‘By Any Means’ Earns B+ CinemaScore as Mark Wahlberg’s Crime Thriller Hits Theaters

True crime narratives set against the civil rights era have proven to be a compelling draw for Hollywood, merging historical significance with the kind of suspense that captivates audiences from the very start. Paramount’s latest film in this genre pairs an unexpected duo against a particularly grim chapter of American history.

The story follows a young Black FBI agent who must collaborate with a mafia hitman to investigate a series of brutal murders targeting civil rights leaders in 1960s Mississippi. This premise, rooted in actual events, adds a layer of moral complexity to the film’s central partnership, which critics have been analyzing over the past week.

The film, ‘By Any Means,’ has now received its opening night verdict from viewers. CinemaScore has given the film a B+ grade based on exit polling from its theatrical release.

Directed by Elegance Bratton and penned by Sascha Penn, ‘By Any Means’ features Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the FBI agent and Mark Wahlberg as Gregory Scarpa, a mafia hitman turned FBI informant. Together, they navigate an uneasy alliance as their investigation delves deeper into a quest where justice and revenge begin to intertwine. The film premiered in theaters nationwide on September 4 through Paramount Pictures, with a runtime of 107 minutes.

The film opens with a black-and-white montage of real news footage depicting the disappearance of three civil rights activists in Mississippi in 1964, grounding its narrative in historical reality. This connection to actual events has become a focal point in early reviews, with critics divided on how well the film balances its historical significance with its crime thriller elements.

The Hollywood Reporter described the pairing as an unusual combination that doesn’t always yield successful results, noting that Wahlberg’s performance felt somewhat miscast for the Brooklyn gangster role he portrays. Other reviews have similarly pointed out the tension between the film’s exploration of state-sanctioned violence and its inclination toward revenge as a form of justice, suggesting that the film’s ambitions sometimes exceed its execution.

In addition to its two leads, ‘By Any Means’ boasts a notable supporting cast that features Nicole Beharie, Josh Lucas, LisaGay Hamilton, LaChanze, Ethan Embry, David Strathairn, and Giancarlo Esposito. Terence Blanchard provides the score, while Ante Cheng serves as the cinematographer.

The film’s journey to release faced challenges as well. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stepped into the lead role after Sterling K. Brown, who was initially attached to the project alongside Wahlberg, had to depart due to scheduling conflicts.

Principal photography commenced in April 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia, with the supporting cast joining shortly after production began. Filming wrapped about two months later, paving the way for the film’s eventual release more than a year later.

Despite the mixed critical reception, the B+ CinemaScore indicates that opening night audiences responded more positively to the film than critics have thus far. This disparity between audience and critical reception is not uncommon for crime thrillers centered on morally complex real-life partnerships, where viewers often connect more with the tension and performances than with broader thematic execution.

‘By Any Means’ stands out as one of the more historically grounded films in this fall’s theatrical lineup, joining a series of true crime and historical thrillers hitting theaters this season. Whether its box office performance will align with its solid audience grade in the coming weeks remains to be seen, especially given the more measured critical response it has received so far.

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