34
Metascore
6 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 50The A.V. ClubJosh ModellThe A.V. ClubJosh ModellThere’s a lot of “this was really important,” and “this changed us,” but very little in the way of specifics. Maybe they couldn’t put their fingers on it, and that’s fine, but there’s no sense that they even considered digging deeper. Still, several live performances and some powerful fly-on-the-wall moments make it tough to dismiss Reflektor Tapes entirely.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe film conveys the sense of hanging out with a band despite the fact that we almost never see them talking to us; a mood of creative ferment overrides any detailed narrative, and although its time period includes a massive tour for the group's latest album, this is definitely not a concert film.
- 40CineVueJohn BleasdaleCineVueJohn BleasdaleAll of this is intoned with such a humourless sense of self-importance that anyone who genuinely loves their music (such as this reviewer who [full disclosure] would rate Funeral and Neon Bible as two of the best albums of recent years) finds themselves alternately stuffing their fingers in their ears or, when it gets too excruciating, their elbows.
- 40The GuardianLeslie FelperinThe GuardianLeslie FelperinIt’s flabby and repetitive, but peppered with moments of exquisite sonic lusciousness – not unlike the album itself.
- 30VarietyScott TobiasVarietyScott TobiasJoseph winds up with an disorganized mishmash of visual gimmicks, empty exoticism, and soundbites worthy of “This is Spinal Tap.” Great music and some dynamic, up-close concert footage gives it the occasional life, but The Reflektor Tapes will appeal to Arcade Fire devotees only and even their patience might be tested.
- 16The PlaylistNikola GrozdanovicThe PlaylistNikola GrozdanovicTrying something different and playing around with convention is always commendable, but if The Reflektor Tapes proves anything, it's that the result can sometimes fail miserably.