Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis, Sigourney Weaver, Verónica Echegui, Roschdy Zem ... see more see more... , ??scar Jaenada , Joseph Mawle , Caroline Goodall , Rafi Gavron

Will Shaw (Henry Cavill) goes to Spain for a weeklong sailing vacation with his family but his whole world turns upside down when the family is kidnapped by intelligence agents hell-bent on recovering... read more read more... a mysterious briefcase and Will suddenly finds himself on the run. -- (C) Summit Entertainment

Flixster Users

89% want to see it

3,350 ratings

Critics

10% liked it

10 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Mabrouk El Mechri

Release Date: September 7, 2012

Invite friends to see

Your Rating



clear rating

Flixster Reviews (173)


  • May 19, 2012
    The trailer was more dramatic and fulfilling than the actual film. Complete waste of time, the plot is so simple and obvious (despite the holes) and I just really didn't care about any of the characters. It has some brilliant cinematography and a decent cast but even they couldn'... read moret pull this through.
  • April 13, 2012
    A weak, limp version of The Bourne trilogy, accompanied by a well known cast tht just seem to make the situation worse, I couldn't help but feel the urge to leave, but I didn't, just had to think about the first 10 minutes I had just seen. The film is filled with some cringy acti... read moreon scenes and a script that could make me cry, I got through it, at last.
  • May 11, 2011
    ... read moreixster.com">Flixster - Share Movies
  • April 10, 2012
    Usually this is where I try to sum up the plot in a neat sentence but seeing as how this movie doesn't have one I'm kind of stuck.
    Back in January, Soderbergh's "Haywire" set the bar at a new low for the spy thriller. Well this movie takes on the challenge and limbos it's way ri... read moreght under that bar.

    Were it not for the fact that this coming Friday sees the release of a movie based on a Hasbro board game, I would guarantee this is the most badly written movie of the year. Screenwriters Scott Wiper and John Petro manage to pull off a unique feat; despite not being able to follow the plot you'll still be able to predict every scene of this turkey. I actually developed a headache trying to make sense of this. Eventually I gave up as I realised the writers were no more clued in than I was.
    If you sat an eight year old in front of "The Bourne Identity" and asked him to recreate the script from memory you might end up with something like this. An American finds himself in a European city, there's a car chase involving bouncing down steps, an evil female CIA chief, a piece of Euro totty who turns out to be Cavill's sister, thus ruining any sexual tension that may liven up the movie.
    As if an incomprehensible script wasn't enough, Belgian hack El Mechri assaults us with the usual shaky cam nonsense, frequently shooting night scenes that are too dark to comprehend. It features the most badly filmed car chase since Michael Bay's "The Rock".
    I'm always complaining about how no original screenplays get made anymore but if this is the quality that's out there maybe Hollywood should stick to the remakes and board game adaptations.
    This movie should never have been allowed to see the cold light of day.
  • April 11, 2012
    I will watch this just for Cavill! I wish he'd star in a movie that looks halfway decent sometime soon, though...

Critic Reviews


Brian Henry Martin
April 19, 2012
Brian Henry Martin, UTV

Bruce Willis was once our favourite wisecracking action hero. Now his movie career seems to be heading from Planet Hollywood to the dark side of Moonlighting. Full Review

Ed Whitfield
April 13, 2012
Ed Whitfield, The Ooh Tray

An occasionally involving, always brusque chase movie that doubles as a whirlwind tour of Madrid. Full Review

April 13, 2012
Liverpool Echo

A pedestrian spy thriller that casts itself in the mould of The Bourne Identity but falls pitifully short on every count. Full Review

Neil Smith
April 12, 2012
Neil Smith, Total Film

[A] workmanlike slice of sub-Bourne hijinks... Full Review

Niki Boyle
April 12, 2012
Niki Boyle, The List

From the outset, The Cold Light of Day purports to be nothing more than a by-the-numbers action thriller. What's shocking is how it manages to take this predictable-but-sturdy template and sell it short. Full Review

Graham Young
April 11, 2012
Graham Young, Birmingham Post

There's the usual mixture of flying tables and chairs and various scrapes here and there while unknown director Mabrouk El Mechri tries to remember what he was supposed to be doing with the plot. Full Review

Guy Lodge
April 10, 2012
Guy Lodge, Time Out

It all boils down to a series of riotously extended showdowns between Cavill and Weaver... Full Review

Tim Robey
April 7, 2012
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph

The one thing that's consistently fun to watch here is Weaver, whose prominent if surely rent-inspired role as a ruthless Terminator in pantsuits generates plenty of accidentally funny stuff. Full Review

Shaun Munro
April 6, 2012
Shaun Munro, What Culture

The only thing shabbier than the dull, near-incomprehensible night-time cinematography is the shopworn script. Full Review

David Jenkins
April 6, 2012
David Jenkins, Little White Lies

The wait for the definitive Henry Cavill calling card movie continues. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

More Like This


This list looks lonely.
Add a suggestion!

Facts


    • Will Shaw: Tranquilo, tranquilo.

The Cold Light of... : Watch Free on TV


Movie Quizzes


No quizzes for The Cold Light of Day. Want to create one?

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists


Most Popular Skin


No skins yet. Interested in creating one?