movie reviews greyhound

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

81% Alien: Romulus Link to Alien: Romulus
100% Daughters Link to Daughters
78% Cuckoo Link to Cuckoo

New TV Tonight

100% Pachinko: Season 2
-- OceanXplorers: Season 1
89% Chimp Crazy: Season 1
-- Classified: Season 1
-- Reasonable Doubt: Season 2
-- The Anonymous: Season 1
-- Face to Face With Scott Peterson: Season 1

Where to Watch

Watch Greyhound with a subscription on Apple TV+.

What to Know

Greyhound 's characters aren't as robust as its action sequences, but this fast-paced World War II thriller benefits from its efficiently economical approach.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Aaron Schneider

Captain Krause

Stephen Graham

Charlie Cole

Elisabeth Shue

Josh Wiggins

More Like This

Related movie news.

Greyhound (2020)

User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

User Ratings
External Reviews
Metacritic Reviews
Full Cast and Crew
Release Dates
Official Sites
Company Credits
Filming & Production
Technical Specs
Plot Summary
Plot Keywords
Parents Guide

Did You Know?

Crazy Credits
Alternate Versions
Connections
Soundtracks

Photo & Video

Photo Gallery
Trailers and Videos

‘Greyhound’ on Apple TV Plus: Film Review

As a warship commander leading a convoy through a treacherous stretch of the North Atlantic, Tom Hanks anchors a World War II thriller that's less a drama than a tense and sturdy diary of the logistics of battle.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

Will The People Who Say They Love Cinema the Most Come Back to the Movies? 19 hours ago
‘The Deliverance’ Review: Lee Daniels Directs a Demonic-Possession Movie in Which the Real Demons Are Personal (and Flamboyant) 2 days ago
‘Alien: Romulus’ Review: The Primal Shock and Awe Is Gone, but It’s a Good Video-Game Horror Ride 4 days ago

Tom Hanks shows what a commanding actor he can be from the first taut combat sequence of “ Greyhound ,” when the title warship, leading a convoy through the North Atlantic in the early months of World War II, spies a U-boat speeding toward it from a dozen miles away. As the German sub approaches, we hear a lot of rapid-fire military and navigational jargon shooting back and forth between the sailors ( “Hydrophone effects slow rev, sounds like 60 RPM, sir!” ). The action builds, but what lends the scene emotion is the play of aggression and anxiety just beneath Hanks’ fixed grimace. He’s the ship’s captain, Commander Ernest Krause, a stalwart and decisive leader of men, but the primal fear of battle is etched onto his face.

As war films have grown more sophisticated in their realism, it’s not just the ricocheting din of bullet clatter or the dirt-flying dizziness of battle that can hit the audience with a you-are-there verisimilitude. So can the very form that a combat narrative takes. Rod Lurie’s “The Outpost” immerses us in the war in Afghanistan with an existential force rooted in its journalistic authenticity; there isn’t a fake arc in sight. And now, one week later, we have “Greyhound,” which isn’t a factual story — it’s based on the 1955 novel “The Good Shepherd,” by C.S Forester — yet it feels like one, because it’s a naval drama that confines itself to the moment-to-moment logistics of battle.

Popular on Variety

Though much of the action is set in the open air of the ship’s command perch, “Greyhound” often feels like a submarine thriller: tense, tight, boxed-in. A lot of the battleships-at-sea images are digital, and you can tell, yet even so the film does a scrupulous job of recreating actual war footage. The fetishistic military detail is, in many ways, more potent than the drama, since “Greyhound,” which was scripted by Hanks and produced by his company, Playtone (the director is Aaron Schneider), hews to a diary-like discipline in depicting the humdrum dailiness of war.

Most of the characterizations feel a little thin (because, frankly, they are). Yet that doesn’t mean they feel false. Actors like Stephen Graham, as the loyal navigator Cole, and Rob Morgan, as the quietly compassionate African-American messmate George Cleveland, make their presence felt. “Greyhound,” a battle drama that’s only 80 minutes long if you don’t count the credits, turns war itself into the main character. The picture takes us through an experience, with a quota of spectacle but no gratuitous “explosive” razzmatazz, and it’s grounded in Hanks’s finely etched but nearly minimalist performance.

Hanks’ Krause, known to his friends as Ernie, is the officer as gung-ho conservative gentleman. When we first see him, he’s saying his prayers and washing his face, and the film then cuts to a Christmas 1941 hotel-lobby rendezvous between Krause and his beloved, Evie ( Elisabeth Shue ), parting just as the war begins. The scene humanizes an officer who turns out to be a sternly religious man who lives every moment by a strictly observed code. He keeps a rigorous watch on his men (he considers it a breach of ethics if they so much as utter a curse word), he says grace over the most makeshift snack, and when he learns that the radar is down, even in the heat of a U-boat attack he doesn’t bark out a word of frustration. He says “Understood” and thanks the bringer of bad news.

When the mortars aren’t firing, the movie ebbs, flows, occasionally sags, and sometimes rivets. At one point a U.S. oil tanker comes out of nowhere, and as the two ships edge close enough that the Greyhound scrapes a gash into the side of the other ship, we realize it’s a Titanic situation, with our heroes as the iceberg. The Germans intercept the radio signal to send mocking messages (“Did you think you’d slipped away from this gray wolf? You and your comrades will die today” ). And on the final day, when the Greyhound crew have used up nearly all their depth charges and the air cover comes in seemingly in the nick of time, you feel a surge of relief and triumph. What was it like to fight in WWII? For those of us who’ll never know, that question has a thousand answers. “Greyhound” does a sturdy job of depicting one of them.

Reviewed online, June 29, 2020. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 92 MIN.

Production: An Apple Original Film release of a Sony, Stage 6 Films presentation, in association with Bron Creative, Zhengfu Pictures, Sycamore Picttires, FilmNation Entertainment, of a Playtone production. Producer: Gary Goetzman. Executive producers: Aaron Ryder, Steven Shareshian, Alison Cohen, Michael A. Jackman, Milan Popelka, David Coatsworth, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth, Richard McConnell, Anjay Nagpal, Han Sanping, Alex Zhang, Ben Nearn, Tom Rice.
Crew: Director: Aaron Schneider. Screenplay: Tom Hanks. Camera: Shelly Johnson. Editors: Sidney Wolinsky, Mark Czyzewski. Music: Blake Neely.
With: Tom Hanks, Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue, Rob Morgan, Josh Wiggins, Tom Brittney, William Pullen, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Karl Glusman, Chet Hanks, Jimi Stanton, Matthew Helm, Devin Druid.

More from Variety

Netflix top 10: ‘saving bikini bottom’ movie and ‘a good girl’s guide to murder’ continue to lead the charts, reality check: summer hot streak won’t dig u.s. box office out of deep hole in 2024, ed sheeran records original song for netflix’s richard curtis film ‘that christmas’ – global bulletin, netflix unveils 2024 ‘made in argentina’ lineup: beloved comic strip character mafalda gets series treatment, ricardo darín touts drama ‘the eternaut’, some olympics tv is in 4k, but viewers care little for the format: survey, ‘singles inferno’ renewed for fourth season as netflix expands unscripted korean slate, more from our brands, how ‘scandal’ and ‘watchmen’ prepared us for kamala harris’ candidacy, introducing, frédéric panaiotis – champagne’s renaissance man, nfl to meet again on private equity on aug. 27 in minneapolis, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, john aprea, another world and full house vet, dead at 83.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

For Parents
For Educators
Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

How to Prepare Your Kids for School After a Summer of Screen Time

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 11 Reviews
Kids Say 12 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Intense WWII combat in the Atlantic; brief language.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Taut, suspenseful wartime action on the ocean. A convoy of Allied ships faces of

One "damn," one "hell," one "f--k," for which the sailor apologizes.

