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Movies / On DVD / White Squall
White Squall

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White Squall (1996)

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Reviews Counted:29

Fresh:18

Rotten:11

Average Rating:5.8/10

Runtime: 2 hrs 8 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Synopsis: Eclectic director Ridley Scott here tries his hand at a coming-of-age tale, which stars Jeff Bridges as ship captain Christopher Sheldon. Based on a true story, the film is set in 1960 as a group... Eclectic director Ridley Scott here tries his hand at a coming-of-age tale, which stars Jeff Bridges as ship captain Christopher Sheldon. Based on a true story, the film is set in 1960 as a group of teenaged prep students signs on to Sheldon's floating summer school, conducted on a two-masted brigantine bound for South America. It soon becomes clear that the gruff but humane captain runs a tight ship as he drills his neophyte crew on the importance of teamwork and discipline. The boys possess a wide range of temperaments--there's the bully, the daredevil, the one plagued by insecurities, the one with demanding parents. Sheldon uses the shipboard chores as tools for dealing with their problems, reining in the obnoxious and encouraging the anxious. Since they are, after all, sailors, they also get a chance to get drunk in port and stop over at a whorehouse. Finally, the crew must confront the fabled white squall, a deadly storm so rare that even Sheldon has never experienced one. Bridges, Ryan Phillippe, Balthazar Getty, and Jeremy Sisto give fine performances in Scott's film of spectacular visual beauty. [More]

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Scott Wolf, Balthazar Getty, Caroline Goodall

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Scott Wolf, Balthazar Getty, Caroline Goodall, John Savage, Jeremy Sisto, Ryan Phillippe, David Lascher, Eric Michael Cole, Jason Marsden, David Selby, Julio Mechoso, Zeljko Ivanek, Ethan Embry

Director: Ridley Scott

Director: Ridley Scott

[See More Credits]

Reviews for White Squall

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
12/05/03
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
07/25/08
Brian Lowry
Brian Lowry
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An old-fashioned, white-knuckle adventure with the excellent Bridges adding another great characterization to his increasingly impressive resume.

comment Comment
01/23/06
Chuck O'Leary
Chuck O'Leary
Fantastica Daily

No review available.

comment Comment
07/17/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Bridges puts his shoulder to the wheel and impresses audiences.

comment Comment
03/04/05
Andrew Griffin
Andrew Griffin
Town Talk (Alexandria, LA)

An Excellent Picture. It doesn't get any better

comment Comment
03/04/04
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

No review available.

comment Comment
02/10/04
Spence D.
Spence D.
IGN Movies

Stunning ocean visuals and a gut-wrenching storm sequence. An underrated and very good coming of age story.

comment Comment
06/19/03
Blake Davis
Blake Davis
KFOR Channel 4 News

Despite great scenery, the distinctive visual ideas of Mr. Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) and the strong dramatic presence of Mr. Bridges, most of White Squall remains listless and tame.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Dead Poets Society goes to the high seas in this overly ambitious tale of 13 young men aboard a floating prep school vessel. Their rite of passage is the core element in this all-spit and no-polish production.

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/14/03
Jeanne Aufmuth
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
04/25/03
Dragan Antulov
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Unengaging maritime thriller from Ridley Scott. Good cast, but fails to connect.

comment Comment
03/19/03
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

This is a very solid film with strong acting performances to boost it, excellent photography and a good soundtrack.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
03/16/03
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

No review available.

comment Comment
01/04/03
Josh Ralske
Josh Ralske
All Movie Guide

Daring and dramatic film about the passage of a group of young boys who come of age during their adventures at sea.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
08/22/02
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

If the focus had been on the characters' experiences instead of the white squall, much more of the movie would have made a lasting impression.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/05/02
Dwayne E. Leslie
Dwayne E. Leslie
Boxoffice Magazine
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Rolling Stone | comment Comment
05/12/01
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone

The 20 or so minutes we spend with the Albatross in the squall is high adventure, to be sure. Everything else is ballast.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
02/13/01
Jack Mathews
Jack Mathews
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jam! Movies
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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