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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]

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Release:

Jun 15, 1999

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • White Squall
  • Hollywood favorite Jeff Bridges (THE BIG LEBOWSKI) stars in this thrilling high seas adventure! Bridges leads a crew of seafaring students (including Scott Wolf from TV's PARTY OF FIVE) on the voyage of a lifetime! But just before their return, nature teaches the toughest lesson of all ... turning this journey at sea into a test of the crew's courage and will to survive! From acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott (BLADE RUNNER) -- don't miss any of the pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat excitement that this breathtaking motion picture delivers!
  • Source: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
  •  
     
     
     

    Reviews for White Squall

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    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
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    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
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    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

    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

    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.

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    05/20/03
    Janet Maslin
    Janet Maslin
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Dead Poets Society goes to the high seas in this overly ambitious tale of 13 young men aboard a floating prep school vessel. Their rite of passage is the core element in this all-spit and no-polish production.

    Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
    05/14/03
    Jeanne Aufmuth
    Jeanne Aufmuth
    Palo Alto Weekly
     
     
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