History Main / CausticCritic

* Creator/RexReed of ''The New York Observer'' fame is rather infamous for mixing this trope together with ablest, sexist, and racist rhetoric. As an example, Reed spent [[http://observer.com/2012/09/the-master-rex-reed-philip-seymour-hoffman-joaquin-phoenix-paul-thomas-anderson/ the entirety of his review]] of ''Film/TheMaster'' personally attacking several modern directors and actors and declaring [[NewMediaAreEvil new films as utter tripe]]. In fact, most of his negative reviews contain personal attacks on the actors and directors. He's also had a weird habit of hating foreign films [[ForeignQueasine based on cuisine alone]] (saying ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' and ''Film/TheHost2006'' were garbage, ''as expected'' of countries that make sushi and kimchi, [[SarcasmMode the horror]]), and said [[UnfortunateImplications Koreans were too ignorant to make good movies]]. In 2013, he had another firestorm of controversy as he bashed Melissa [=McCarthy=]'s performance on ''Film/IdentityThief'' (and the film as a whole) for being fat, and refused to recount his statements in a later interview. His 2014 review of ''Film/TheShapeOfWater'' also saw him referring to people with disabilities as "defective creatures", and he claimed that Creator/{{Sally Hawkins}}' mute character in the aforementioned film was actually mentally handicapped. Funnily enough, Reed himself had something of an acting career on the side, and two of his credits are in films that have almost universally appeared in numerous "Worst Films of All Time" lists -- ''Film/MyraBreckinridge'' and ''Film/{{Inchon}}''.

* [[invoked]] Before he got outed as a sexual predator, Creator/JohnKricfalusi was widely known for his rabid criticisms of other animators and cartoons that don't meet his very specific, exacting standards. The sheer amount of vitriol he threw at other people and their work, along with his own cartoons having had chronic ScheduleSlip problems and a serious overall decline in quality has led many people to believe that most of the success of his more beloved projects, like ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', [[MyRealDaddy could be attributed more to other contributors]] like Bob Camp and Creator/RalphBakshi.

A darker variant is BadReviewThreat, when someone leverages the threat of a caustic review in order to get some sort of special treatment. (This would in fact be considered unethical by journalistic standards, but that doesn't doesn't stop the BadInfluencer.)

* Jontron, as of late. Though in his earlier days he was rather non-caustic, with rare examples. Jontron's videos that aren't video game reviews are not so full of complaints, though!

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': Albus Duckweed is the Wartwood newspaper’s restaurant critic, and takes a particularly sadistic glee in writing scathing reviews of local restaurants to drive them out of business. In “Lily Pad Thai”, he shows up at Stumpy’s Diner to leave one of his usual negative reviews. While Stumpy’s become too jaded to care, Anne, herself the daughter of restaurant owners, demands a chance to earn a better review. In her effort to impress the critic, she prepares a meal that turns out to still be alive, which nearly kills the critic; however, he finds the experience to be [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible so avant-garde that he gives the place his best review ever.]]

* Jay Sherman of ''WesternAnimation/TheCritic'', whose catch phrase is "It stinks!" (Although most of what he [[ShowWithinAShow was reviewing]] [[StylisticSuck really did look absolutely terrible]].) In one early cartoon, a little girl gets mad at him because he didn't like ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'', and in another, he mentioned that the highest rating he gives a movie is 7 out of 10.

* The Viennese music critic Eduard Hanslick was extremely conservative in his tastes, and thus hated the more innovative composers such as Music/FranzLiszt and Music/RichardWagner. He condemned Music/AntonBruckner's music as 'stinking of hellish sulphur' and similarly condemned Music/PyotrIlyichTchaikovsky's later works. He was instead a huge fan of Creator/JohannesBrahms, and contributed to the FlameWar between Brahms' fans and Wagner's, despite the two composers respecting one-another. Wagner parodied Hanslick as [[TakeThatCritics the annoying, talentless critic Beckmesser]] in ''Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg'', and [[UnfortunateImplications more ominously]] used Hanslick's Jewish heritage as a negative example in his anti-Semitic essay ''Jewishness in Music''.

