmCritic.com   Scott Weinberg C+ "... never manages to find a story in the unfocused, rambling piece, merely cautionary lessons and a scared-straight message."   Seattle Post-Intelligencer   Sean Axmaker 1/4 "Bale is more sparkler than powder keg, though he's only one of many actors who give terribly overblown performances."   Charlotte Weekly   Sean O'Connell 2.5/4 Read review   Big Picture Big Sound   Joe Lozito  (1 - 22) of 22 OFCS Rating: 55% Rotten Page   1