Hatchet Job

Reviews / Votes

The finest film critic in Britain at the absolute top of his form -- Stephen Fry A passionate defence of criticism in the time of Twitter . . . Kermode's sprawling style is engaging and, frequently, spot on * Sunday Times * Mark Kermode puts up a spirited argument for honesty, integrity and individuality. An opinionated, funny and meandering study of films and their critical reception, it reminds us of the importance of standing by your view * Daily Mail * A wry, robust and developed defence of accountable critical voices * Total Film * Entertainingly incendiary stuff * Empire * Very accessible, entertaining and relevant . . . warmly recommended * Den of Geek * Engaging, informative and funny . . . a thoroughly enjoyable and accessible book . . . buy it now * Vada Magazine * Populist, entertaining . . . A very personal examination of the usefulness and value of film criticism . . . Will delight fans of Kermode's previous books, and offers a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain into the life of a professional film critic * Verite * A passionate history of his craft [from] Britain's premier film critic * Sp!ked * Entertaining . . . lively . . . valiant . . . he still reacts to cinema with the open-minded enthusiasm of someone who sees going to the pictures as a treat * New Statesman * Kermode's . . . forte, in the eyes of many, is the scathing put-down . . . The best hatchet jobs are funny as well as nasty . . . He has never lost his enthusiasm for his main task: to tell us, in no uncertain terms, what films to see and what to miss . . . [his] passions are heartfelt . . . Kermode remains touchingly nostalgic for the old movie-house experience. * Times Literary Supplement * Insightful, erudite . . . relaxed and witty * HeyUGuys * Puts a populist, accessible front on concepts that lesser authors turn into psychobabble * MangaUK * Uproarious . . . With digressions worthy of Ronnie Corbett, Kermode [is] a good-humoured and self-deprecating companion throughout this book, doing his best to undercut his own pomposity while bowing to the logic that savagings tend to be pithier, more concise and better-honed than praise. * Herald * Mark Kermode, perhaps the UK's most prominent film critic and certainly one of its most respected, covers all the big issues involved in writing reviews: being honest and only saying things you actually believe, trying to get the facts right, writing well, being entertaining, and, sometimes, changing your mind . . . It's funny, moving and angry * Theaker's Quarterly * His enthusiasm for film and film criticism is infectious * The List * Brilliantly puts the shifting sands of contemporary film criticism under the microscope * Digital Spy * A riveting read . . . essential for anyone who is even remotely interested in movies * I'm With Geek * Avoids the trainspotty airlessness of film criticism by pulling focus on the reviewers * Independent on Sunday * Hatchet Job's most valuable sections go beyond the generalised terms . . . Indeed, in explaining how Amazon's system can be cheated, Kermode reveals a parallel world where names and reputations matter, even if there isn't any money in it. * Sight & Sound * Annoying, irritating -- Will Self * Guardian *