Alpha

Name: Alpha
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller, Family
Released: August 17, 2018
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 63
Cast: Jens Hultén, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Kyle Glenn Thomas, Leonor Varela

2018

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 122 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 122 Ratings

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Alpha (Trailer 2)

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: August 17, 2018 | PG-13

Starring: Jens Hultén, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Kyle Glenn Thomas, Leonor Varela, Louis Lay, Marcin Kowalczyk, Mercedes de la Zerda, Michael Kruse-Dahl, Morgan Freeman, Natassia Malthe, Nestor de la Zerda, Patrick Flanagan, Priya Rajaratnam, Spencer Bogaert

Summary: Europe, 20,000 years ago. While on his first hunt with his tribe’s most elite group, a young man is injured and left for dead. Awakening to find himself broken and alone -- he must learn to survive and navigate the harsh and unforgiving wilderness. Reluctantly taming a lone wolf abandoned by its pack, the pair learn to rely on each otherEurope, 20,000 years ago. While on his first hunt with his tribe’s most elite group, a young man is injured and left for dead. Awakening to find himself broken and alone -- he must learn to survive and navigate the harsh and unforgiving wilderness. Reluctantly taming a lone wolf abandoned by its pack, the pair learn to rely on each other and become unlikely allies, enduring countless dangers and overwhelming odds in order to find their way home before the deadly winter arrives.… Expand

Director: Albert Hughes

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller, Family

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 96 min

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Awards & Rankings

80	#80 Most Shared Movie of 2018

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Wendy Ide

Aug 26, 2018

This Albert Hughes-directed adventure is visually stunning. Read full review

Brad Wheeler

Aug 16, 2018

There’s something delightfully clever in a narrative that is easily transferable to modern times. Speaking of which, seeing Alpha on as big and splashy a screen as possible is advisable, preferably with children who can handle occasional scenes of intense peril. Read full review

David Lewis

Aug 17, 2018

From time to time, there are the requisite cutesy boy-and-his-wolf moments, but for the most part, the film is harrowing, suspenseful and gritty — and a perfect vehicle for impressive 3-D effects that bring to life an exquisitely beautiful but unforgiving land. Read full review

Stephen Whitty

Aug 16, 2018

The movie...is a visual feast, one of the rare 3D films which was clearly designed with that extra dimension in mind. Read full review

Tom Russo

Aug 15, 2018

The stylishly crafted film mostly succeeds in its engaging (and tagline-ready) ambition to chronicle “how mankind discovered man’s best friend,” even if its naturalistic strengths are swapped out for an exaggeratedly epic tone in the later going. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Aug 23, 2018

It is a bit silly, but is likable hokum. Read full review

Jake Cole

Aug 15, 2018

It reduces the domestication of wolves to a series of simplistic interactions that don’t exactly convey the difficulties of a wild animal overcoming millennia of instinct. Read full review

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User Reviews

Ikereviews1

Aug 16, 2019

Alpha is probably one of the best movies ever made. This movie is a heartwarming about a relationship between a man and a wolf who depend each other to survive. The movie has many beautiful scenes and shots. It's sad this movie was overlooked in 2018 as it's a beautiful movie.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

mugen_is_here

Sep 18, 2018

A beautiful story where the protagonist isn't an alpha male. This is a beautiful, heartwarming story, filled with suspense. I kept wondering what's going to happen next and I loved how the hero is trying to survive WITHOUT being an "alpha male". It also shows that an alpha male isn't reallyA beautiful story where the protagonist isn't an alpha male. This is a beautiful, heartwarming story, filled with suspense. I kept wondering what's going to happen next and I loved how the hero is trying to survive WITHOUT being an "alpha male". It also shows that an alpha male isn't really the greatest of species like everyone makes them out to be.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Averycrosslin

Nov 2, 2019

Where should I begin? This movie was awesome. It's a very touching story between a boy and a dog trying to get home to the boy's tribe. They learn to accept each other throughout the journey. The visuals were so stunning that they were just pure jaw dropping! There is definitely a lot ofWhere should I begin? This movie was awesome. It's a very touching story between a boy and a dog trying to get home to the boy's tribe. They learn to accept each other throughout the journey. The visuals were so stunning that they were just pure jaw dropping! There is definitely a lot of talent involved in the movie. There is definitely a bit of action in it and for the most part it is very exciting. Alpha is a very gripping and touching movie. Although, I do wish the movie was about 30 minutes longer, it would have added on to the story and would have made it more complete. Other than that, it was a great movie! 9/10 or A-… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

CineAutoctono

Sep 1, 2019

"Alpha" was an entertaining film, where its history, special effects and performances were good, but photography is amazing and great, a film where the first relationship between man and animal has connected with the public and shows us a story of friendship and survival.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Aug 29, 2018

It is a bit strange to see a film with this kind of structure and cinematographic quality considering that in the end it's simply a story about domesticated wolves and therefore what would eventually become the domesticated dog. It seems like too much trouble for such a thin storyline.