Any Positive Content?

Captain Kraus is brave, dependable, intuitive, compassionate, honorable. Despite

Subtle messages about devastation caused by war. Unassuming but courageous, reso

Violence & Scariness

Taut, suspenseful wartime action on the ocean. A convoy of Allied ships faces off against a "wolf pack" of Nazi submarines in extended battle: torpedo fire, machine gun fire, depth charges, cannons, artillery. Ships and submarines are hit, catch fire, explode. One bloody, wounded sailor is briefly on camera; very few close-ups of the injured and dead. A sad scene takes place as three crew members are buried at sea.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Role Models

Captain Kraus is brave, dependable, intuitive, compassionate, honorable. Despite private misgivings, he perseveres. A respected and respectful leader, he demands excellence, is appreciative when he gets it.

Positive Messages

Subtle messages about devastation caused by war. Unassuming but courageous, resourceful individual can be a quiet hero when called upon. Spotlights without comment the fact that in wartime, it's the very young who are called upon to fight. Values promoted include courage, teamwork, integrity, compassion, loyalty.

Parents need to know that Greyhound is a World War II drama starring Tom Hanks . It tells the story of a days-long battle between Nazi submarines and a convoy of Allied ships carrying essential arms and supplies across the Atlantic Ocean to England. The action is fierce and frequent, and suspense is high. Torpedoes, machine gun fire, and artillery hit their marks. Ships and U-boats catch fire and explode. The filmmakers have opted to register the loss of life on the faces of the mostly very young men who watch in fear and horror from a distance, rather than via those being injured and killed. One wounded sailor is shown, and three flag-draped bodies are buried at sea. Language includes one use each of "hell," "damn," and "f--k" (after which the speaker immediately apologizes). The film makes a strong statement about the tragedy of war, as well as about integrity, teamwork, compassion, and grace under fire. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (11)
Kids say (12)

Based on 11 parent reviews

Fast paced from start to end. One of the best WW 2 movies I’ve seen

Great war movie with limited visible bloodshed, what's the story.

GREYHOUND (the name of the film's ship) is told from the viewpoint of Captain Krause ( Tom Hanks , who also wrote the screen adaptation). In his first assignment in charge, Krause is the captain of this U.S. Navy Destroyer, in service as escort to a large convoy of Allied ships carrying supplies and armaments across the Atlantic in early 1942. Based upon C.S. Forster's novel The Good Shepherd , the movie is a fictionalized account of one event in the Battle of the Atlantic, a conflict that began in 1940 and continued through 1943, the longest ongoing battle of WWII. In an area of the Atlantic called "The Black Pit," the convoy is out of range of friendly air cover and must face off with a Nazi "wolf pack," a fleet of deadly Nazi submarines that patrol the area. In a matter of only a few days, the clashes are frequent and deadly. Aware of the great responsibility he carries, the captain lets his spiritual faith guide him and calls upon an enormous reserve of knowledge and skill to lead his crew on this dangerous mission.

Is It Any Good?

Suspense accelerates, the stakes get higher, and the explosions gets closer in this visually artful, wonderfully performed look into the hearts and souls of WWII's fighting Navy service members. Greyhound can be added to the expanding catalog of Tom Hanks' "everyman" movies in which someone who at first seems ordinary and unassuming is called upon to be indomitable and rises to the challenge. As in Captain Phillips , Sully , Charlie Wilson's War , Bridge of Spies , and more, Hanks brings quiet truth and emotion to his characters. Director Aaron Schneider and his team deliver a timeless story about the strain and poignance of war. There's no pause for backstories; characters develop in the moment. There's no place for artificial conflict among team members; everyone works together. Other than the cryptic scenes in which Krause's significant other is introduced and quickly dispensed with and the arch radio transmissions from a Nazi tormenter, the movie rings true.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence shown in Greyhound . How much actual human death is shown during the battle sequences? Why do you think the filmmakers chose to focus on those witnessing the tragic events rather than those being killed and wounded? Was their concept effective? Why or why not? Did you feel the horrors of war as it unfolded?

Captain Krause was shown as a religious man. How did that aspect of his life help define his character? What valuable character strengths does the captain rely upon to lead his crew? Pick one of those traits and show why it was important.

Were you surprised by the ages of most of the Navy service members on the Greyhound ? Did it feel realistic? Many other war movies show the combatants as fully grown adults. How does the portrayal of the very young make the misery of war even more poignant?

Movie Details

On DVD or streaming : July 10, 2020
Cast : Tom Hanks , Stephen Graham
Director : Aaron Schneider
Studio : Apple TV+
Genre : Action/Adventure
Topics : Adventures , History
Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Integrity , Teamwork
Run time : 92 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : war-related action/violence and brief strong language
Last updated : February 18, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

Crimson Tide

Saving Private Ryan

Captain Phillips

Best History Documentaries

World war ii books for kids, related topics.

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Search Please fill out this field.
Newsletters
Sweepstakes
Movie Reviews

Tom Hanks is the captain now in tense WWII naval drama Greyhound : Review

In this crazy mixed-up world, there are still at least some things we can be sure of: death, taxes, and the sturdy, twinkling durability of Tom Hanks . COVID-19 couldn’t take him ; even shuttered multiplexes are apparently no match for America's First Mate.

Take Greyhound , the kind of prestige drama that in any other year you’d never expect to see first on a platform like Apple TV+: A terse, breathless thriller inspired by one of WWII’s most legendary showdowns, starring Hanks — who also adapted the script from C.S. Forester’s 1955 novel The Good Shepherd — as the Navy captain whose steely resolve is the only thing standing between hell and high water.

Could there be a more fitting choice to play the man whose near-impossible job it was to carry an Allied convoy safely across the North Atlantic, with a fleet of German U-boats in hot pursuit? That his (fictionalized) name is Ernest hardly seems like a coincidence; he’s decent to the core, a man who loves his girl ( Elisabeth Shue in a brief, soft-focus cameo), his God, and his country with a steadfastness that borders on saintliness.

If certain elements of Tom the Hero feel familiar by now — the furrowed brow, the quiet strength — director Aaron Schneider ( Get Low ) takes care to strip down nearly everything around him. The vast majority of the story takes place onboard the USS Keeling (call sign Greyhound), with all the claustrophobia and vastness that implies: cramped, panicky quarters; grey and roiling seas.

There’s a lot of brusque nautical talk, sudden force, and only a little sentiment. Even its most rattling moments of violence tend to happen at some remove — secondary to the grim, methodical work of radar tracking and scrawled-out coordinates. (Rarely has the swooping arc of a protractor on paper signaled the line between life and death for so many.)

For a certain subset of dads — drunk on Dunkirk , still high on 1917 — Greyhound will no doubt be catnip, Hanks himself after all being Dad über alles. Even more explicitly than those recent films, the movie comes bathed in Greatest Generation sheen, nearly every frame radiating a sort of eagle's-eye nobility undimmed by scheming Krauts.

Like them too, though, it largely forsakes backstory and deeper characterizations for the sweeping theater of war. The sailors surrounding Ernest, save his right-hand man Charlie ( Boardwalk Empire 's Stephen Graham ), are mostly young and terrified, and vaguely interchangeable. At a brisk 80 minutes there's hardly time to allow much more for anyone, even the great Rob Morgan ( Just Mercy , Stranger Things ) whose loyal mess-hall steward never quite gets the chance to transcend his heavy symbolism.

Instead, the movie maps its course by Hanks' steady hand: A ship moving swiftly and with sure purpose — compelled by death and danger, but safe in the certainty of history. B+

Greyhound arrives on Apple TV+ July 10.

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘greyhound’: film review.

Tom Hanks wrote and stars in the World War II nautical action drama 'Greyhound,' about an Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic under attack from Nazi U-boats, streaming on Apple TV+.

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

Share on Facebook
Share to Flipboard
Send an Email
Show additional share options
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest
Share on Reddit
Share on Tumblr
Share on Whats App
Print the Article
Post a Comment

As a producer, actor, writer and director, Tom Hanks has shown deep admiration for the courage of World War II Armed Forces, in work encompassing Saving Private Ryan , TV projects Band of Brothers , The Pacific and the upcoming Masters of the Air , as well as the documentaries He Has Seen War and Beyond All Boundaries . The theme of American valor and heroism also has been a thread through many of his roles. So it’s no surprise that Hanks was drawn to adapt and star in a screen version of C.S. Forester’s 1955 historical maritime novel, The Good Shepherd .

Roll your eyes about the return to familiar territory if you must, but Greyhound is a taut action thriller that exerts a sustained grip. Originally scheduled for theatrical release from Sony in June, the project is one of a handful of star vehicles sidelined by the COVID-19 shutdown that have bounced to Apple TV+ , where it should find an appreciative audience.

Release date: Jul 10, 2020

Director Aaron Schneider, like Hanks, is not new to WWII-related material, having won an Oscar for his 2003 short film Two Soldiers , a home-front drama adapted from William Faulkner’s story about Mississippi brothers whose patriotic spirit is stirred by the shock of Pearl Harbor. Schneider and Hanks have fashioned a robust, old-fashioned entertainment infused with sufficient integrity to counter its inevitable turn into sentimental nobility in the concluding act.

Hanks milks that familiar moment to a movie-ish excess slightly out of step with the economy of the rest of the film, accompanied by the requisite orchestral swell. But unimpeachable sincerity has long been a signature of the veteran actor’s career, and that quality prevents Greyhound from ever slipping into the vanity-project trap. This is one of Hanks’ more subdued recent performances, unlike his galvanizing work in, say, Captain Phillips or The Post . But playing Captain Ernest Krause, he embodies the selfless, clenched-jaw purposefulness of the Greatest Generation with persuasive conviction and moving humility.

Tom Hanks Urges People to Wear Masks, Questions U.S. Leadership Amid COVID-19 Spikes

One hairy moment involves a near collision with a merchant ship from the convoy. Another intense sequence results when the sonar picks up a German decoy designed to eat up the U.S. boat’s limited supply of depth charges and monopolize the Americans’ attention while the German fleet targets another ship. Terrific underwater footage follows the accelerated path of torpedoes and bomb drops. A heavy exchange of deck gunfire results in casualties (the terror of bullets slicing through the air is rendered with vivid force in the expert sound design), and Krause insists on a full-company funeral service at sea in dress uniforms.

The sense of navigating infested waters in near blindness is periodically underlined by communications between the Greyhound and the other Allied Forces boats, with each break in radio silence at risk of being picked up by the Germans. While it’s doubtless true to military history, the one element that comes off a little hammy is the psychological-warfare transmissions of a German submarine commander identified as Grey Wolf (voiced by Thomas Kretschmann), gloating over the death count and snarling taunts like “The Grey Wolf is so very hungry,” or “The sea favors the Grey Wolf on the hunt, not the Hound on the run.”

By contrast, the use of Blake Neely’s ominous score shows admirable restraint for the most part, its subtle strains blending with the ping of sonar equipment and using drumming to inject urgency as the situation grows more perilous.

To Hanks’ credit, his screenplay mostly downplays the heroics while fully acknowledging the bravery and sacrifice of the men who fought in the Battle of the Atlantic, a WWII campaign relatively underrepresented in movies. (The Oscar-nominated 1981 feature that put director Wolfgang Petersen on the map, Das Boot , viewed the conflict from the German side.) With thorough verisimilitude, Greyhound depicts just one crossing among countless over a six-year period in which 3,500 ships carrying millions of tons of cargo were sunk and 72,200 souls were lost.

The film closes with archival footage of real convoy ships and troops over the end credits, summoning a dignified patriotism that should play well to domestic audiences presently starved for moral uplift.

Production companies: Playtone, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Stage 6 Films, in association with Bron Creative, Zhengfu Pictures, Sycamore Pictures, FilmNation Entertainment Distributor: Apple TV+ Cast: Tom Hanks, Elisabeth Shue, Stephen Graham, Rob Morgan, Josh Wiggins, Tom Brittney, William Pullen, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Karl Glusman, Chet Hanks, Jimi Stanton, Matthew Helm, Devin Druid Director: Aaron Schneider Screenplay: Tom Hanks, based on the novel The Good Shepherd , by C.S. Forester Producer: Gary Goetzman Executive producers: Aaron Ryder, Steven Shareshian, Alison Cohen, Michael A. Jackman, Milan Popelka, David Coatsworth, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth, Richard McConnell, Anjay Nagpal, Han Sanping, Alex Zhang, Ben Nearn, Tom Rice Director of photography: Shelly Johnson Production designer: David Crank Costume designer: Julie Weiss Music: Blake Neely Editors: Sidney Wolinsky, Mark Czyzewski Visual effects supervisor: Nathan McGuinness Visual effects producer: Mike Chambers Casting: Francine Maisler

Rated PG-13, 92 minutes

THR Newsletters

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Alain delon, seductive star of european cinema, dies at 88, halle berry has one response to ‘catwoman’ critics who say 2004 movie “sucked balls”, jamie lee curtis is “grateful” for lindsay lohan as ‘freakier friday’ filming nears end: “my ultimate movie daughter”, ‘alien: romulus’ winning busy box office weekend with $40m-$42m opening, locarno film festival top prize goes to lithuanian drama ‘toxic,’ the feature debut of saule bliuvaite, sarajevo film festival: doc lineup explores taboo subjects, both political and emotional.

Review: 'Greyhound' unleashes ferocious WWII sea battle and an earnest Tom Hanks

Leave it to Tom Hanks , last seen onscreen donning Mister Rogers ’ red sweater, to take on Nazi submarines while wearing slippers.

Hanks follows up his Oscar-nominated role in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” with a couple of intense days in the Atlantic Ocean in the solid World War II sea thriller “Greyhound” (★★★ out of four; rated PG-13; streaming Friday on Apple TV+). Clocking in at a crisp and efficient 90 minutes, director Aaron Schneider’s wartime drama stars Hanks as a Navy man thrust into his first command of a destroyer and having to deal with a pesky wolfpack of German U-boats.

Similar to his leader-of-men role in "Saving Private Ryan," Hanks imbues a winning earnestness into Commander Ernie Krause in “Greyhound,” which the actor adapted himself from C.S. Forester’s 1955 novel “The Good Shepherd.” Hanks also deftly captures the physical and psychological rigors of intense sea combat, as well as the crippling insecurity that envelops Krause when he second-guesses his own actions.

Coronavirus spike: Tom Hanks, Jennifer Aniston, Lady Gaga, more urge people to wear masks amid pandemic

Ranked: The 10 best movies of 2020 (so far)

In February 1942, just two months after Pearl Harbor and America’s entry into the war, Krause sets sail on the USS Keeling (call sign: “Greyhound”), thinking of his girlfriend (Elisabeth Shue) back home and leading a large convoy of 37 ships hauling Allied troops and supplies to Liverpool. They have to cross the “Black Pit,” a dangerous stretch of the Atlantic out of aircraft range, and over the course of 48 nerve-wracking hours, Krause and his men play cat-and-mouse with crafty U-boat crews – and make hard decisions about which individuals to save or ships to defend – before they can get sufficient air cover.

The water-bound skirmishes are ferocious, as the U-boats – decked out with skull and wolf insignias – stalk their Allied prey, torpedoes whiz through the waves, and the Keeling has to avoid getting blown sky-high while also looking out for fellow convoy vessels.

