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Stormbreaker

EMAILPRINTThe Weinstein Company

Stormbreaker reviews
42
4.1 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 15 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Action  |  Adventure  |  Family/Kids

Written by: Anthony Horowitz (also novel and story)

Directed by: Geoffrey Sax

Release Date:
Theatrical: October 13, 2006
DVD: December 19, 2006

Running Time: 93 minutes, Color

Origin: Germany / USA / UK

Summary

RATING: PG for sequences of action violence and some peril

Starring Alex Pettyfer, Sarah Bolger, Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fry, Damian Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Sophie Okonedo, Missi Pyle, Mickey Rourke, Andy Serkis, and Alicia Silverstone

Alex Rider (Pettyfer) is a normal teenager who lives with his uncle, a nondescript bank manager. Or so it seems until his uncle, Ian Rider (McGregor), disappears under mysterious circumstances. Alex soon learns that his uncle was a spy for Britain's secret intelligence service, M16 and he is recruited to take on a dangerous mission for them. Within days he's gone from schoolboy to super spy -- but will Alex's first assignment be his last? (The Weinstein Company)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75

Chicago Tribune Michael Esposito

It's better than some James Bond movies--no matter what your age.

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63

USA Today Staff [Not Credited]

Though the film is not terribly original (and features a jarringly miscast Alicia Silverstone as Alex's nanny), the action scenes are diverting, the veteran cast is amusing and the engaging Pettyfer makes a solid debut.

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63

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

Despite a relatively paltry $40 million budget, Stormbreaker has the sheen and special effects of a Bond movie, and the ambition as well.

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63

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

For kids strung out on Anthony Horowitz's 007-lite adventure series, this maiden adaptation is a pleasant enough diversion from having to flip the pages.

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63

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

Taken for what it is - 'tweenage escapism - Stormbreaker is moderately fun.

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60

Chicago Reader Joshua Katzman

The nonstop action in this British romp should ensure that its target audience, sugar-buzzed prepubescent boys, stay strapped in their seats.

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58

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

A bland Bond.

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50

The New York Times Nathan Lee

Mr. Pettyfer is no Sean Connery, no Roger Moore, no Pierce Brosnan, no Timothy Dalton and no George Lazenby even, but the director, Geoffrey Sax, compensates for his zero of a hero by indulging the exceedingly amused and amusing supporting cast.

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50

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Sax keeps things moving, but the best thing about the film is the British cast.

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50

The Onion (A.V. Club) Keith Phipps

Rourke's hammy, eyeliner-enhanced acting alone almost makes Alex Rider worth a look.

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50

Entertainment Weekly Gregory Kirshling

Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker is "Agent Cody Banks" played British and kinda straight -- that is, as straight as you can when your villain, who dispatches foes with a giant jellyfish, is played by a toothpick-chomping Mickey Rourke in purple eye shadow.

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40

The Hollywood Reporter Ray Bennett

A lame and disappointing affair.

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40

Los Angeles Times Mark Olsen

The film is forever trying to balance between being for younger teenagers and keeping their parents occupied as well, and never quite gets it right.

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38

New York Post Lou Lumenick

This lame teenage James Bond will leave audiences neither shaken nor stirred.

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38

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jennie Punter

A British flick based on the first novel in a popular teenage spy-thriller series by Anthony Horowitz, looks promising but, unfortunately, doesn't measure up.

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30

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

Perhaps as a publishing phenomenon the concept works, but on-screen it's pretty dull, with good actors in bad roles and bad special effects.

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30

Variety Derek Elley

A shake 'n' bake Brit teen-spy actioner, without a smidgeon of originality, humor or involving characterization, Stormbreaker is a high-profile bust.

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30

LA Weekly Luke Y. Thompson

It's ostensibly an action movie, and the action is so poorly shot as to be embarrassing.

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25

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

While it's filled with quality actors, this James Bond tale for tweens feels like something you should be getting for free on television.

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25

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

About as clunky as a movie gets. It lurches from scene to scene with no sense of narrative grace, gives its roster of prominent actors nothing to work with and screeches to a halt with all the grace of a sprinter whose shoelaces have been tied together.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 4.1 (out of 10) based on 15 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jura M gave it a3:
The novels thrill you with teenage espionage, action and drama. This movie doesn't. To get quickly to the point the movie is so full of "cheese" the excitement is ruined. This movie had a lot of potential to become a teenage classic but the director's completely wrong direction with the movie turns it into a woeful "action-comedy" when it should of definitely been on par with the balance of realism and fun in the newer James Bond movies. Ridiculously stupid costume choices and horrible castings (looks at the "ginger" Jack Starbright, eye-liner on Rouke and the "stormbreaker machine" which is a COMPUTER, not a giant rotating eye.) plus the bland acting of an actor who was way too old for his part as Alex ruined the film. Extremely disappointing! I hope a new director can take a new direction and turn these films into what they should be.

kitty gave it a10:
This is one of my favorite movies ever. I love all of the actors in it and I really think that they all did a good job. I also think that even though it isn't completely like the book they did a good job of changing things and still keeping most of everything.

rob gave it a5:
It was nice to see one of my favorite books put into film, however, it seemed a bit rushed and toned down. The book was exciting, the movie was childish.

Brian L gave it a0:
this is not even related to the book.... what the hell, who kill people hanging upside down from a helicopter anyway? and why not just shoot alex rider in the head?

Jay H gave it a6:
5.5/10. young adult James Bond, rather clever at times and has some good action sequences. The bad guys in this are so obvious it doesn't leave much for the imagination. Fun, shallow nonsense. Well edited, good cinematography.

[Anonymous] gave it an8:
Okay I so loved this movie and do not know y it got bad reviews. i mean how were they watching the movie anyway with alex pettyfer in it. so i liked it a lot. BUT I SUGGEST U READ THE BOOKS FIRST THEY R SO MUCH BETTER! i promise.

Thomas S. gave it a6:
Seen the movie yesterday on DVD. While it had entertaining moments it didn't feel very cohesive. The movie is clearly aimed at teenagers (which I'm not) and I greatly regret Ewan McGregor's early exit.

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