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White Squall (1996)
Tomatometer
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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
Reviews for White Squall
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.
I enjoyed the movie for the sheer physical exuberance of its adventure.
The visuals throughout the movie are exhilarating, and the squall scene in particular is pulled off spectacularly (if a bit chaotically). The scene is so powerful, it almost washes away the taint of familiarity...almost.
The script is slow and tired. We've seen it all before, and the change of setting has little impact.
An old-fashioned, white-knuckle adventure with the excellent Bridges adding another great characterization to his increasingly impressive resume.
While the denouement is basically another bummer of a letdown, you'll still be coming off that adrenaline rush from the 'squall' scenes.
Director Ridley Scott, who more than anyone else founded post-1960s visceral filmmaking, is at the top of his form in White Squall.
This picture has nothing original to say, and the acting is way below par. Imagine making a show about kids and then not putting in a single kid (or adult for that matter) that you care about.
Stunning ocean visuals and a gut-wrenching storm sequence. An underrated and very good coming of age story.
This is a very solid film with strong acting performances to boost it, excellent photography and a good soundtrack.
The 20 or so minutes we spend with the Albatross in the squall is high adventure, to be sure. Everything else is ballast.
Latest News for White Squall
March 30, 2005:
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