48
Metascore
6 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Film ThreatFilm ThreatIt’s not as grueling as its big brother, but if Chainsaw is a five star movie then Eaten Alive is at least worthy of four. It’s only within the context and confines of Chainsaw and director Tobe Hooper that Eaten Alive seems to fall short of anything at all. On its own the film stands heads and shoulders above many others of the horror genre.
- 75Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment WeeklyBlackly comic elements do little to blunt the unsettling aura created by the garish lighting and intense dentist-drill ”score.”
- 50TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazineAlthough Eaten Alive is not so unusual or terrifying as Texas Chainsaw, Hooper does a fine job of building up the Southern-gothic atmosphere and continues his brilliant use of sound to enhance the sense of unease and suspense.
- 50Slant MagazineEric HendersonSlant MagazineEric HendersonWith an enviable, well-stocked cast of character thespians and a carefully dilapidated motel set, Eaten Alive is all ingredients, no recipe.
- 42The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsLacking the eerie plausibility and stylishness of Chainsaw, yet filled with dead dogs, terrorized children, and bound women, it never transcends its Z-grade origins. It's an interesting footnote, and will likely be of interest to hardcore horror fans, but those looking for a lost masterpiece will likely come away disappointed.
- 20CineVueAdam LowesCineVueAdam LowesEaten Alive is plagued by Hooper’s endlessly strange directorial choices, particularly when it comes to getting performances from his leads. His efforts confound rather than disturb.