Normal Feature Scores
Explore all 37 feature scores for Normal, organized into pros and cons.
Scores by Feature
Summary
37 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.09 (24%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.414 (38%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.49 (24%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.45 (14%)
Pros
Sort
-
Bob Odenkirk is the clearest consensus strength, praised for deadpan charm, weary humanity, comic timing, and believable everyman toughness. Even negative reviews often treat him as more compelling than the material around him.
-
Action is the movie’s most consistent strength, with frequent praise for creative kills, bruising fights, explosive shootouts, and visceral staging. A smaller group finds the gunfire repetitive, under-scaled, or numbing.
-
Most reviewers see Normal as brisk, bloody entertainment that delivers laughs and action even when it is familiar or forgettable. The strongest dissent comes from critics who find the thin writing and repetitive carnage too empty to be fun.
-
For viewers who want a pulpy action-comedy, the film generally hits its target with gore, jokes, shootouts, and B-movie energy. Several reviewers explicitly recommend it to action fans despite its narrative limitations.
-
The supporting ensemble is generally well liked, with several reviewers praising the comic energy and colorful performances around Odenkirk. The main frustration is that the script often gives those performers too little material.
-
Ben Wheatley is often credited with finding the right balance of deadpan comedy, brutal action, and small-town strangeness. A few harsher reviews call the execution sloppy, underwhelming, or less controlled than his stronger work.
-
The snowy setting and close, energetic camerawork earn strong marks, with reviewers praising both the atmospheric winter imagery and the way motion is captured during fights.
-
The eclectic soundtrack earns strong praise for its song choices and ironic placement, with music often sharpening the contrast between cheery tunes and bloody action.
-
The black comedy works for many reviewers, especially when gruesome violence becomes the punchline. Reactions are not universal, with some calling the jokes hit-or-miss, corny, or outright cringe-inducing.
-
The snowbound setting, cool palette, neon bursts, and claustrophobic interiors give the film a distinctive look. Reviewers generally find the atmosphere effective even when darkness occasionally makes action harder to read.
-
Practical pyrotechnics and makeup receive enthusiastic praise, giving the gruesome action a tactile quality that several reviewers find more impressive and believable.
-
The aggressive gunfire and explosions are praised for adding impact and immersion, while dialogue remains clear amid the chaos.
-
The roughly 90-minute length is usually treated as a virtue, keeping the movie lean and easy to consume. A minority feels it either runs out of steam early or could have used more time to develop its characters.
-
The film’s small-town economic anxiety and social satire resonate with several reviewers, who appreciate that the ideas stay beneath the action. Others find the messages diluted, obvious, or too slight to add much meaning.
-
The violence is extremely graphic, but many reviewers approve of how the exaggerated gore feeds the movie’s black comedy. Even favorable reactions note that the bloodshed can be relentless or intentionally uncomfortable.
-
The practical makeup is praised for looking realistic and helping the bloody injuries land with convincing detail.
-
The film’s effects are praised as outstanding, especially when the action turns explosive and bloody.
-
Critical reception skews positive overall, though the favorable consensus includes notable reservations about predictability, editing, and the film’s thin story.
-
Editing gets mixed notices. Some praise clean, kinetic cutting that keeps chaotic action readable, while one critic calls the editing saggy and another likes the lean pace despite wishing the film were longer.
-
The cast is broadly viewed as a strength, with Bob Odenkirk, Lena Headey, and Henry Winkler specifically praised for giving the film a solid performance base.
-
Audience response is described as broadly positive, with the film’s distinctive action and Odenkirk’s presence drawing strong viewer enthusiasm.
-
Odenkirk’s interactions with Reena Jolly, Brendan Fletcher, and Jess McLeod are singled out as enjoyable, helping the unlikely alliance feel more engaging.
-
The nonbinary storyline is praised for its matter-of-fact sensitivity, while the Yakuza material draws criticism for leaning on dated Asian stereotypes. The result is a noticeably mixed picture of representation.
Cons
Sort
-
The screenplay is one of the weaker areas overall. Some reviewers admire clever setup-and-payoff mechanics, but more criticize thin characterization, predictable turns, underdeveloped subplots, and a story built mainly to reach the next action beat.
-
Suspense is a weak point for the few reviewers who address it directly, with complaints that the ticking clock and danger never create convincing stakes.