* Theatre critic George Jean Nathan unabashedly described himself as a destructive critic. Early in his career, he went so far as to review several plays as {{Satan}} judging whether they were fit for inclusion in Hell, remarking on one musical that EvenEvilHasStandards. When he was caricatured with other reviewers in a revue sketch several decades later, he disapproved of it as being much too gentle.

Compare SturgeonsLaw, which might either be the cause or the result of these critics (or both). See also StrawCritic and AccentuateTheNegative.

Compare SturgeonsLaw, which might either be the cause or the result of these critics (or both). See also StrawCritic and AccentuateTheNegative. TheMeanBrit is a Caustic Critic who gives immediate feedback in a competition setting, even if you're [[BreakTheCutie ten years old and your eyes shine with hope]].

* [[WebVideo/PieGuyRulz PieGuyRulz]] very rarely gets really mad, but the last minute or so of his [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHeGmrtK8n0 Awesomeness TV Rant]] must be seen to be believed.

--> I've never seen a show so disgusting, unappealing, ugly, not funny, weird, stupid, or SEIZURE INDUCING as this one. [[OldShame I'd rather go back to reviewing comic books than watch this show]].

* ''Series/TopGear'' does this, particularly the modern incarnation and to older cars. Jeremy Clarkson has related a story about car manufacturers getting angry and retaliating by threatening to "take all our advertising off Creator/TheBBC". [[CriticalResearchFailure The BBC doesn't have any advertising]]. For example, Jeremy Clarkson (and presumably the rest of the Top Gear team) passionately hates the Toyota Prius and [[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=718900859924733158 went out of his way]] to prove how absolutely terrible the car was in every way (including the obvious, but even fuel efficiency).

* ''Videogame/Psychonauts2'' has the Gluttonous Goats in Compton's Cookoff, who are Compton Boole's perception of how Hollis, Ford and Otto see him as filtered by his anxiety. They serve the role of food critics in a cooking show who are constantly berating him, putting him under intense pressure and whose compliments only go as high up to "Moderately Pleasant". [[spoiler:Their defeat reveals that they're ultimately just hand puppets controlled by Compton's own hands, showing how he's his greatest critic]].

* Creator/RexReed spent [[http://observer.com/2012/09/the-master-rex-reed-philip-seymour-hoffman-joaquin-phoenix-paul-thomas-anderson/ the entirety of his review]] of ''Film/TheMaster'' personally attacking several modern directors and actors and declaring [[NewMediaAreEvil new films as utter tripe]]. In fact, most of his negative reviews contain personal attacks on the actors and directors. He's also had a weird habit of hating foreign films [[ForeignQueasine based on cuisine alone]] (saying ''Anime/SpiritedAway'' and ''Film/TheHost2006'' were garbage, ''as expected'' of countries that make sushi and kimchi, the horror), and said Koreans were too ignorant to make good movies. In 2013, he had another firestorm of controversy as he bashed Melissa [=McCarthy=]'s performance on ''Film/IdentityThief'' (and the film as a whole) for being fat. Ironically, Reed himself had something of an acting career on the side, and two of his credits are in films that have appeared in "Worst Films of All Time" lists, ''Film/MyraBreckinridge'' and ''Film/{{Inchon}}''.

* [[Creator/BenCroshaw Yahtzee]] of ''WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation'', with a heavy emphasis on "caustic", generally PlayedForLaughs. He has joked that his job is to ruin the retirement plans of game developers. He usually [[AccentuateTheNegative goes overboard on the negative things]], even if they are minor, in his videos. His opinions are also in a state of flux, which is why he often revisits old reviews while talking about a similar game. Further, Yahtzee has stated that he only tends to focus on the negative because that's what his fans want. When he has done the rare positive review, his fans hated it. Therefore, he says to freely assume that anything he ''doesn't'' rip on about a game is well-executed and not worth complaining about.

