Critical Reception

The film has received very positive reviews from critics. Online review website Rotten Tomatoes has reported that 83% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 85 reviews. The site's critical consensus is 'Haywire is a fast and spare thriller, with cleanly staged set pieces that immerse you in the action.' Claudia Puig of USA Today stated that the film was 'A vigorous spy thriller that consistently beckons the viewer to catch up with its narrative twists and turns. Bordering on convoluted, it works best when in combat mode.' Andrew O'Hehir of Salon.com shared a similar view, saying '"Haywire" is a lean, clean production, shot and edited by Soderbergh himself and utterly free of the incoherent action sequences and overcooked special effects that plague similarly scaled Hollywood pictures.' On the negative side, Richard Corliss of TIME Magazine said 'Carano is her own best stuntwoman, but in the dialogue scenes she's all kick and no charisma. The MMA battler lacks the conviction she so forcefully displayed in the ring. She is not Haywire's heroine but its hostage.' Keith Uhlich of Time Out New York said 'There's shockingly little thrill in watching Carano bounce off walls and pummel antagonists.'