Although no hidden gem, Russell Crowe could’ve done much worse than filling Mel Gibson’s family-man-of-action shoes. And writer-director Paul Haggis thankfully shelves his sociology-degree sermonizing for a pure-pulp prison-break thriller.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 20, 2023

It’s undeniably a smart movie, with some clever ideas and occasional bouts of suspense, but the scenario has so much potential for excitement and drama, which are lacking here, that the result feels like a missed opportunity.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Aug 3, 2023

Paul Haggis handles the suspense well, supplying plenty of tense cat-and-mouse chases and harrowing encounters with denizens of the underworld and officers of the law alike.

| Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 30, 2020

Crowe fans, perhaps more than anyone, are the most likely to be satisfied.

| Original Score: 2.5/4.0 | Sep 18, 2020

Crowe is consistently watchable, Banks adroitly handles Lara's charm, fragility and mercurial anger and Lennie James is engaging as the beleaguered law enforcer in charge of trying to figure out what the hell is happening here.

| Original Score: B | Feb 16, 2019

Although The Next Three Days holds a tantalising premise at its heart, the film takes an extremely long time to get to the point.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Nov 6, 2018

Banks is criminally underused as Haggis concentrates on following John through a series of increasingly preposterous situations.

| May 14, 2018

It would have been far more compelling with a stronger actress but, truth be told, the ending started off anti-climactic then concluded very predictable.

| Original Score: C+ | Sep 8, 2017

The Next Three Days is kind of a throwback to the classic action movies Hollywood put out in the mid-nineties - the 'one man versus the world' era of thrillers, in which lantern-jawed heroes fight to save their family against improbable odds

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 28, 2012

It's the kind of edge of your seat thriller that leaves you in constant suspense of how the situation will resolve.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 22, 2012

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 3, 2012

| Original Score: D | Feb 14, 2012

Even with an actor of Crowe's skill, it's hard to believe the mild, thoughtful John would take to the mean streets of Pittsburgh for fake IDs, blast his way into drug houses and such.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 12, 2011

Managing to overcome the contrivances and implausibilities of the storyline, The Next Three Days succeeds through the sheer verisimilitude of the performances and direction.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 14, 2011

...The most effective scenes employ the Hitchcockian maxim that you can show a couple kissing for as long as you like provided there's a bomb under the bed. Haggis has plenty of bombs and plenty of beds to put them under.

| Jun 29, 2011

If it didn't feel like the movie took three days to get through, this could have been a pretty good thriller.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Apr 12, 2011

If I actually gave out star ratings or numerical scores, this one would be right on the fine line between pass and fail.

| Apr 5, 2011

This movie is from fancy Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis. In other words, you're supposed to take it all as seriously as he does. You may find that challenging.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Apr 4, 2011

The suspense isn't just dramatic. It's emotional.

| Original Score: B | Apr 4, 2011

Occasionally preposterous and bogged down by Haggis' usual lack of subtlety, but the film is also captivating and energetic, particularly during the thrilling final act.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Mar 23, 2011