Adding to the palpable tension is the frantic movement aboard the Keeling, with men running about, uneaten food dishes crashing to the floor and the captain of the “Gray Wolf” German sub trash-talking the Americans and actually howling over the radio. (True, it’s a little over-the-top but it sort of works.)

A fictionalized chapter inspired by the actual Battle of the Atlantic, “Greyhound” certainly has seafaring razzle-dazzle but could have benefited from the same focus on its characters. Much centers on Krause, a religious, thoughtful man who comes across rather easily by sticking Hanks in naval gear, but more is needed from Shue’s character and especially Rob Morgan’s mess mate George Cleveland. When not engaged with the enemy, Cleveland brings food to and generally looks out for Krause, wanting to make sure the captain is eating enough (he isn't). There’s seemingly an unspoken bond between the two reserved men that’s sadly not explored.

The movie is successful at finding little details that make it feel lived-in and authentic. There’s the sailor who repeats information from the sonar operator to Krause and sneezes, causing everyone to give him side-eye. Or the way an exhausted Krause takes off his dress shoes and bleeds wherever he steps because of literally being on his feet for days.

Many of those moments add emotional punch to the visceral story, in which Hanks won’t steer you wrong: “Greyhound” satisfies as both a snazzy war picture and a showcase for its star.

Review: An immortal Charlize Theron walks tall and carries a sweet ax in Netflix's run-of-the-mill 'The Old Guard'

Mandatory masks and empty seats: Here's what to expect when movie theaters reopen

Greyhound Review

12 Jun 2020

Tom Hanks has made a career out of playing an ordinary, decent man placed in a situation of extraordinary duress, be it in space ( Apollo 13 ), Normandy ( Saving Private Ryan ), Somalian waters ( Captain Phillips ) or Al’s Toy Barn ( Toy Story 2 ). This time round he is WWII US Naval commander Ernest Krause, leading a 37-ship convoy of ships ferrying troops and supplies across an area in the mid-Atlantic dubbed the Black Pit because it went beyond the range of air cover. Adapted from C.S. Forrester’s novel The Good Shepherd with Hanks himself on screenwriting duties, Greyhound sits firmly in the wheelhouse of his previous WWII missions as a producer ( Band Of Brothers and The Pacific ) in its sincerity and respect for the subject matter. But between decent set-pieces and fascinating insights into naval tactics and minutiae, it lacks the characterisation or depth to make it truly memorable.

After an-on-the nose prologue and a flashback to Krause sharing Christmas presents with girlfriend Evie (Elisabeth Shue) — she gets a dopey Christmas decoration, he gets monogrammed slippers — the film throws us into the heat of the battle with Krause and his crew immediately fending off an attack from a German U- boat. Not spoon-feeding the audience, Hanks’ script admirably throws a lot of naval jargon at you and hopes you’ll stay afloat. This sustained action sequence sets the template for the action to follow — close-ups of Hanks looking out of a window; a tumultuous CGI sea; lots of scurrying around in confined spaces; and a percussive insistent score which includes a whiny musical motif every time a German sub appears — but it feels fresh to have the cat-and-mouse antics of a ship vs. sub chess game played out above water for a change. And don’t worry, Greyhound does have the Ping! Ping! Ping! sounds due any WWII movie set on the high seas.

The film is peppered with telling titbits of WWII detail.

The subsequent action plays out over the next 24 hours as Krause and co have to escort the convoy to Liverpool. Rather than overblown heroics, the focus here is on the day-to-day realities faced by these men. So we get faulty equipment (windscreen wipers, sonar), a fuel and depth-charge shortage, an oil tanker about to blow and a near-collision with a U-Boat. You can see the effect Hanks and director Aaron Schneider , whose last directorial effort was 2009s Get Low , are going for — an immersive, no context tour-of-duty onboard a besieged warship — but it doesn’t have that filmmaking excitement of, say, Das Boot . You rarely feel Hanks and co are actually at sea and the film lacks the tactile texture to make the interior of the ship a character in itself.

Still, there are telling top shots of the US vs. Germany battle that graphically bring the combat to life — at one point the camera heads dramatically from the battle to sweep up into the sky to see the Northern lights. The film is peppered with telling titbits of WWII detail; the Germans use a decoy device called a pillenwerfer to mess with the onboard US sonar; the slick of oil that reveals they hit their sub-aqua target; the Germans taunting the Americans by hacking into the comms system (“The grey wolf is so very hungry”). There is also a hint here of the different kind of War film Greyhound might have been: as Krause presides over a burial at sea, there is a distinctly human moment when the body refuses to slide gracefully into the ocean.

Indeed, it is humanity that is missing here. Characters are introduced but disappear. Hanks is surrounded by a clutch of young American actors playing various Ensigns and Boatswains, but none of them register in any meaningful way. Stephen Graham as Kraus’ right-hand man similarly has little to do except draw straight lines with a ruler, but scores in a debate about whether a distress signal will reveal their frailties to the Germans. But the biggest problem is Krause himself. If Krause has inner conflicts about his decisions, neither Hanks the writer or actor articulates them in any meaningful way. Hanks is always watchable, but Krause remains impenetrable. if the characters had been given a little more time to breathe and interact, Greyhound might have earned a 21-gun salute.

Movies | 10 07 2020

Movies | 06 07 2020

Movies | 23 06 2020

Movies | 11 06 2020

Movies | 19 05 2020

Movies | 15 04 2020

Movies | 31 03 2020

Movies | 05 03 2020

Greyhound Review

Captain philler..

Every TV Show Coming to Apple

Greyhound has occasional bursts of violent excitement but it's overall lack of engaging characters, the unappetizing CG, and the lackluster story make for a very color-by-numbers outing from a headlining star capable of a whole lot more.

Where to Watch

Tom Hanks' Greyhound Review

More Reviews by Matt Fowler

Become a Critical Movie Critic
Movie Review Archives

Movie Review: Greyhound (2020)

Dan Gunderman
Movie Reviews
--> July 24, 2020

Bona fide Hollywood A-lister, Tom Hanks (“ A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood ”), strikes again in Greyhound , a World War II-set drama that drops viewers into the exceedingly cold, choppy waters of the Atlantic in the winter of 1942, as Allied forces attempt to deliver troops and supplies to the European Theatre. Director Aaron Schneider, who makes a return to the big screen after an 11-year hiatus (“Get Low”), brings palpable energy to the frigid compartments of the “Greyhound” — an Allied codename for the USS Keeling, the lead escort/flagship of a convoy consisting of 37 Europe-bound ships.

Schneider and cinematographer Shelly Johnson (“ Captain America: The First Avenger ”) succeed mightily at the film’s tense, battle scenes — with cryptic echoes on Allied radios from Grey Wolf, the lead German U-boat in a larger “wolfpack” trailing the convoy. Schneider crafts a chilling, realistic tone aboard the ship while giving Hanks’ Commander Ernest Krause free reign over the bridge as the massive vessel maneuvers left, then right, to avoid German torpedoes. Each scene — complemented by an equally thrilling (and eerie) score from Blake Neely — plays nicely into the next; it’s a sequence that neatly captures the fear of the unknown for both troops and cargo shipmen while traveling across the Mid-Atlantic Gap (known as “The Black Pit”), an ocean area lying beyond reach of air support.

Greyhound also benefits from Hanks’ role as scribe (his first screenwriting credit since 2011’s “ Larry Crowne ”) and his eye for historical detail. And while his character, Krause, is impeccably portrayed, he is still fairly two-dimensional; this is also the case with Hanks’ supporting cast of young soldiers. Nevertheless, period film vet Stephen Graham (“ The Irishman ”) makes a strong impression as the ship’s second in command, Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Cole.