-
Ulysses gets the clearest emotional arc, but many reviewers find the supporting townspeople thin, underused, or discarded once the shooting starts. A few praise Alex, the deputies, and the ensemble for adding enough personality to keep the setup lively.
-
Familiarity is one of the most repeated drawbacks, with frequent comparisons to John Wick, Nobody, Fargo, and Hot Fuzz. Some reviewers still find fresh twists in the small-town setup or in the way the action and comedy are combined.
-
The dialogue is uneven: witty banter and a few strong monologues work, but corny lines, repeated exposition, and failed zingers are recurring complaints.
-
The hook is easy to enjoy, but the story itself draws substantial criticism for being thin, derivative, or overly convenient. Positive reviewers still find the conspiracy setup, reversals, and character-first moments fun enough to carry the movie.
-
The central setup is often viewed as familiar and several twists are described as easy to anticipate. Reviewers generally see the execution, not the basic plot, as the more distinctive part.
-
Normal shifts from low-key small-town mystery and wistful character drama into gleefully graphic action-comedy. The contrast can be entertaining, but the abrupt changes in mood sometimes make the film feel uneven.
-
Odenkirk adds heart and weariness to Ulysses, but the movie’s emotional material does not land consistently. Several reviewers say the backstory and supporting relationships feel too abbreviated to carry much weight.
-
One negative review finds the movie’s oddball town and larger criminal setup too lightly developed, arguing that the more unusual world-building ideas are introduced and then quickly abandoned.
-
The grounded everyman lead and physical action help sell some of the absurdity, but the town’s conspiracy, survival odds, fake-looking snow, and escalating plot strain credibility for several reviewers.
-
The finale sharply divides opinion. Some enjoy its sweet, unexpected, or playful resolution, while others find the final turn rushed, clichéd, unearned, or less satisfying than the action that precedes it.
-
The movie’s ideas about trauma, moral compromise, small-town decline, trust, and community earn thoughtful praise in some reviews. Others see those themes as shallow or incidental to the carnage.
-
Once the bank robbery erupts, many reviewers praise the movie’s speed and momentum. The first act is more divisive, with repeated complaints that the setup takes too long before the action kicks in.
Cast & Creators
-
UlyssesBob Odenkirk is the movie’s most consistent strength, combining weary charm, dry humor, emotional weight, and convincing action-hero physicality. Even reviewers who dislike the script often find him highly watchable.
-
Mayor KibnerHenry Winkler is repeatedly praised as a funny, distinctive supporting presence, with several reviewers saying his warm or genial screen persona plays especially well against the mayor’s darker side.
-
DirectorBen Wheatley is widely praised for turning the material into a lively blend of deadpan comedy and brutal action, especially once the town erupts. A few critics find his execution uneven or underwhelming, but the overall view of his direction is strongly positive.
-
BlaineRyan Allen receives strong notices for his comic supporting work, with reviewers praising both his ensemble performance and his humor as one of the deputies.
-
MikeBilly MacLellan is praised for making Mike an effective comic presence, with reviewers enjoying the deputy’s goofy energy and ensemble contribution.
-
MoiraLena Headey brings a sharp edge to Moira, balancing warmth, menace, and dry presence. Reviewers generally like what she does even when they wish the film gave her more to work with.
-
CinematographerArmando Salas’ cinematography gives the snowy setting a grounded, tactile look while keeping the action visually clear and energetic.
-
EditorJonathan Amos’ editing is praised for keeping kinetic, chaotic action readable and for preventing the heavier set pieces from becoming visually muddled.
-
LoriReena Jolly earns positive notices as part of the supporting ensemble, with reviewers calling her work solid and praising the contribution she makes to the film’s character mix.
-
Stunt CoordinatorDan Iaboni’s stunt work is singled out for giving the action hot-blooded, bone-crunching force.
-
JoePeter Shinkoda is included among the supporting players praised for doing excellent work in the ensemble.
-
AlexJess McLeod is described as affecting in the role of Alex, adding welcome emotional weight to one of the film’s more sympathetic supporting threads.
-
WriterDerek Kolstad’s screenplay gets a divided response: some admire its clever mechanics and sympathetic character touches, while many criticize its thin plotting, predictable turns, and underdeveloped supporting material.