Paradise City (film)

As of March 2, 2023, Paradise City grossed $93,526 in Russia, Lithuania, and the United Arab Emirates.[3]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 8% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 3.1/10.[1] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 29 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[17]

Glenn Kenny, of The New York Times, gave a scathing review, saying it "sounds like one of those fake movies joked about on Seinfeld or 30 Rock. And yet Paradise City is a reality of sorts, albeit an uncomfortable reality."[18] Noel Murray, of the Los Angeles Times, gave the film a negative review, commenting on the film's "TV-cop-show-level stuff, shot in some of Hawaii's least scenic locations. The stars can't save it."[19] Todd Jorgenson, of Cinemalogue, also gave a negative review, highlighting that "despite its capable cast, the film never generates much suspense amid a parade of cliched genre twists."[20] Robert Kojder, of Flickering Myth, gave the film a 1.5/5 rating, writing "audiences will be begging, "oh, won't you please take me home.""[21] Casey Chong, of Casey's Movie Mania, gave a 1/5 rating, summarizing the film as "painful, tedious and worst of all, relies heavily on expository-heavy scenarios to drive the movie forward."[22] Leo Brady, of A Movie Guy, also gave a one star rating, explaining that the film "has a capable cast working with a script that was concocted overnight. At best it feels like a free paid trip to Hawaii for everyone involved."[23] Brian Orndorf, of Blu-ray.com, rated the film 2 out of 5 stars, saying "the stars are here to enjoy a Hawaiian vacation and trade a few lines of dialogue. Screen intensity is not encouraged."[24] Jeffrey M. Anderson, of Common Sense Media, also gave a 2 star rating, concluding that "beautiful Hawaiian locations, a veteran genre director, and nostalgic stunt casting can't overcome the general low energy level and lazy attitude that permeate this crime drama from start to finish."[25]

In a rare positive review, Owen Gleiberman, of Variety, said " I'm not sure if what Willis, Travolta, and Dorff do here rises to what you'd call integrity, but all three seem to be enjoying themselves. They slum with style."[6] Brittany Witherspoon, of Screen Rant, wrote in a mixed review, "the film contains entertaining components, but these elements quickly run their course thanks to a predictable script, wonky dialogue & pacing issues."[26] Mark Hanson, of Slant Magazine, praised John Travolta's performance, but otherwise criticized the film for not "living up to its title."[27] Josh Bell, of Crooked Marquee, gave the film a "C-", saying, "the occasional flashes of competence only make the rest of Paradise City more disheartening, though, and just because it's slightly less of a slog than Willis' other recent work doesn't mean it's worth watching."[28]