To more effectively describe the film’s plot, one must understand the challenging position of some Allies in the early stages of the war — with American and Canadian vessels left navigating U-boat-laden seas in order to support their European counterparts. It was left to strong, capable commanders to escort large convoys once the metallic roar of Allied airplane engines could no longer be heard. In this case, Krause has just taken command of the Keeling and is set for his first “crossing.” It aims to be one fraught with death and disaster, but will Krause’s maritime expertise allow nearly 40 vessels to travel safely to the U.K.?

In order to do so, Greyhound, and support ships Harry (HMS James, Britain), Eagle (ORP Viktor, Poland) and Dickie (HMCS Dodge, Canada), will have to fend off a “wolfpack” creeping ever closer to the defenseless cargo vessels. Led by the nervous, but highly capable, Krause, the convoy uses surface radar and sonar to identify approaching submarines — and then must swiftly form defensive positions around the convoy as the subs fire rounds of fast-moving torpedoes. Krause begins to form close bonds with his men, including Lt. Cmdr. Cole (Graham) and ultimately becomes engaged in a firefight with a German sub, alongside Dickie, in a riveting scene that is perhaps the film’s most memorable. Ultimately, the men count the seconds until air support can continue, even as they desperately spray solution on the ship’s windows to rid the destroyer of crippling webs of ice.

Hanks, whose source material comes from C.S. Forester’s novel “The Good Shepherd,” downplays noticeable character development in favor of these thrilling ocean chases and evasive maneuvers. The decision is still mostly a good one — the end result being an edge-of-your-seat, testosterone-heavy war flick that remains entertaining even though viewers can comfortably guess the plotline.

One narrative and visual component that feels wholly unique and lends something to the World War II film canon is the technical precision, visual effects and ultimate delivery of the night scenes. Hanks’ script carefully carries viewers to the convoy’s nighttime vulnerability, and then Schneider and team pack a hard punch with the oncoming U-boat “wolfpack.” Hanks, who shines in his command, then steals the screen as he shouts orders from the bridge and deck. Hanks, Schneider, Neely and the film’s editors, Mark Czyzewski and Sidney Wolinsky, whose touches on the cuts and weaponry truly stand out, put in a group effort that fires on all cylinders. All this is to say that the production values are nearly faultless, in a film that would have wowed theater audiences if not for the global pandemic. Top of the honors, however, go to the cinematographer, Johnson, and Neely’s spectral tunes.

Overall, Greyhound is a gripping war drama that does a nice job illustrating the Battle of the Atlantic (and just one encounter with Germany’s strong wartime Kriegsmarine [“Navy”]). Hanks’ turn as Krause proves his agility and ultimate worth to war/period films. And his script — while not perfect — is worthy complement to Schneider’s direction and other production values. For avid history buffs and fans of submarine warfare, this one could crack your Top 10.

Tagged: Navy , novel adaptation , ship , submarine , WWII

Dan is an author, film critic and media professional. He is a former staff writer for the N.Y. Daily News, where he served as a film/TV reviewer with a "Top Critic" designation on Rotten Tomatoes. His debut historical fiction novel, "Synod," was published by an independent press in Jan. 2018, receiving praise among indie book reviewers. His research interests include English, military and political history.

Movie Review: Six Minutes to Midnight (2020) Movie Review: Apocalypse ‘45 (2020) Movie Review: Robert the Bruce (2019) Movie Review: 1917 (2019) Movie Review: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) Movie Review: Ad Astra (2019) Movie Review: Downton Abbey (2019)

| Log in

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission.

Greyhound Proves That Tom Hanks Loves Ships More Than Anyone Else Loves Ships

Well, somebody’s been brushing up on their naval jargon. Tom Hanks actually wrote the screenplay for the WWII maritime thriller Greyhound , adapting it from C.S. Forester’s 1955 novel The Good Shepherd , and the film is so packed with commands repeated and nautical terms and naval minutiae that you’d be forgiven for thinking it had been penned by a retired admiral. This is, by and large, a good thing: Greyhound (which hits Apple TV+ this week) won’t blow any holes in the solemn ship of state that is modern cinema — it’s a sweet, swift 91 minutes long, and only about 80 if you skip the credits — but it’s a surprisingly immersive affair, and the authenticity writer-star Hanks and director Aaron Schneider bring to it is a huge part of its appeal. (Let’s give plenty of credit to Forester, too: I haven’t read the novel, but since he also wrote the Captain Horatio Hornblower series, it’s fair to assume he knew his stuff.)

The film takes place in 1942, during the Battle of the Atlantic, not long after the U.S.’s entry into the war, and follows the lead destroyer (call sign: “Greyhound”) in a quartet of warships escorting a 37-vessel convoy headed to Liverpool, England. Fighter planes and their flight ranges at the time being what they are, the ships only have air support at the beginning of the trip and at the end; the vast stretch of ocean they cross in between is known as “the Black Pit,” and it’s filled with German U-boats intent on sinking them (and, occasionally, taunting them). Hanks’s Captain Krause has just been given his first solo assignment in charge of a warship, so this is all new to him — but of course, he mustn’t show his doubt or fear.

In that sense, the machinery of command, with its bureaucracy and heavily regimented processes, becomes something of a lifeline for him. Krause has to be a cog in a wheel, even though he is the biggest cog there. We see how everything he says to his men is repeated by others, the orders moving down the line as if they were the word of God. We also see all the other stuff he has to deal with, from the fuel reporting paperwork to managing the ship’s depth charge stockpiles. The film clearly loves all that detail. Who has to leave a room when the captain is being given a report? When do you switch out your hat for a helmet? What determines whether a sonar works properly or not? We also get loving close-ups of the machines and knobs and other doodads that the sailors have to work with. (This is prime Dad material; Hanks even changes out of his boots and into slippers at one point.)

Such attention to detail can occasionally backfire, too — as the details can take over from the characters. We get a lot of Krause, but we don’t get much of a sense of the rest of the crew, aside maybe from Stephen Graham as the second-in-command and Rob Morgan, doing a lot with very little, as the head chef. (Hanks’s rapper son Chet Hanks is apparently in this thing too, but I couldn’t make him out among the anonymous sea of youngish faces.) Meanwhile, a framing device and some occasional flashbacks involving Krause and the woman he loves (played by Elisabeth Shue) come off as particularly generic in light of the rest of the film’s authenticity. And the various transmissions that arrive via the ship’s radio have a weirdly cartoonish feel to them, as if they were rushed in post. The German sub goofily taunting the Americans, even mock-wailing at various points, I can buy, but we also hear some hilariously stiff-upper-lip British officers on the radio, and suddenly it feels like we’ve been yanked out of this otherwise fully realized world into an awkward role-playing game. But these are mostly minor issues.

Greyhound is at its best when we see how the otherwise efficient naval process bends, and the effects that individual choices have on it. Krause has to make lots of life-and-death decisions: whether to stick with the convoy or to pursue a sub that’s attacked them; whether to stop and gather the survivors of a ship that went down or rush to the aid of another besieged vessel. He also has to live with the consequences of those decisions, which sometimes conflict with his humanity (and, as the film makes clear, his Christianity). Looking over the oil slick left on the surface of the ocean from the first sub he destroys, Krause can’t help but notice that the black oil has a reddish hue to it, as if the sea has filled with blood. “Congratulations! 50 less Krauts,” an underling crows. “50 souls ,” Krause corrects him. And the Atlantic can get curiously crowded when a whole bunch of ships engage one another: At one point, Greyhound has a harrowingly close call with one of its own merchant ships; later, they have to steer to avoid getting hit by the gunfire of another battle happening not too far away from them. These all prompt their own decisions, and orders. (They also prompt some terrific sound design. If you have a decent system at home, crank Greyhound up and enjoy the way it rolls and rumbles your floors and walls.)

