▁ 5 4 ▁out ▁of ▁ 1 0 0 , ▁based ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁critics , ▁indicating ▁" m ixed ▁or ▁average ▁reviews ". ▁ ▁C ary n ▁James ▁of ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁wrote ▁that ▁the ▁film ▁" does n ' t ▁pret end ▁to ▁be ▁anything ▁more ▁than ▁it ▁is   – ▁a ▁genre ▁film ▁that ▁won ' t ▁totally ▁ins ult ▁your ▁intelligence ▁or ▁your ▁eyes ". ▁Vari ety ▁called ▁it ▁" a ▁poor ly ▁constructed ▁special ▁effects ▁show case " ▁with ▁" high ly ▁variable " ▁acting , ▁but ▁pra ised ▁the ▁special ▁effects , ▁stating ▁that ▁" s aving ▁grace ▁is ▁the ▁series ▁of ▁spect ac ular ▁special ▁effects ▁set ▁pieces ▁featuring ▁f anc iful ▁make up , ▁m att es , ▁stop m otion ▁animation ▁and ▁optical s ". ▁Dave ▁Ke hr ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁T ribute ▁pra ised ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁Director ▁Stephen ▁Hop kins , ▁stating , ▁" Using ▁a ▁style ▁heavily ▁inde bt ed ▁to ▁music ▁videos ▁- ▁lots ▁of ▁fast ▁cutting , ▁odd ▁angles ▁and ▁grat uit ous ▁camera ▁movements ▁- ▁Hop kins ▁keeps ▁the ▁energy ▁level ▁up , ▁though ▁his ▁manner ▁is ▁a ▁bit ▁too ▁cho ppy ▁to ▁keep ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁diverse ▁elements ▁together ." ▁ ▁Kevin ▁Thomas ▁of ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Times ▁described ▁it ▁as ▁" a ▁dynamic , ▁fully ▁vis ually ▁realized ▁experience ", ▁compl iment ing ▁the ▁acting , ▁set ▁design , ▁and ▁direct ing . ▁Thomas ▁ident ifies ▁Kru eg er ▁as ▁representing ▁the ▁ir r