The Flintstones
Metascore
38 out of 100

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 15 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 15
  3. Negative: 5 out of 15
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  1. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Susan Wloszczyna
    38
    The transition from Hanna-Barbera animation to manic-barbaric live action falls flatter than a granite slab, from the first of many deadly stone-age wordplays - "Steven Spielrock Presents" - to the gross-out shots of dirty tootsies. [27 May 1994 Pg. 01.D]
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  2. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Anthony Lane
    20
    The cast looks sound enough—John Goodman as Fred Flintstone, Elizabeth Perkins as Wilma, Rick Moranis and Rosie O'Donnell as the Rubbles—but the script, cobbled together by a crowd of writers, gives them nothing but a handful of limp gags.
  3. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Desson Thomson
    10
    Leadenly directed and almost soberly scripted, it never captures the campy brightness of the original series -- the herky-jerky animation, the wacky sound effects, the distinctive character voices and that cheesy laugh track.
  4. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Staff(Not credited)
    10
    The "stone"-shtick gets mighty old after about 15 minutes. More than 30 screenwriters worked on the Flintstones script, and the result just proves the ancient saying about too many cooks.
  5. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    0
    Considering the 32 writers (including Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein, and Steven E. de Souza) who worked on this live-action adaptation of the 60s Hanna-Barbera cartoon series about a Stone Age family, one might have expected a few funny lines here and there, but this is mirthless (and worthless) from top to bottom.

User Reviews

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User Score
4.5 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 25 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. MovieLonely94
    9
    don't listen to the critics. I had a yabba yabba doo time watching this awesome compared movie to the animated TV series. the four actors who played the Flintstones and the Rubbles were great!… Full Review »
  2. 4EverGreen
    10
    You'll find it very hard to find a live-action movie rendition of an animated series that does a better job of capturing the feeling of the cartoon that this movie manages to contain! The set locations, props, special effects, and miscellaneous tools used within the movie all look like vintage stone age high tech, the plot is grade-A and is carried out magnificently by the actors and actresses picked to portray the Modern Stone Age Family. John Goodman is the heart of soul of all that Fred Flintstone is; Elizabeth Perkins is perfect as the red-haired hot wife Wilma who takes no nonsense no matter what Fred tries to tell her otherwise, Rick Moranis does a superb job of acting as the well-meaning, but often trouble-making neighbor that is Barney Rubble; Rosie O'Donnell is great as the warm and caring Betty Rubble who wants to be a loving mother to her adopted child; Elizabeth Taylor has rarely ever been better than in her last big-budget movie appearance ever, as Fred's insufferable Mother-In-Law, Pearl; Kyle Maclachlan plays the role of a scheming, greedy tycoon named Cliff Vandercave; while Halle Berry is the charming, seductive accomplice named Sharon Stone; Harvey Korman provides hilarious voice-work as the Dicta-bird who tries to provide advice to Fred Flintstone, Johnathan Winters has a surprising bit part as an out-of work Rock Quarry worker, and original cartoon series alums William Hanna, Jean Vanderpyl, and Joseph Barbera (sometimes omitted) even make cameo appearances! If you want to have a Yabba-Dabba-Doo time watching a big, live-action movie version of a cartoon series, than this is the movie to watch! Fun for children and adults of all ages! :D Enough said, true believers! ;)… Full Review »
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