Click to read the article
White Squall (1996)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
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
Reviews for White Squall
The storm sequence is worth the wait, as scary and dramatically filmed as any ocean disaster you've seen in the movies, but the tribunal that follows is so muddled as to end the film in a great big anti-climax.
Stunning ocean visuals and a gut-wrenching storm sequence. An underrated and very good coming of age story.
The script is slow and tired. We've seen it all before, and the change of setting has little impact.
While the denouement is basically another bummer of a letdown, you'll still be coming off that adrenaline rush from the 'squall' scenes.
An old-fashioned, white-knuckle adventure with the excellent Bridges adding another great characterization to his increasingly impressive resume.
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.
Daring and dramatic film about the passage of a group of young boys who come of age during their adventures at sea.
The 20 or so minutes we spend with the Albatross in the squall is high adventure, to be sure. Everything else is ballast.
This film offers just about everything, including a twenty-minute white-knuckle sequence and a chance to shed a few tears. In short, it's first-rate entertainment.
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.
Latest News for White Squall
March 30, 2005:
Ensemble Cast to Get "Lonely" for Serial Killer Tale
More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- White Squall at Rotten Tomatoes
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

