Badlands

Name: Badlands
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: October 15, 1973
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 93
Cast: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek

1973

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Universal acclaim based on 19 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 159 Ratings

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8.4

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8.4	User Score Universal acclaim based on 159 Ratings

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Badlands

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. Pictures | Release Date: October 15, 1973 | PG

Starring: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek

Summary: Loosely based on the Starkweather-Fugate killing spree of 1958, Terrence Malick's debut features follows outlaws Kit and Holly from Fort Dupre, South Dakota to the badlands of Montana.

Director: Terrence Malick

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: PG

Runtime: 94 min

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Critic Reviews

100

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

An unmissable, transcendentally beautiful classic. [28 Aug. 1998] Read full review

100

Jay Carr

Badlands is one of the great banality-of-evil films. [29 May 1998, p.C9]

100

Tina Hassannia

Where it’s not refined in form, Badlands is so by virtue of the specificity of its material (the then-topical sensationalism of teenage sociopaths and their glamorization in popular culture), a fact that has been buried by the dense literature published on Malick. Yet the film never once feels like the faded photos Holly examines under her father’s stereopticon. Read full review

100

Empire Rob Fraser

Achingly evocative of a time when Hollywood had the courage to invest in complex and morally ambiguous films and an indisputable masterpiece of American cinema. [26 May 2003] Read full review

100

Mike D'Angelo

Critics don’t tend to talk about this much—it’s tantamount to a confession that we don’t always know what we’re doing—but it’s often the case that the most powerful, haunting aspects of a movie are those that we don’t fully understand. Read full review

100

Wally Hammond

Badlands is as psychologically precise as it is splendidly visually observant. But it also exudes a timeless, mythical and tragic quality which is all the more remarkable for the languorous ease with which its story unfolds. Read full review

Pauline Kael

There's a basic flaw in Malick's method: he has perceived the movie--he's done our work instead of his. In place of people and action, with metaphor rising out of the story, he gives us a surface that is all conscious metaphor. Badlands is so preconceived that there's nothing left to respond to. [18 March 1974, p.135] Read full review

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User Reviews

Izet

Jul 8, 2020

One of the greatest, most visual poetic, abstract and one of the most realistic movies of the 1970s, Badlands is one of the greatest debuts of all time. With some of the most unpredictable, savage and sympathetic antiheroes in cinema, brought to vivid life thanks to the complex andOne of the greatest, most visual poetic, abstract and one of the most realistic movies of the 1970s, Badlands is one of the greatest debuts of all time. With some of the most unpredictable, savage and sympathetic antiheroes in cinema, brought to vivid life thanks to the complex and marvellous performance from Hollywood icons Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, along with the expertly written, insightful, darkly comedic, vivid, arresting script and excellent, off-beat, and genre-defining directing by Terrence Malick, along with the beautiful cinematography, capturing the visual beauty through it’s gruelling and brutal imagery, along with its fantastic and smooth editing, this movie stands as a true work of visual and narrative art.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

pkgadersons

Nov 10, 2013

Great movie, with amazing performances

7 of 8 users found this helpful71

CalibMcBolts

May 30, 2016

1974's Badlands will go down in the history books as one of the best first feature films by a director, alongside Citizen Kane, Reservoir Dogs, District 9, Dances with Wolves, The Maltese Falcon, etc, etc. This movie is made with such precision and confidence, it's impeccable
One word1974's Badlands will go down in the history books as one of the best first feature films by a director, alongside Citizen Kane, Reservoir Dogs, District 9, Dances with Wolves, The Maltese Falcon, etc, etc. This movie is made with such precision and confidence, it's impeccable
One word summarizes the whole movie. Simple. Simple characters, although messed up. Simple dialogue, Simple incidents. Kinda reminds me of Fargo. Also Kit is one of the most interesting characters ever, how he's portrayed by newcomer Martin Sheen, is brilliant. This movie put Sheen on the map, Apocalypse Now made him a star, although this performance is superior.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattBrady99

Feb 20, 2018

Terrance Malick made one of the most sweetest movies about serial killers I've ever seen. The fact this is his direct debut and how skillful directed is impressive. Best film debuts of all time.