* ''WebVideo/RedLetterMedia'''s Mister Plinkett. He's also a {{deconstruction}} and a satire of the stereotypical wannabe- critic Youtuber's usual online persona: what kind of person would be as devoted, nerdy and angry to actually write a 60 minutes long review of ''Franchise/StarWars'' Episode 1, carefully deconstructing all of its flaws? Answer: [[SerialKiller Not a nice one]].

* Website/SFDebris, although what he mainly seems to be caustic towards is poor writing and idiocy. When he reviews something that is actually good, Chuck tends to lapse into impassioned monologues about why the work is so good. Even in otherwise terrible works, he takes time aside to point out things that are done well.

* Creator/BobChipman has been known to unload on movies he hated (his scathing review of ''Film/{{Pixels}}'' even went viral for the sheer vitriol he threw at it), but overall, he's not a fan of this trope and has been vocal in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FzzIDgVLm8 his criticism of it]]. While he likes some caustic critic shows, overall he feels that such reviewers, himself included at times, have fueled stereotypes of the StrawCritic who [[AccentuateTheNegative looks for any excuse to bash a work]], specifically calling ''WebVideo/CinemaSins'' "a blight on movie discourse". He created the video series ''Really That Good'' and ''Good Enough Movies'' specifically to serve as a SpiritualAntithesis to this style, and even refused to review ''WesternAnimation/TheEmojiMovie'' because he felt that it, while undoubtedly a bad movie, was only about as bad as ''WesternAnimation/{{Minions}}'' or ''WesternAnimation/TheBossBaby'', not some groundbreakingly awful dumpster fire that could get him worked up into a righteous rage like so many people had been saying.
* ''WebVideo/MauLer'' is a PlayedWith example: He will gladly make [[DoorStopper videos totaling several hours]] breaking down the nuances of movies and videogames with DeadpanSnarker tendencies sprinkled throughout, but his reviewing style "A Critique of X..." is focused on providing both the negatives ''and'' positives of a work, regardless of his personal feelings on it. This is because [=MauLer=] is a firm believer of objectivity (facts) being more important to assessing quality than subjectivity (feelings). PlayedStraight with his "An Unbridled Rage" series, however, where he [[AccentuateTheNegative purposely lets loose on both the negatives of the work and his negative feelings]].

* WebVideo/JoCat has his original creation [=JoCrap=], who is depicted as a musclebound loudmouth foul mouth in gear from ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' including his iconic wiggler head. He has guides to how to play (so far) ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'', ''TabletopGames/DungeonsAndDragons'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' with useful tips, but saying it in the most unnerving (and hilarious) ways.

* Before he got outed as a sexual predator, Creator/JohnKricfalusi was widely known for his rabid criticisms of other animators and cartoons that don't meet his very specific, exacting standards. The sheer amount of vitriol he threw at other people and their work, along with his own cartoons having had chronic ScheduleSlip problems and a serious overall decline in quality has led many people to believe that most of the success of his more beloved projects, like ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', could be attributed more to other contributors like Bob Camp and Creator/RalphBakshi.

* ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle:'' In "Malcolm Films Reese", the dude ranch Francis works at is savaged by Charles Cutler, a critic who takes being caustic UpToEleven. He comes back, supposedly to give them a second chance, but starts smugly dictating another mean-spirited review within seconds of being greeted. Upon being told that Francis and Piama are married, Cutler sneers about how his hosts aren't content on ruining the experiences of one generation of vacationers and insist on breeding. Francis and Otto give the guy a NoHoldsBarredBeatdown in response. As he's taken away on a stretcher, Cutler insults the color of the ceiling, as well as the sloppiness of the beating he just received. He also proceeds to write a nasty review of the hospital that treats his injuries. All of this backfires on Cutler, as his bad reviews have made him HatedByAll. All of the other local hoteliers and merchants to whom Cutler has given bad reviews are delighted by his misfortune and either send Otto and Francis gift baskets or recommend the dude ranch to the guests they don't have room to accommodate.

