(CNN) -- Ten years ago, the adjective "Tarantinoesque" was an integral tool in any critic's arsenal. It seemed like every other young filmmaker was tramping the bloody, funny trail blazed by "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction"; rueful hitmen lurked around every corner. Brendan Gleeson and Colin Farrell star as hitman waiting in picturesque Belgium in "In Bruges." The fad faded, and the shine has gone off the Tarantino brand name, but his influence is right back with a vengeance in playwright Martin McDonagh's first feature, "In Bruges." The film is more Tarantinoesque than anything Quentin Tarantino himself has made in years. The trouble is, that's not so much a compliment now. It's more of a mixed blessing.
@highlight
"In Bruges" about two hitmen cooling heels in Bruges, Belgium
@highlight
Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson star as main characters
@highlight
Reviewer: Film has clever moments, but often excessive without point
Bruges
Bruges
Bruges
Belgium is not high on his list of places to see, and the charms of this "fairy-tale" city are lost on him, to put it mildly: "If I'd grown up on a farm and was retarded, @placeholder might impress me.
Martin McDonagh
Sightsee later," is a neat marketing line, but it's the reverse of @placeholder's agenda.
Martin McDonagh
The writer's bravado can be exhilarating, but frequently the excess is all there is to hang on to: @placeholder's self-conscious, clumsy direction doesn't smooth over some ramshackle plotting.
Martin McDonagh
For a spell, at least, @placeholder allows us to entertain that fancy.