While a slow drift with it's pacing, but what keeps us so invested is two great performers fromTerrance Malick made one of the most sweetest movies about serial killers I've ever seen. The fact this is his direct debut and how skillful directed is impressive. Best film debuts of all time.

While a slow drift with it's pacing, but what keeps us so invested is two great performers from Sheen and Spacek, and the breaking taking cinematography. Like a feeling of peace. Not the type of characters you usually follow in a movie about love and freedom; love is strange.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

amheretojudge

Jun 12, 2018

a complex intake on simplicity..

Badlands The feature never fails to surprise the viewers even at its vulnerable and mandatory stage and this is the strength of it where it shines utterly and flaunts with head held high. The makers being aware of the eerie and dark premise, keeps the tonea complex intake on simplicity..

Badlands The feature never fails to surprise the viewers even at its vulnerable and mandatory stage and this is the strength of it where it shines utterly and flaunts with head held high. The makers being aware of the eerie and dark premise, keeps the tone light and breezy which is shot with amazing camera work in here but is short on technical aspects like sound department, editing and art design. The writing is smart, convoluted and even inedible for some audience at various places, which can be off putting especially when the complexity isn't narrowed down to a definite answer. Terrence Malick; the writer-director, as always, never disappoints on terms on executing his anticipated vision on screen with his keen sense of knowledge and passion towards cinema itself. The performance objective is where the wheels get stuck for despite of brilliant effort, Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek aren't as convincing as the script demands. The chemistry and the energy among the lead characters should have been explored more to connect with the viewers and offer them appropriate gravitas to it. Badlands is a complex intake on simplicity towards the emotion "love" that is set in a backdrop of this thrilling and somewhat overlong run.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Jun 12, 2015

This film is classic Terrence Malick. Exquisitely shot with a great premise and execution of that premise, Badlands is a film that suffers because of its writing. The acting is fine with Martin Sheen being the stronger of the two and completely embodying his character. Sissy Spacek wasThis film is classic Terrence Malick. Exquisitely shot with a great premise and execution of that premise, Badlands is a film that suffers because of its writing. The acting is fine with Martin Sheen being the stronger of the two and completely embodying his character. Sissy Spacek was alright with moments of brilliance, but also moments where she struggled mightily. The costume design here is also quite good. However, back to the writing, the story is very good. It is well developed and interesting to watch unfold. Yet, the characters are terrible, as they act irrationally and nonsensically throughout the film. The dialogue is also horrendous and completely lacking any sense of reality. At no moment does this film feel authentic and that is due to the terrible dialogue and characters. While the story may be interesting, it suffers due to those two elements that really suck you out of the film. Badlands is probably Malick's strongest film that I have seen thus far, which is sad, because you can tell he is really brilliant, but he has no idea how to write a script.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

PatrykG

Jun 29, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Every character in this film is an idiot! Everyone who gets shot acts the same way like instead screaming in pain they're like "Meh, it's not that bad". The girl is retarded not only is she ok with her father getting murdered by Martin Sheen's character but everyone else...and she's sometimes like "Hmm I think my boyfriend may be a bit crazy" NO ****ING **IT YOU DUMB **NT!!! Then they send one thing out to get them first a few bounty hunters oops didn't work, then a chopper oh **it didn't work then one...ONE POLICE CAR THAT BARELY GOT MARTIN SHEEN!!! UGH THIS IS SO STUPID AND BORING!!! And then when he's talking to them all they're like "Huh this guy is cool" HE'S A MURDERER AND A PSYCHOPATH YOU DUMB MORONS!!! This movie is terrible...and don't give me that "Oh you just don't understand" BS...movie is boring and stupid...But then again what do I know...98% on RT and 90 on MC...… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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