The Thunderbirds vehicles are impressively realised (even the tarted up, purist-bothering motor of Lady P looks grand), but this live action adaptation of Gerry Anderson's iconic creations lacks any soul.
Thunderbirds (2004)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:99
Fresh:19
Rotten:80
Average Rating:4.1/10
Consensus: Live-action cartoon for kids.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for intense action sequences and language
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Theatrical Release:23-07-2004
Synopsis: Based on the cult British television show from the 1960s, THUNDERBIRDS explodes into the 21st Century with this thrilling live-action version of the franchise. Drawing on similar themes and... Based on the cult British television show from the 1960s, THUNDERBIRDS explodes into the 21st Century with this thrilling live-action version of the franchise. Drawing on similar themes and familiar characters, director Jonathan Frakes (STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT) sticks closely to the spirit of the original show while making use of the new technology available to him 40 years after the program first aired to give the film a modern look. The International Rescue organization--a team of highly organized law enforcers--is the focal point for the movie. International Rescue is based on a remote desert island location, and is called into action whenever the world's sinister masterminds threaten to disturb the balance of society. Jeff Tracy (Bill Paxton) heads up the team, and employs his sons to help him out. Teenager Alan Tracy (Brady Corbet) is a little too young to join, and is constantly frustrated by his lack of opportunity to join the brothers on their missions. But when the evil villain known as The Hood (Ben Kingsley) traps the International Rescue team in outer space, it seems Alan's time has come. The Hood steals one of the many spacecrafts designed by International Rescue, and executes an outlandish scheme to rob the Bank of England. Alan and his pal Fermat (Soren Fulton) attempt the double-whammy of rescuing the trapped family and stopping The Hood, by drawing on help from the sultry detective Lady Penelope (Sophia Myles), her butler Parker (Ron Cook), and a few gadgets and vehicles courtesy of International Rescue. With comic references to the original show scattered liberally throughout the movie, and a sense of fun and adventure, this is a film that should appeal to both old and new fans of these popular crime-fighting characters. [More]
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Bill Paxton, Anthony Edwards, Sophia Myles
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Bill Paxton, Anthony Edwards, Sophia Myles, Brady Corbet, Soren Fulton
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Director: Jonathan Frakes
Screenwriter: William Osborne, Michael McCullers
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Mark Huffman
Composer: Hans Zimmer
Studio: Universal Pictures
Reviews for Thunderbirds
Fans of the original will likely be upset, but the kids will probably love it.
Despite some incidental pleasures, thin writing, shabby direction and heavy-handed performances make this neither one for the purists nor thrill-seeking kids.
Filmed in a zany, colourful style reminiscent of the Spy Kids movies, this is enjoyable fun until earnest lines of dialog bring everything to a shrieking stop.
What impenetrable, overwrought codswallop this one’s turned out to be.
It’s badly acted, poorly written and completely lacking in wit, tension, or excitement.
The movie acts as a step-by-step guide on how to make for a life- force-draining experience.
A charmless, leaden tale that never gets off the ground, even when its characters soar through the air.
Thunderbirds is another movie that feeds the notion that Hollywood knows how to take the oddest and oldest of material and make it look spectacular -- even if the final product is as empty as a dummy's head.
Not only did the 7-year-old boy inside me have a high old time, so did the 7-year-old daughter sitting next to me.
Aiming to please both adult fans of the original series and children weaned on more contemporary gadget-fare like the Spy Kids and the Cody Banks movies, they've created a kind of Frankenstein monster that ends up pleasing neither.
There's enough special effects razzle-dazzle to distract the average ten-year-old, but the script by William Osborne and Michael McCullers is stilted and humorless -- a little camp might have helped.
This is a movie made for an audience that does not exist, at least in the land of North American multiplexes.
Latest News for Thunderbirds
August 27, 2007:
Video Exclusive: Sophia Myles talks Hallam Foe with RT
We chat to the supremely lovely British actress about her latest role in David Mackenzie's new film. More...
June 19, 2006:
Poster Parade: "Zoom," "Bug" & "Guardian"
It's not too often I find myself looking forward to a Tim Allen comedy, but this one's about superheroes and also stars Courteney Cox, Rip Torn, and ... Chevy Chase (!), so... More...
May 25, 2005:
Trailer Bulletin: "Sky High"
Yahoo! Movies brings us our very first look at "Sky High," which is Disney's cross between family comedy and superhero adventure flick. Kurt Russell... More...
July 22, 2004:
The trailer looks . . . well, lame. ![]()
More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Thunderbirds at Rotten Tomatoes
- Thunderbirds at IGN
- Thunderbirds at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