KodiIt is a bit strange to see a film with this kind of structure and cinematographic quality considering that in the end it's simply a story about domesticated wolves and therefore what would eventually become the domesticated dog. It seems like too much trouble for such a thin storyline.

Kodi Smit-McPhee delivers a solid interpretation but as I said the story is not the strong element of this film because in the end it's just a story of survival spliced with the bond between a young man and an animal. The interesting thing is in the time in which the story takes place.

The cinematography is excellent although there are times when you notice the CGI and it's bad but most of its running time it looks pretty good.

I can say that I do recommend it, although I must emphasize that you should not expect something remarkable.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

InTrippyEntropy

Jun 19, 2019

7 months ago

If you like watching a timid semi heartthrob teenage boy learning to be a man in the wilderness, watch 2015's excellent "Slow West". In the 2018 film Alpha, the story is similar. But it is far less authentic and moving. KODI SMIT-MCPHEE plays Keda, a prehistoric Hunter going7 months ago

If you like watching a timid semi heartthrob teenage boy learning to be a man in the wilderness, watch 2015's excellent "Slow West". In the 2018 film Alpha, the story is similar. But it is far less authentic and moving. KODI SMIT-MCPHEE plays Keda, a prehistoric Hunter going for his first kill with his tribesmen. He gets lost and must learn to survive on his own. He meets an injured wolf and they hit it off and begin to help each other on the long grueling journey home. The best scenes are in the middle of the movie between the boy and the Wolf. It's the usual, you know, wolf is afraid of boy and vice versa, they slowly begin to trust each other, boy tries to chase the wolf away so that he can go back to his pack, Wolf refuses to leave, and follows at an adorable distance. Nothing new here, but entertaining and heartwarming. And teenage girls may enjoy looking at McPhee with his puppy dog appeal. Unfortunately, director Hughes doesn't get much in the way of acting from McPhee. Also, the CG backdrops and wolf expressions don't look very good. The rocks and cliffs look like they were formed out of concrete and painted. Somewhat enjoyable for adults, more so for tweens.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Aug 23, 2019

ça commence avec une chasse au bison... une chasse dont la méthode laisse perplexe : on se demande en effet si on se fout de nous et si oui, pourquoi aussi ouvertement ? puis ça continue et ça remet le couvert si j'ose dire... à croire que le fim entier est un dîner dont tous les spectateursça commence avec une chasse au bison... une chasse dont la méthode laisse perplexe : on se demande en effet si on se fout de nous et si oui, pourquoi aussi ouvertement ? puis ça continue et ça remet le couvert si j'ose dire... à croire que le fim entier est un dîner dont tous les spectateurs éventuels sont les invités ! mais d'ailleurs, le film n'est-il pas sorti un mercredi ?

Donc, le jeune con, fils du chef de la tribu, le jeune benêt qui n'ose pas égorger un cochon (pardon, un sanglier) -peut-être parce qu'il est végan ce petit con ?- le jeune devient un Rambo improvisé et futur gagnant de Koh Lanta, dans le même esprit que l'autre film qui nous prenait pour des jambons, The Revenant... je ne vais pas détailler tout ce qu'il fait, Superman, mais... non il ne vole pas ! Mais c'est tout juste parce que c'était trop "voyant", ils ont dit. Quand même.

Bref, malgré les beaux paysages (numériques) et les bestiaux souvent... agressifs (bah ouais quand même, y a 20 000 ans...) et numériques eux aussi mais à budget plus limité hélas, malgré son côté carte postale, Alpha prend un peu trop les gens pour des cons (quasiment tout le temps en fait) et ça, c'est rédhibitoire. On veut bien faire "meuh" ou "bêêh" mais avec un minimum de respect.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 29 REVIEWS

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