What rescues Eagle vs. Shark is its focus on Lily. Although Horsley overdoes the winsomeness, she is genuinely appealing. Love erases Lily's geekiness and in its place stands an attractive young woman.
75
USA Today
USA Today
Unlike so many big-studio films that pass off models in horn-rimmed glasses as nerds, this little New Zealand gem embraces the inner geek and, just as effectively, celebrates misfit love.
There are occasional nice moments scattered throughout, but this is mostly a big, uncomfortable cartoon focused on the twisted attraction between two caricatures.
50
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Intermittently charming, sometimes tiresome celebration of quirkiness.
As it turns out, spending a couple of hours with emotionally arrested, socially moronic characters is not a whole lot more fun than spending a couple of hours with actual emotionally arrested, socially moronic people.
42
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
It's a tale that reduces angst, not to mention love, to a generational tic.
40
The Hollywood ReporterJames Greenberg
The Hollywood ReporterJames Greenberg
More dumb than funny.
40
VarietyTodd McCarthy
VarietyTodd McCarthy
Result is still innocuously mild and inconsequential.
30
Village Voice
Village Voice
You can't see the forest for the twee in writer-director Taika Waititi's thicket of cutesy conceits, from the stunted supporting characters to the precious animated interludes.