Last weekend, price Owen Wilson’s latest drama No Escape opened in theaters nationwide. The action film, which received a mixed reception from critics, cast the comedic actor as a reluctant action hero who tries to save his family from a chaotic mob overseas. Opening with approximately 8.2 million, the film was neither the hit that War Room was or the box office disaster that Zac Efron’s We are your Friends was.

Here are a few must-read reviews about the new thriller.

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture.com: “No Escape takes the casual xenophobia of something like Taken, crossbreeds it with something altogether more noxious, then asks us to kick back and enjoy the ride. We don’t. We can’t. And the ride isn’t that great to begin with. Check out the full review here.

Justin Chang, Variety.com: “Indeed, not thinking is perhaps the best way to approach No Escape, which unfolds in a key of panic, terror and emotional extremity over the course of an exhausting 102 minutes.” Check out the full review here.

Daniel M. Gold, NewYorkTimes.com: “Directed breathlessly by John Erick Dowdle (As Above/So Below), the movie is filled with jittery shots from hand-held cameras, and hurtles along at a pace that is especially helpful in racing past the holes in the paper-thin plot.” Check out the full review here.

Henry Barnes, TheGuardian.com: “The 70s title sequence, the kitsch pop references, the casting – they’re supposed to seem knowing in their silliness. But it’s hard to get away with such broad stereotyping without coming across as crass or cynical.” Check out the full review here.

Jim Judy, ScreenIt.com: “While not perfect (the girls as tension bait, Brosnan’s opportune arrivals, and the filmmakers’ questionable decision of using slow motion footage from time to time all earn some demerits), I found there to be little escape from the tension and suspense in No Escape.” Check out the full review here.

Richard Roeper, ChicagoSunTimes.com: “There’s no denying director/co-writer John Erick Dowdle’s skill set for creating almost unbearably tense and quite twisted suspense pieces in which you’ll find yourself laughing at the sheer unapologetic insanity of it all.” Check out the full review here.

Christian Toto, LifeZette.com: “Yet the film’s mid-section, when the family is scrambling for its life, is so exquisitely choreographed it renders every criticism moot.” Check out the full review here.

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, AVClub.com: “Despite its illegible chase scenes, awkward slow-motion shots, and fumbling attempts at political commentary, No Escape manages to be intermittently interesting, thanks to an off-beat supporting turn from Pierce Brosnan and the intrinsic curiosity factor of watching a film mishandle an inspired premise.” Check out the full review here.

Pete Hammond, Deadline.com: “What keeps No Escape grounded is the everyman quality of an all-American family caught up in circumstances beyond their control. You root for them as this roller-coaster ride of a movie steers its course.” Check out the full review here.

Alan Scherstuhl, VillageVoice.com: “But mostly No Escape is as accomplished as it is vicious. It’s crafted with skill, acted with emotional resonance, and un-shy about the truth that killing is never bang-bang fun.” Check out the full review here.

If you want to read our perspective on the film, click here for our review.