65
Metascore
5 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The New York TimesAndy WebsterThe New York TimesAndy WebsterThe American demand for drugs, which feeds the cartels, is mentioned, though regrettably not expanded upon. But as a rendering of Mexico’s agonized convulsions, Kingdom of Shadows is unforgettable.
- 75Slant MagazineWes GreeneSlant MagazineWes GreeneThe visible numbness and empty stares of the doc's three subjects painfully evoke years of being gripped by the war on drugs.
- 70Village VoiceNick SchagerVillage VoiceNick SchagerThough at times too splintered by its various points of interest, Bernardo Ruiz's up-close-and-personal documentary is nonetheless harrowing in its details.
- 50Los Angeles TimesMartin TsaiLos Angeles TimesMartin TsaiDirector Bernardo Ruiz never manages to weave the multiple narratives into a complex but cohesive big picture.
- The documentary is a hollow experience, emotionally stifled by its plotless nature and lack of any visual edge.