Hard Core Logo - Reaction

Reaction

Hard Core Logo was well received by Canadian film critics. In his review for the Toronto Sun, Bruce Kirkland praised the cast: "They're all so convincing it is impossible to believe they're not all the real thing". John Griffin, in his review for the Montreal Gazette, called it "a masterful exercise in edgy virtuoso film craft, subversive propaganda and exhilarating entertainment". In his review for the Toronto Star, Peter Goddard praised Noel Baker's screenplay for providing "some of the funniest and deftest writing Canadian moviemaking has heard in years but it can't hide the bitter-sweetness just below the surface". However, Liam Lacey in his review for the Globe and Mail, wrote, "Though the jumpy, parodic, disruptive style suits rock music, the same techniques prevent viewers from investing deeply in the characters and the story. The ride is fun, but it doesn't quite reach a destination".

The film received general favorable review from American film critics. Entertainment Weekly gave it a "B-" rating and Owen Gleiberman wrote, "Most of the characters are too goofy to register. Still, there are times when Dillon's performance lays bare why, for sheer style, burning out will always have the edge over fading away". In his review for the San Francisco Chronicle, Peter Stack wrote, "Director Bruce McDonald (Dance Me Outside) has turned out a tight, fascinating on-the-road rock movie, a delicious study in mean-spiritedness as well as the gut imperatives that make punk music the unsettling, hostile experience it is". However, Stephen Holden, in his review for The New York Times felt that "unlike Spinal Tap, which cast a comically jaundiced eye on every nuance of the heavy-metal life style, this clever mock documentary … blends satire and sentiment in a way that keeps you emotionally off balance".