Another of those excellent foreign films that sometimes slip though cracks, considered too strange or eccentric for domestic tastes. Strange it is, but delightfully so
The story sustains a strong, hypnotic appeal well deserving of its many awards.
80
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
Dark, wickedly funny tale.
75
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
Despite its stylistic flaws, the acting and the magic of the story make Maelstrom a different kind of film.
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Compelling parable from Canada that's open to a number of interpretations.
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
This doesn't mean Maelström is for everyone. It's a strange and quirky yarn, moving between deceptively calm scenes and episodes as tempestuous as its title.
70
VarietyDennis Harvey
VarietyDennis Harvey
A film whose charms are odd and indefinable by design.
For a movie about identity to have no identity of its own leaves the story doubly adrift, lost amid moody dark-blue imagery, a vacuous lead character, and obscure symbolism, such as the bloody talking fishes.