Krause is a good part for Hanks, not just because it’s another entry in his pantheon of Decent Men, but also because the film shows the limits of decency when it comes to combat: There isn’t always a right answer to the many dilemmas he is faced with — which is, ironically, why decency matters, because you have to be able to live with the consequences of your choices. Despite its slender run time and relatively spare narrative, Greyhound lingers in the mind thanks to Hanks’s presence. Come for the naval geekery, stay for the humanity.

*A version of this article appears in the July 20, 2020, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now!

More Movie Reviews

You Won’t Forget the Faces of Daughters
Alien: Romulus Gets the Job Done, But at What Cost?
Jackpot! Hates Its Audience Almost As Much As It Hates Its Characters
movie review
aaron schneider
world war 2
new york magazine

Editor’s Picks

Most Popular

What is your email.

This email will be used to sign into all New York sites. By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive email correspondence from us.

Sign In To Continue Reading

Create your free account.

Password must be at least 8 characters and contain:

Lower case letters (a-z)
Upper case letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Special Characters (!@#$%^&*)

As part of your account, you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York , which you can opt out of anytime.

an image, when javascript is unavailable

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

‘Greyhound’ Review: Tom Hanks Is Lost at Sea as a Navy Commander in Apple TV’s Rudderless WWII Movie

David ehrlich.

Share on Facebook
Share to Flipboard
Share on LinkedIn
Show more sharing options
Submit to Reddit
Post to Tumblr
Print This Page
Share on WhatsApp

At some point in his long and beloved career, Tom Hanks began to transition from America’s sweetheart to America’s serenity. He steeled a troop of soldiers on a veritable suicide mission in “Saving Private Ryan,” remained stoic as Somali pirates hijacked his container ship in “Captain Phillips,” and landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson without losing a single one of the 155 souls on board in “Sully.” It’s a screen image that has naturally spilled over into real life, as we saw earlier this year when Hanks’ became one of the first major celebrities diagnosed with COVID-19; his fame helped people recognize the reality of the virus, and his composure helped people steel themselves for its imminent arrival on our shores.

At the same time, much of Hanks’ enduring relevance can be attributed to the eagerness with which he’s complicated, subverted, parodied, and generally played with that persona. He can’t do anything about being an icon, but — like most of Hollywood’s brightest stars — it seems that he’d rather be remembered as a performer than figurehead.

So when Hanks identified C.S. Forester’s 1955 novel “The Good Shepherd” as prime source material for his next acting vehicle, it’s safe to assume that he was drawn to the role of Ernest Krause because the rattled and insecure WWII Navy Commander would allow him to interrogate the archetype he’s embodied over the second half of his career. What could be better than a submarine thriller to help someone explore their own depths? For the first time since “Larry Crowne,” Hanks even took it upon himself to write the screenplay, which makes it all the more baffling that “ Greyhound ” is as shallow as a swimming pool.

A terse and streamlined dad movie that’s shorter than a Sunday afternoon nap and just as exciting, “Greyhound” bobs across the screen like a nuanced character study that’s been entombed in a 2,000-ton iron casket and set adrift over the Atlantic. The film offers a handful of brief hints at the tortured hero who Forester invented for his book — an ambitious but self-doubting career sailor who feared that he was only promoted because of the war, and worried that he might be unfit to lead an armada of young men who all had more combat experience than he did — but the whole thing is far too preoccupied with staying afloat to profile the guy at the helm in any meaningful way. After 80 tense but monotonous minutes of watching Hanks play a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse with a fleet of German subs, it’s hard to say if Commander Krause has steered his Mahan-class Destroyer through a dark night of the soul, or if he’s simply managed to stomach a bad case of seasickness.

Directed by Aaron Schneider (whose return to the big screen ends the 11-year drought that followed 2009’s “Get Low”), “Greyhound” plunges us into the Battle of the Atlantic as Krause tries to lead a supply convoy through the “Black Pit” during the early days of America’s involvement in the War. It’s his first command — though it’s unclear if his officers can smell that on him — and Krause’s only reward for making his way through an invisible maze of U-boats will be a front-row seat at the European theatre. Best-case scenario: He makes it to England in one piece, where he’ll be stranded more than 6,000 miles away from the woman he loves (Elisabeth Shue, the only woman who appears on screen, buoying a pair of ultra-disposable bookend scenes that externalize Krause’s motivation and sink the movie from the start). Worst-case: The Nazis blow him up before he reaches British shores.

The vast majority of “Greyhound” is anchored to the USS Keeling (played by the USS Kidd in what quickly becomes the film’s most layered performance). The ship’s cramped interiors house a nervous crew of brave and only slightly interchangeable sailors, all of whom are at the mercy of Krause’s decisions. None of these kids are afforded real arcs of their own, but “Love” star Karl Glusman makes an impression as a capable sonar operator, and Stephen Graham tastefully relishes the chance to go full Brooklyn in the role of Krause’s right-hand man. These broad-stroke characterizations are easy enough to swallow in the midst of a death-defying mission that requires the absolute focus of everyone aboard the Keeling, from the gunners who scramble across the decks to the humble Black steward (Rob Morgan acing a squidgy part) who keeps the sandwiches coming to a hungry crew; his name is Cleveland, a detail that Krause forgets in one of the few moments that meaningfully humanizes them both.

Alas, these secondary characters are stuck in a rudderless film that wants to refract everything through their commander, but can’t find a way to get into his head. Schneider has no trouble selling us on the vulnerability of Krause’s fleet, as U-boats surface through through the waters like shark fins, and the German commanders taunt our heroes over the radio like they’re hunting them for sport; that sitting duck sensation of being watched results in a movie that has less in common with “Midway” than it does something like “The Grey.”

The enemy submarines and ocean vistas are brought to life by a more advanced version of the same technology responsible for “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow,” but the deathly colorlessness of the cold Atlantic seas helps disguise the computer-generated environment, even when the action gets intense enough to puncture a hole right through the hull of that illusion. If only the film had been less hesitant to mess around with its digital magic. When a torpedo careens right off the side of the Keeling at one point, the action beat stands out from the shapeless cacophony of screams and explosions that “Greyhound” substitutes in lieu of coherent naval warfare.

It’s the exception to the rule in a waterlogged film that fails to refract any of this empty spectacle through the one person whose experience might have made it feel seaworthy. Hanks isn’t bad, per se, but “Greyhound” has more trouble finding Commander Krause beneath his flop sweat than Commander Krause does the submarines that are lurking beneath his ship. He’s green and religious and trying to sail his way through modern history’s soggiest trial by fire, but few of these details crest into view during a movie that struggles to see what’s under the surface.

“Greyhound” will be available to stream on Apple TV+ starting on Friday, July 10.

Most Popular

Tom Hanks’ Greyhound Reviews Are In, See What Critics Are Saying

Tom Hanks has had a long and celebrated career in film, and is showing no signs of slowing down . The 63 year-old actor has tackled all types of genres during his time on camera, and he's heading to streaming with the Apple TV+ release of Greyhound . In addition to playing Commander Ernest Krause in the blockbuster, Hanks also wrote the war movie which was directed by Get Low filmmaker Aaron Schneider. Greyhound 's reviews are in, so here's what critics are saying about the movie, which was originally intended for a full theatrical release.

Greyhound didn't end up having its life in theaters , instead finding a home on Apple TV+. That means all of the new streaming service's will be treated to Tom Hanks' latest, which the actor/writer clearly invested in the movie's production. CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg gave Greyhound 2.5 stars out of 5, taking umbrage with the balance of action sequences and character development. In his words ,

Watching it, it very much feels like you’re being dropped on board the USS Keeling (which had the call sign "Greyhound") for a week during World War II, but sacrificed in the process are any attempts to create memorable characters and any notion of complex narrative. Cut into segments that highlight notable events during a specific set of hours each day during a mission, it amounts to being little more than a series of at-sea skirmishes cut together – and while they are individually pretty exciting, it doesn’t add up to much dramatically.

