Snatch (film) - Reception

Reception

Snatch was largely successful, both in critical acclaim and at the box office, and has gone on to develop a devoted cult following. From an estimated budget of $3,000,000 (according to the Director's Commentary), the movie grossed a total of £12,137,698 in the United Kingdom and $30,093,107 in the United States. Rotten Tomatoes lists Snatch as having 73% of the reviews (133 reviews listed in total) as being "fresh" (positive).

Snatch also appears on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time at number 466.

While the film received mostly positive reviews, several reviewers commented negatively on perceived similarities in plot, character, setting, theme and style between Snatch and Ritchie's previous work, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. In his review, Roger Ebert, who gave the film two out of four stars, raised the question of "What am I to say of 'Snatch', Ritchie's new film, which follows the 'Lock, Stock' formula so slavishly it could be like a new arrangement of the same song?", and writing in the New York Times Elvis Mitchell commented that "Mr. Ritchie seems to be stepping backward when he should be moving ahead". Critics also argued that the movie was lacking in depth and substance; many reviewers appeared to agree with Ebert's comment that "the movie is not boring, but it doesn't build and it doesn't arrive anywhere".