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Waterworld (1995)

tomatometer

43

Average Rating: 5.1/10
Reviews Counted: 49
Fresh: 21 | Rotten: 28

Though it suffered from toxic buzz at the time of its release, Waterworld is ultimately an ambitious misfire: an extravagant sci-fi flick with some decent moments and a lot of silly ones.

80

Average Rating: 6.5/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 2

Though it suffered from toxic buzz at the time of its release, Waterworld is ultimately an ambitious misfire: an extravagant sci-fi flick with some decent moments and a lot of silly ones.

audience

46

liked it
Average Rating: 2.6/5
User Ratings: 208,328

My Rating

Movie Info

Widely considered to be an expensive failure, Waterworld was an epic vehicle for Kevin Costner, who starred in and co-produced the film, with his friend Kevin Reynolds as director. It was based on a 1986 screenplay by Peter Rader and cost an estimated $235 million, more than any film in history up to that time. Costner eventually fired Reynolds and directed the last few scenes himself. The story was filmed in Hawaii, using several artificial islands, and is set in an apocalyptic future, after

Nov 1, 1998

MCA Universal Home Video

Cast

All Critics (53) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (28) | DVD (13)

It's a genuine vault at greatness that misses the mark -- but survives.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | Comment
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A moderately successful guy's movie with both weak and strong elements where lots of things are brilliantly blown up and few things make any kind of sense.

February 13, 2001 Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | Comment
Los Angeles Times
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Waterworld is the movie that didn't happen. Which is a roundabout way of saying that the infamous Universal film is very good, damn good -- not great, mind you, but rousing and continually entertaining.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | Comment
Sacramento Bee
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Waterworld isn't Fishtar, but Kevin Costner's pricey, post-apocalyptic sloshbuckler isn't a seafaring classic either.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
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In the tradition of the old Westerns and Mel Gibson's Road Warrior flicks, this film provides good escapist fun.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: ReelViews | Comment
ReelViews
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It's one of those marginal pictures you're not unhappy to have seen, but can't quite recommend.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment (1)
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Seagoing sci-fi swashbuckler fun despite bad reputation.

December 15, 2009 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

Regardless of faults, I embrace Waterworld as the pure matinee escapism it was intended to be, readily devouring the sci-fi excitement both Reynolds and Costner are happy to dish up.

October 30, 2009 Full Review Source: BrianOrndorf.com | Comment
BrianOrndorf.com

While it is true that time, and the obsessive culture of the Internet, has lessened Waterworld's "Fishtar" reputation to some extent, this is still one massively flawed film.

October 22, 2009 Full Review Source: PopMatters | Comment
PopMatters

actually pretty good

July 12, 2009 Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | Comment
Film Freak Central

Waterworld drowned in bad buzz during its theatrical release. It deserves a better fate.

November 6, 2008 Full Review Source: What Would Toto Watch? | Comment
What Would Toto Watch?

I had no idea what the characters were thinking half the time, but I had an excellent idea what they were feeling, physically.

July 23, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment (1)
eFilmCritic.com

Nowhere close to as bad as its reputation

January 19, 2005 Comment
Lawrence Journal-World

Fame swelled Costner's head.

February 12, 2004 Comments (4)
FilmsInReview.com
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Waterworld

I think this movie got ragged far more than it needed to. Kevin Costner wasnt given a break at the time and the huge budget was just insane. But I enjoyed the movie.

March 20, 2007
jmanard52

Super Reviewer

Waterworld is famous for being one of the biggest flops in cinematic history. At the time of its release, it was the most expensive motion picture ever produced. So is the question is, "is Waterworld the worst film ever made?" Definitely not. In fact Waterworld is an awesome action adventure epic. Sure the film has

August 5, 2011
TheDudeLebowski65
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

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