It looks like Greyhound has some thrilling moments, as Tom Hanks' Aaron Schneider and crew battles German U-Boats in WWII. But the characters are reportedly underserved throughout the movie's 91-minute runtime. In fact, this is a criticism that was shared by other critic who reviewed Greyhound . This sentiment was echoed by Collide r's Matt Goldberg, who rated Greyhound with a B, saying:

What’s surprising about Greyhound is how little interest it has in the individual stories of its crew. The movie has a begrudging prologue that takes place shortly after Pearl Harbor where Krause tells the woman he loves (Elisabeth Shue) that he’s going off to war, and that’s really the last we see of their relationship. It’s not that Greyhound devalues human life as much as it’s really about the whole crew and Hanks consciously avoiding making this a hero story even though he’s once again playing a captain trying to protect people. But whereas Captain Phillips was more about the conflict between individual characters, Greyhound is about combat between ships. For some, that may not be particularly interesting, but Schneider had my rapt attention going through the mechanics of these sailors trying to survive at sea.

One part that Greyhound seems to really be getting right is the many action sequences. Since the movie was intended for a theatrical release, I'd have to assume those moments would have been even more powerful on a big screen. Although according to Variety 's Owen Gleiberman spoke about the uneven nature of the movie's pacing. As he put it,

When the mortars aren’t firing, the movie ebbs, flows, occasionally sags, and sometimes rivets. At one point a U.S. oil tanker comes out of nowhere, and as the two ships edge close enough that the Greyhound scrapes a gash into the side of the other ship, we realize it’s a Titanic situation, with our heroes as the iceberg.

It looks like Greyhound has high points, but there are certainly some lows as well. Mainly the movie's characters, which don't seem to be especially developed with the exception of Tom Hanks' protagonist. USA Today's Brian Truitt criticized this same dynamic in Greyhound , with his review reading:

A fictionalized chapter inspired by the actual Battle of the Atlantic, Greyhound certainly has seafaring razzle-dazzle but could have benefited from the same focus on its characters. Much centers on Krause, a religious, thoughtful man who comes across rather easily by sticking Hanks in naval gear, but more is needed from Shue’s character and especially Rob Morgan’s mess mate George Cleveland. When not engaged with the enemy, Cleveland brings food to and generally looks out for Krause, wanting to make sure the captain is eating enough (he isn't). There’s seemingly an unspoken bond between the two reserved men that’s sadly not explored.

While the supporting cast is reportedly underutilized, Tom Hanks' performance has obviously been a high point of Greyhound 's critical performance thus far. Hanks has countless iconic roles, and got an Oscar nomination last season for his role in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood . Forbes ' Scott Mendelson praised the beloved actor's role as Ernest Krause, saying:

Hanks is terrific in a relatively internal performance as a humble (and openly religious) guy who essentially gets thrown into the deep end on his first day on the job. The film thrives on visual cues as to his emotional state (his refusal to eat, for example, signifying his having failed to earn a hot plate) since none of these men are prone to monologue or verbal introspection. Greyhound also works as a wartime procedural, a 'here’s how things would go down' demonstration. It’s aggressively unassuming, and that it’s not terribly memorable makes it no less compelling in the moment.

While the majority of Greyhound 's reviews praise the movie's boat action sequences for their thrilling nature, Empire 's Ian Freer didn't exactly agree. Mainly over issue with production design and the set of the ship itself. As they wrote in a 3/5 star review:

CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

You can see the effect Hanks and director Aaron Schneider, whose last directorial effort was 2009s Get Low, are going for — an immersive, no context tour-of-duty onboard a besieged warship — but it doesn’t have that filmmaking excitement of, say, Das Boot. You rarely feel Hanks and co are actually at sea and the film lacks the tactile texture to make the interior of the ship a character in itself.

It should be interesting to see how audiences respond to Greyhound , and if there's a discrepancy between audience reaction and the movie's reviews. This type of juxtaposition has been seen in countless movies before, and Tom Hanks has a beloved actor who moviegoers can instantly connect with. We'll just have to see how it performs once Greyhound is available for the masses.

Greyhound will be available on Apple TV+ July 10th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.

How Alien: Romulus Ending Answers Huge Questions About The Franchise, But Also Opens Doors For More Movies

Rachel Zegler Rocked Sweet Hair Ribbon And A Corset Dress, But It Was Her Snow White-Oriented Caption That Really Had Me Twitterpated

I Just Found Out Our Number 1 Movie Of The 2000s Is Getting An HBO Sequel Series, And I Could Not Be More Excited

Screen Rant

10 most underrated tom hanks movies.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Tom Hanks' Movie Career Was Forever Changed By This $206 Million Box Office Hit Over 30 Years Ago

The 10 movies that defined tom hanks' career, i'd love to see tom hanks in star trek, but i'm glad he's not in first contact.

Tom Hanks' underrated films showcase his diverse talent and captivate viewers with unique narratives and characters.
Joe Versus the Volcano , Road to Perdition , and The 'Burbs are prime examples of Hanks' ability in lesser-known projects.
These movies explore themes of personal transformation, morals, and resilience, highlighting Hanks' versatility and depth as an actor.

Tom Hanks is one of Hollywood's most beloved and accomplished actors, renowned for his blockbuster hits like Forrest Gump , Saving Private Ryan , and Toy Story . His talent for bringing depth and humanity to his characters has earned him a place in the hearts of audiences worldwide. However, despite his fame, some of the best scenes of Tom Hanks' entire career , have flown under the radar, overshadowed by his more iconic ones . These underrated films showcase his versatility and ability to captivate viewers, even in lesser-known projects.

Tom Hanks' underrated movies offer a glimpse into his talent. From dramas to comedies, these films highlight his skill at tackling diverse genres and complicated roles. Even if these films didn’t receive the same level of popularity as his more famous works, they deserve more credit for their uniqueness. By delving into these overlooked movies, we can see some of Tom Hanks' best movies and his contribution to cinema beyond the well-trodden paths of his career.

Film	Release Date
o	March 9, 1990
	July 12, 2002
	February 17, 1989
	June 18, 2004
	October 26, 2012
	February 21, 1992
	July 1, 2011
	December 22, 2000
	July 10, 2020
	December 25, 2020

Today, Tom Hanks is regarded as an actor capable of any role, and it was his dramatic performance in a 1993 movie that earned him this reputation.

10 Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)

A classical hanks comedy.

Joe vs. The Volcano (1990)

Joe vs. The Volcano is a romantic comedy directed by John Patrick Shanley, featuring Tom Hanks as Joe Banks, an unhappy office worker diagnosed with a terminal illness. Meg Ryan co-stars in multiple roles, as Joe embarks on a whimsical journey to a South Pacific island to fulfill a bizarre request from an eccentric millionaire. The film explores themes of existentialism and personal transformation through its quirky narrative.

Joe Versus the Volcano is an underrated gem in Tom Hanks' repertoire that deserves more recognition. Initially disliked by critics, this quirky comedy has gradually gained a cult following over time. The film presents a narrative that blends romance and adventure with a bit of existentialism. Tom Hanks stars as Joe Banks, an office worker diagnosed with a terminal illness. His trip to a tropical island to sacrifice himself to a volcano is filled with both funny and unexpected moments.

Hanks's character in Joe Versus the Volcano balances humor and heart. The film's offbeat charm and surreal storytelling set it apart from more conventional comedies of its time . The film's creative visuals and strange plot twists showcase Hanks's ability to handle different roles easily. Over the years, Joe Versus the Volcano has solidified its status as a classic, highlighting both Hanks's versatility and the film's bizarre appeal.

