39
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 63RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzRogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzIf the action and espionage elements were executed at the same level as the dramatic and comedic exchanges and the observations about the types of people drawn to this life, Ava might've been a cult classic.
- 50TheWrapAlonso DuraldeTheWrapAlonso DuraldeA movie with more potential directions than its globe-trotting-assassin heroine has wigs, “Ava” offers moments that suggest it might have succeeded as an action thriller, a dysfunctional family drama, or a character study. Since it commits fully to none of these, the results are the sort of bland bang-bang-pow that keep Nicolas Cage and Bruce Willis afloat in between movies that critics actually like, or even see.
- 50The A.V. ClubKatie RifeThe A.V. ClubKatie RifeAva is a napping-on-the-couch movie through and through, with recognizable names and a sexy premise but no distinct personality.
- 50Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperChicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperAs the plot grows increasingly convoluted and borderline laughable, Chastain is steady as she goes, playing a character who’s worthy of a film franchise in a movie nowhere near deserving a sequel. Odds are we’ll never see Ava again, and that’s a shame because, with a better script and more inspired direction, she could have been a contender.
- 40The Hollywood ReporterBoyd van HoeijThe Hollywood ReporterBoyd van HoeijChastain is utterly convincing in another tough-as-nails role. If audiences stick with the movie, it's largely thanks to her movie-star charisma, which almost compensates for the increasingly ridiculous plot. Malkovich and Farrell seem to understand they are A-list talent in B-movie roles, and relish the opportunity.
- 38Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreHere’s a tip. Try not to bore us so much next time.
- 25Slant MagazineWes GreeneSlant MagazineWes GreeneAva isn’t only banal, but also, in its half-hearted stabs at novel ideas, seemingly content with its banality.
- 20New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriNew York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriWhat’s onscreen — choppy, lifeless, predictable action scenes jutting up against unbaked, middle-school-theater-production-level family drama — is quite damning in its own right.