striking a sometimes uneasy balance between trust-no-one espionage and sensationalism, Sparrow seems likely to attract a fairly large audience but leave few moviegoers fully satisfied
Red Sparrow is not exactly the home run Lawrence could do with right now. But it's far from a disaster; despite the many flaws, there is this unwavering narrative propulsion that drives the film and sustains interest for the 139-minute running time
Red Sparrow is a better than average foray into the spy genre. It runs long, but captivates with a strong lead performance and shocking violence. [It] is easily the most graphic performance we've seen from Jennifer Lawrence
more dull than egregious, "Red Sparrow" is by no means a categorically bad movie. It's competently made, and it's worth giving the filmmaker minor points for trying something new with a totally different tone that he's attempted before
every scene is defined by whispery exchanges and stern looks that often threaten to veer into camp, or boredom, but the considerable talent on display is its constant saving grace
a stony-faced Jennifer Lawrence leads the way in the bleak, excessively long Red Sparrow, which sets off promisingly but tangles into a confusing clump
a lavishly costumed, location-enhanced thriller, Red Sparrow carries itself along briskly enough, but it's never especially brain-twisting or nerve-wracking