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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 source; UK critics are listed first)
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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: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

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

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

I enjoyed the movie for the sheer physical exuberance of its adventure.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
01/01/00
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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.

Full Review Source: Cinematter | comment Comment
01/01/00
Madeleine Williams
Madeleine Williams
Cinematter

The script is slow and tired. We've seen it all before, and the change of setting has little impact.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hicks
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
01/01/00
Susan Stark
Susan Stark
Detroit News

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

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

No review available.

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

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

While the denouement is basically another bummer of a letdown, you'll still be coming off that adrenaline rush from the 'squall' scenes.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Director Ridley Scott, who more than anyone else founded post-1960s visceral filmmaking, is at the top of his form in White Squall.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jeff Millar
Jeff Millar
Houston Chronicle

No review available.

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

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.

Full Review Source: Internet Reviews | comment Comment
01/01/00
Steve Rhodes
Steve Rhodes
Internet Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
01/01/00
Jam! Movies
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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

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

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

An Excellent Picture. It doesn't get any better

comment Comment
03/04/04
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by source; UK critics are listed first)
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