Blackway – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Blackway

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2015

18%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A poorly-received thriller about a woman fighting back against a violent stalker that's neither entertaining enough to watch nor meaningful enough to matter.

20%

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Blackway

movie

R, 2015

18%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A poorly-received thriller about a woman fighting back against a violent stalker that's neither entertaining enough to watch nor meaningful enough to matter.

20%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, I'll be straight with you: this movie is bad. Like, really bad. A 20% on Rotten Tomatoes isn't a red flag, it's a siren.

The premise could work - woman stands up to corrupt ex-cop terrorizing her small town - but the execution is apparently so poor that both critics and audiences rejected it. When a movie gets a 28% audience score, that's people who actually chose to watch it saying 'nope.'

Beyond being poorly made, it's also inappropriate for anyone under 17 due to violence, stalking themes, and dark content. And for adults? There are approximately 10,000 better thrillers you could watch instead.

This is the kind of movie that ends up on 11 different free streaming platforms because nobody wants to pay for it. Skip it entirely - your time is worth more than this.

Age Fit

This is rated 17+ by Common Sense Media for good reason - it's a violent thriller with stalking, harassment, and vigilante violence. But honestly, even for adults, this is a skip. With universally poor reviews, it's not worth your time regardless of age.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A violent crime thriller centered on stalking, intimidation, and vigilante justice. The premise involves a sociopathic ex-cop terrorizing a woman, with the 'heroes' taking matters into their own hands rather than through proper channels. Models confrontation and violence as problem-solving rather than cooperation or healthy conflict resolution. The dark tone and themes of harassment offer little emotional health value.

Imaginative

Generic revenge-thriller setup with familiar tropes: small town, corrupt ex-cop villain, reluctant heroes. The 'edge of wilderness' setting could offer visual interest, but the premise itself is derivative. No creative expression opportunities, minimal world-building beyond standard thriller conventions. The 20% Rotten Tomatoes critic score and 2.4/5 Letterboxd rating suggest critics found it uninspired and formulaic.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it 17+, indicating mature content. Synopsis explicitly mentions a 'violent crime lord,' stalking/harassment as central plot, and the film involves taking violent action against the antagonist. With no MPAA rating provided but likely R-rated based on content, this contains violence, threat, and potentially disturbing stalking behavior that would be inappropriate for younger viewers. The premise itself involves sustained psychological and likely physical threat against a woman.

Enriching

Poor critical reception (20% RT critics, 28% audience, 5.3 IMDb) suggests minimal artistic or narrative merit. While it could theoretically spark discussion about standing up to bullies or corrupt authority, the execution appears to miss the mark. The vigilante justice angle doesn't offer meaningful ethical complexity. No notable awards or creative talent to elevate it. Appears to be a forgettable, poorly-executed thriller that won't provide meaningful takeaways or entertainment value.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Features a female protagonist who refuses to be a victim and decides to stand her ground
Could potentially spark discussion about standing up to bullies and corrupt authority figures
Available on multiple free streaming platforms if you're really curious

⚠

What to Watch For

Stalking and harassment as central plot elements - potentially triggering
Violence and likely some graphic confrontations given the crime lord antagonist
Vigilante justice messaging rather than working within systems
Honestly, just the fact that it's genuinely not good - 20% critic rating and 28% audience rating tell you everything

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the townspeople and even the sheriff abandoned Lillian instead of helping her?"
"When is it okay to take justice into your own hands versus going through official channels?"
"What would you do if authorities told you to just leave town instead of protecting you?"

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