Opening

86% Star Trek Into Darkness May 16
22% Erased May 17
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42% Black Rock May 17
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—— Populaire May 17
21% 33 Postcards May 17

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69% The Croods $3.6M
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8% The Big Wedding $2.5M
60% Oz the Great and Powerful $1.1M

Coming Soon

—— The Hangover Part III May 23
79% Fast & Furious 6 May 24
—— Epic May 24
94% Before Midnight May 24

White Noise (2005)

tomatometer

9

Average Rating: 3.5/10
Reviews Counted: 147
Fresh: 13 | Rotten: 134

While there are some built-in scares, the movie is muddled and unsatisfying.

9

Average Rating: 3.4/10
Critic Reviews: 35
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 32

While there are some built-in scares, the movie is muddled and unsatisfying.

audience

44

liked it
Average Rating: 2.7/5
User Ratings: 171,765

My Rating

Movie Info

Divorced architect Jonathan Rivers (Michael Keaton) seems to lead a pretty good life with partial custody of his young son and a happy second marriage to Anna (Chandra West), a best-selling author. Things take an ugly turn when Anna disappears during a thunderstorm, apparently the victim of a freak accident. Eventually, her body is found, and Jonathan sinks into despair. Then he meets Raymond (Ian McNeice), who claims that Anna has contacted him through EVP, or electronic voice phenomena.

PG-13,

Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense

Niall Johnson

May 17, 2005

$55.9M

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All Critics (150) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (138) | DVD (37)

Though I'm well disposed toward elliptical spook stories that depend on the audience's imagination for their jolts and effects, it takes art as well as craft to put them across, and Geoffrey Sax's direction of a Niall Johnson script has neither.

February 28, 2007 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

White noise is intended to help you fall asleep. White Noise would never let you do that, though. It's far too interested in a cacophony of cheap scares.

February 26, 2007 Full Review Source: Associated Press
Associated Press
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Thrill-free thriller.

January 20, 2005
Rolling Stone
Top Critic IconTop Critic

There's no horror to speak of.

January 15, 2005 Full Review Source: ReelViews
ReelViews
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Even if its dorky climax throws you out of the mood again, there are staticky bits of White Noise that still manage to cling.

January 15, 2005 Full Review Source: Salon.com
Salon.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Too silly to describe, much less analyze.

January 13, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Observer
New York Observer
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Dumb would-be thriller -- save your money.

December 29, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

I was pleased nonetheless with convincing acting, well spread tension and suspense, and a great concept.

April 29, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed
Cinema Crazed

A messy cheesecake of supernatural horror without scaring the pants off its audience, nor making any real sense.

October 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile
Urban Cinefile

Something evil this way comes without much nerve-jangling fanfare (most of the screams came from the soundtrack rather than the audience) or conviction (portal schmortal).

August 7, 2008 Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review
Sacramento News & Review

Is the movie scary? Only if this is your first scary movie.

July 23, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com
eFilmCritic.com

The paranormal phenomenon surely has its millions of converts, but White Noise is so silly, it just may turn many into non-believers.

March 1, 2007 Full Review Source: Film Journal International
Film Journal International

Some of its filmic devices seem a little hokey for a movie that is apparently trying to persuade us that EVP is a real phenomenon.

November 17, 2006
Christianity Today

White Noise is little more than an old-fashioned ghost story with a newfangled twist.

October 6, 2006 Full Review Source: AV Club
AV Club

The only problem is that there's just not that much of a reason to sit up and check out what all of the noise is about.

July 6, 2006 Full Review Source: Dread Central

The soundtrack and crackling static, contorting into mysterious moans, create a chilling mood, but the characters are so thin.

April 1, 2006 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine
Empire Magazine

White Noise is not a bad movie like some have made it out to be; it's just not very interesting.

January 30, 2006 Full Review Source: Dread Central
Dread Central

Audience Reviews for White Noise

Sort of an interesting premise (a deeply grieving husband is contacted by his recently deceased wife) but like a lot of supernatural thrillers its creepy set-up is ultimately better than its delivery. The cast and crew does well but the script has little for them to finish with.
April 1, 2012
UniversalDreamer

Super Reviewer

It boasts a very interesting premise and it does have its own scares and thrills. Backed up by convincing acting it's not as bad as its put out to be. The problem with White Noise however is its muzzled plotline that can sometimes be a bit of distraction from listening.
November 13, 2011
Directors Cat
Directors Cat

Super Reviewer

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Latest News on White Noise

May 2, 2006:
"White Noise 2" Set Visit: Hanging With Nathan Fillion, PLUS The First "White Noise 2" Set Photos!
Our "White Noise 2" set coverage wraps up with not one, but many delights: a sit down with...

April 27, 2006:
"White Noise 2" Set Visit: Shawn Williamson On Horror Remakes, "Dungeon Siege," and...Canadian Horror?
RT's "White Noise 2" set coverage, Part Three: producer Shawn Williamson, whose 50+...

April 26, 2006:
"White Noise 2" Set Visit: Patrick Lussier Promises Twists, Talks Horror
Our "White Noise 2" set coverage continues with RT's conversation with director Patrick...

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