* ''Series/OneHundredThingsToDoBeforeHighSchool'' In the episode Always "Tell the Truth (but Not Always) Thing!", Crispo becomes one of these in his cooking class. His teacher initially liked his BrutalHonesty but Crispo [[UpToEleven went overboard]].

This trope tends to be [[PopularityPolynomial cyclic in popularity]]. At times, it's considered entertaining, especially if the audience already agrees that the target of the caustic review [[GuiltyPleasure probably deserves it]]. At other times, audiences will prefer a more educational, no nonsense, objective review of a product that they may consider purchasing or watching. This is why a lot of current Youtube reviewers have dispensed with [[StylisticSuck comedic interludes, quirky deliveries, and other filler]], thus being able to focus on informative content over stage persona. Or they [[FandomHeresy might be offended]] by a caustic negative review of something that is considered CultClassic of FairForItsDay, epsecially if the caustic reviewer in question is [[BeforeMyTime obviously too young to remember]] when it was a new thing [[note]] An example of a scenario that is generally considered bad form: A reviewer born sometime after 1993 delivers a caustic review that is heavily dependent on mercilessly attacking the dated aspects of an [[TheEighties early 80s]] anime production. Even attacking Macekres of that period is probably frowned upon since the reviewer in question never had to put up with them and probably had to go out of their way to find them in the first place. [[/note]].

This is a reviewer who not only savagely criticizes the work in question but also calls it names until it cries like a little girl. Why? Because it's [[RuleOfFunny funny]], and the Caustic Critic is first and foremost out to entertain an audience. That said, the Caustic Critic is almost always rather divisive, especially when they [[HePannedItNowHeSucks take on a generally well-liked]] game / show / movie / album / book / manga / anime / webcomic / webcartoon / fanfic / [[WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall lamp]].

* One of ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'''s elusive targets is an influential and notoriously harsh [[https://youtu.be/1vzLHvru8xE?t=30s food critic]] infamous for not even ''eating'' the food he's supposed to review, as he considers rating a meal by such "vulgar" attributes as taste or flavor to be "too plebian". Instead, he judges the restaurants he reviews clinically by their overall presentation, grousing over tiny, nitpicky details and punishing any small deviation from his perfectionist standards with [[AccentuateTheNegative full-length, relentlessly scathing reviews]]. He's already driven one chef to suicide for being served some slightly over-chilled ''ice water'', which is why he's been marked for death by the ICA.
* ''VideoGame/VampireTheMasqueradeBloodlines'': The food critic Tommy Flayton shows up for a {{Sidequest}} where the PlayerCharacter must convince him to give a restaurant a bad review. Despite -- or perhaps because of -- his insufferable pretension, he's quite easy to manipulate, even just by insinuating that he's going soft.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Amphibia}}'': Albus Duckweed is the Wartwood newspaper’s restaurant critic, and takes a particularly sadistic glee in writing scathing reviews of local restaurants to drive them out of business. In “Lily Pad Thai”, he shows up at Stumpy’s Diner to leave one of his usual negative reviews. While Stumpy’s become too jaded to care, Anne, herself the daughter of restaurant owners, demands a chance to earn a better review. In her effort to impress the critic, she prepares a meal that turns out not to still be alive, which nearly kills the critic; however, he finds the experience to be [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible so avant-garde that he gives the place his best review ever.]]

Not to be confused with Administrivia/ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontLike.

* ''Series/{{Alice}}'': An early episode, “The Last Review,” sees a newspaper restaurant critic with a nasty reputation review Mel’s chili, making none-too-flattering comments about the diner, the service he receives, etc. … only to suddenly become ill and then non-responsive at his table shortly after finishing his meal. [=EMT=]s pronounce the critic dead at the table, after which Mel worries that it was his food that caused the critic’s sudden illness and that he’ll surely face a lawsuit by his family and forced to close [[spoiler: but Alice later gets a call regarding the autopsy: The critic had a congenital heart defect and it was a heart attack that killed him, and Mel’s cooking had nothing to do with it]].