RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / In Cinemas / The Stepfather
The Stepfather

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Showtimes & Tickets
  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Stepfather (2009)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
25 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:4

Fresh:1

Rotten:3

Average Rating:3.8/10

Consensus: This tepid remake of the 1987 cult classic lacks the tension and satirical undercurrents of the original.

Rated: 15 [See Full Rating] for intense sequences of violence, disturbing images, mature thematic material and brief sensuality.

Genre: Horror/Suspense

Theatrical Release:11-12-2009

Synopsis: Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school to find his mother (Sela Ward) happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David (Dylan Walsh). As the two men get to know... Michael Harding (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school to find his mother (Sela Ward) happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David (Dylan Walsh). As the two men get to know each other, Michael becomes more and more suspicious of the man who is always there with a helpful hand. Is he really the man of her dreams or could David be hiding a dark side? --© Sony [More]

Starring: Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard

Starring: Dylan Walsh, Sela Ward, Penn Badgley, Amber Heard, Jon Tenney, Sherry Stringfield, Paige Turco

Director: Nelson McCormick

Director: Nelson McCormick
Screenwriter: J.S. Cardone
Story: Carolyn Starin, Brian Garfield, Donald E. Westlake
Producer: Mark Morgan, Greg Mooradian
Composer: Charlie Clouser
Studio: Screen Gems

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Searching the Basement
    >
    Trailer
    >
    Who Am I Here?
    >
    Stepfather and Son
    >
1 - 4 of 4

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for The Stepfather

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 4 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

This remake turns a fondly remembered horror/thriller into a mild and tedious suspense film.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
10/18/09
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The Stepfather is that rarity, an effective remake of a screen classic that can stand alone on its own considerable merits.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
10/18/09
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A clumsy remake of the 1987 cult thriller.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
10/18/09
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's hard to get absorbed in a story with so many unresolved issues.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/18/09
John Anderson
John Anderson
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 4 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View
all

Latest News for The Stepfather

October 15, 2009: Critics Consensus: Where the Wild Things Are Is A Wild Rumpus
This week, we've got a wild rumpus (Where the Wild Things Are, starring Max Records and Catherine Keener), a legal skirmish (Law Abiding Citizen, starring Jamie Foxx and Gerard... More...

October 02, 2009: New: Brand New Trailer and Poster Opens in new window
More...

July 04, 2009: A killer remake! The Stepfather set visit report. Opens in new window
More...

June 28, 2009: Trailer & Poster review Opens in new window
More...

See All

More Movies

Top Box Office
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Gross

More Box Office…

30% 30% The Twilight Saga: New… £4.3M
84% 84% Paranormal Activity £3.6M
55% 55% Disney's A Christmas C… £1.9M
38% 38% 2012 £1.8M
25% 25% Law Abiding Citizen £1.5M
48% 48% Nativity! £0.8M
77% 77% Harry Brown £0.3M
86% 86% A Serious Man £0.2M
— De Dana Dan £0.3M

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Spielberg Hops Away from Harvey Source: Variety
20
  • Tarantino Could Have Directed Green Lantern Source: MTV
24
  • Will Duvall be Gilliam's Don Quixote? Source: Collider.com
26
  • No Hobbit Until 2012? Source: The Wrap
22
  • Don't Hold Your Breath for Hancock 2 Source: HitFix
42
  • Peter Berg Talks Battleship Source: CHUD
2
  • Summit Ponders Twilight Finale Source: Variety
159
  • First Look at Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Source: USA Today
56
  • Jeremy Renner Talks Hawkeye Possibilities Source: Superhero Hype
14
  • Todd Phillips Talks The Hangover 2 Source: Entertainment Weekly
18
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
69
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
47
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
45
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
45
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Vampires and Football Break Thanksgiving Records
42
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
39
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
29
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
25
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
24
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Terminator Salvation and a Smithsonian Battle
22
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
22
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Stepfather at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Stepfather at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.