“Tower Heist,” starring Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller, is certified fresh by the critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but only barely.

According to the site, the critics gave the film a 69% fresh rating, and this time, the critics were being lenient. The audience gave the film a lower rating of 66%.

The site gave the film a very backhanded compliment, saying “‘Tower Heist’ is a true Brett Ratner joint: little brains to this caper, but it’s fun fluff, exciting to watch, and showcases a welcome return to form for Eddie Murphy.” At the very least, Murphy is back on top.

Here’s what the critics thought:

“Cheerfully crappy schlock.”–Richard Roeper, RichardRoeper.com

“Call it an acceptable bit of B- work from a C- student. “–Eric D. Snider, Film.com

“This is, of course, Hollywood schlock, directed by shlock-master Brett Ratner (‘Rush Hour’). But it’s also a surprisingly effective social drama. Ratner keeps the action rooted to the here-and-now, offering a recession-times revenge fantasy where the motivations never feel fantastical, even if the heist itself does.”–Robert Levin, The Atlantic

“‘Tower Heist’ is an enjoyable ensemble comedy that gets off to a bit of a slow start, but is kicked into a higher gear by Eddie Murphy. This is a big return to form for Murphy following years of too many unfunny family films.”–Scott Nash, Three Movie Buffs

What did you think of the film?