9 Road to Perdition (2002)

A tale of morals and family.

Road to Perdition

Not available

2002's Road to Perdition sees Tom Hanks step into the role of Michael Sullivan, a man raised by an Irish Mob boss who betrays him. Directed by Sam Mendes, Sullivan embarks on a journey to get vengeance on the man who wronged him.

Road to Perdition is an underrated Tom Hanks movie that deserves more of the public’s approval for its storytelling and performances . In this film, Hanks takes on the role of Michael Sullivan, a hitman seeking vengeance. Despite being overshadowed by other projects in Hanks' career, Road to Perdition stands out for its themes of morality and family.

Hanks considers Road to Perdition an important part of his career, and it's easy to see why. His portrayal of Sullivan is very layered, showing a man torn between his violent profession and his love for his family. The film features strong supporting acting from Paul Newman and Jude Law, adding dimension to the already rich characters. The film's dark visuals alongside Sam Mendes’ direction create a gripping experience that lingers with viewers long after they finish watching the movie.

8 The 'Burbs (1989)

Dark comedy and suburban satire.

The 'Burbs (1989)

The 'Burbs is a dark comedy directed by Joe Dante, starring Tom Hanks as Ray Peterson, a suburbanite who grows suspicious of his eccentric new neighbors. As strange events unfold, Peterson and his friends become increasingly convinced that something sinister is happening next door. The film explores themes of paranoia and suburban life with a humorous twist.

The 'Burbs deserves more attention for its good use of satire and Hanks' engaging lines. In this dark comedy, Tom Hanks plays Ray Peterson, a man who becomes suspicious of his new neighbors and convinces his friends to help him investigate them. The film cleverly critiques the paranoia and the absurd situations that can arise even in a seemingly perfect suburban neighborhood, making it a standout in Hanks's diverse films.

The film's satirical take on suburban life remains relevant even to this day.

On release, The 'Burbs was received with mixed reviews. However, it has strongly garnered a following over the years; with many fans appreciating its original blend of comedy and horror. In this movie, Hanks shows his ability to balance humor with a touch of fear as he navigates the bizarre events happening in his neighborhood. The film's satirical take on suburban life remains relevant even to this day, and its clever dialogue and memorable characters make it a hidden gem worth watching.

7 The Terminal (2004)

Hanks shines in a unique situation.

The Terminal

A man from a politically unstable country finds himself stranded at JFK Airport when his homeland undergoes a coup. Unable to enter the United States or return home, he adapts to life within the terminal, forming unique relationships and displaying resilience in the face of bureaucratic obstacles and personal challenges.

As one of the best movies directed by Steven Spielberg , The Terminal tells the story of Viktor Navorski, a man from a fictional Eastern European country who becomes stranded at New York's JFK Airport when his country undergoes a sudden political conflict. Hanks once again skillfully blends humor and drama , capturing perfectly the life of a man trying to navigate life in an airport. Unfortunately, the movie was met with mixed reviews immediately after its release.

The Terminal explores themes of isolation, resilience, and the kindness of strangers, all delivered through Hanks's charming acting. His ability to convey a wide range of emotions, from frustration to hope, allows the audience to get into Viktor's perspective. While it may not be as loved as some of his other works, The Terminal remains solid proof of Tom Hanks' skill at bringing depth and authenticity to more unconventional movies.

tom-hanks-as-captain-miller-from-saving-private-ryan-and-tom-hanks-as-andrew-beckett-from-philadelphia

Tom Hanks is an outstanding actor with an illustrious career behind him, but on his way to the A-list, some significant movies shaped his career.

6 Radio Flyer (1992)

A heartfelt story with hanks' touch.

A good example of a Tom Hanks movie flying under the radar is Radio Flyer . In this 1992 drama, Hanks narrates the imaginative story of two young brothers who go on a journey to escape their troubled reality. Tom Hanks doesn’t appear on-screen, but his voice still adds a layer of warmth and nostalgia. Besides the film's relative obscurity, it proves that Hank’s narrative voice can evoke as much emotion and depth as he was on-screen.

Radio Flyer is often overlooked but features Tom Hanks in a moving supporting role, adding emotional depth to this underappreciated drama.

Radio Flyer is a bold movie that tackles complex themes of childhood trauma in a way that few family films dare to approach. This movie is a reminder of the variety of Hanks' career and his knack for choosing projects that, while not always mainstream hits, contribute significantly to his legacy as one of Hollywood's most beloved and accomplished actors.

5 Cloud Atlas (2012)

Hanks in multiple roles across timelines.

Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas is an ambitious film that sadly flopped at the box office . Directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer, the film weaves together multiple storylines happening across different timelines , with Tom Hanks playing several different characters. His performances ranged from a 19th-century physician to a futuristic clone. Even with the film's intricate structured narrative, it remains underappreciated, often overshadowed by more straightforward or mainstream films within the genre.

The film's innovative storytelling, with its interconnected plots spanning centuries, unfortunately, ended up being too complex to appeal to a wider audience. Nonetheless, each of the characters of the movie contributes to the idea of humanity's interconnectedness and the impact each action has across time. Over time, the film has gained recognition for its ambition and artistic vision, cementing its status as an underrated entry in Hanks's career.

4 Larry Crowne (2011)

A heartwarming tale of reinvention, larry crowne.

Larry Crowne (2011) stars Tom Hanks as a middle-aged man who, after losing his job, enrolls in community college to reinvent himself. Directed by Tom Hanks, the film explores themes of resilience and self-discovery, with Julia Roberts playing his speech professor, Mercedes Tainot. The story focuses on Larry’s journey of personal growth and the relationships he forms along the way.

Starring Tom Hanks as a middle-aged man who, after losing his job, decides to enroll in college, Larry Crowne explores the idea of reinvention and second chances. Hanks makes the audience feel related to Larry Crowne, capturing the essence of a man eager to rediscover his purpose and have a fresh start. The film's gentle humor and uplifting message offer a different take on personal growth, making it a feel-good watch that resonates with many viewers.

Even with its positive themes and flawless acting from both Hank and Julia Roberts as Larry’s love interest, it did not receive widespread acclaim upon its release. Its focus on personal transformation and the pursuit of happiness often gets overshadowed by more high-profile films. The movie's arrangement of its themes, combined with Hanks' and Roberts' chemistry, make the film a wonderful experience.

3 Cast Away (2000)

Exploring themes of isolation and survival.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis in his second collaboration with Tom Hanks, Cast Away tells the story of FedEx executive Chuck Noland, who strives to survive in a deserted island after a plane crash. The film, which mostly takes place in the uninhabited island, earned Hanks a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

Cast Away is one of the best survival movies for its depiction of solitude and survival, yet some of its concepts are sometimes missed. Tom Hanks plays FedEx executive Chuck Noland in the movie, who becomes stuck on an uninhabited island following an aircraft crash. Hanks gives an outstanding performance that perfectly captures the essence of loneliness. Beyond just focusing on survival, the film explores a human’s response to physical and psychological isolation.

The volleyball draws attention to Noland's emotional journey and demonstrates how solitude may result in introspection and personal growth. The way the movie portrays Noland's battle with loneliness and his eventual search for purpose and connection strikes a deeper chord, offering a different perceptive on human nature and development.

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell in Apollo 13 and the USS Enterprise-E escaping a Borg Cube

Tom Hanks was linked to the role of Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact, but could Hollywood's nicest man have pulled off the rougher edges?

2 Greyhound (2020)

A tense world war ii drama.

Greyhound (2020)

Greyhound is a war film that deserves more recognition for its excellently executed enactment of naval combat during World War II. Hanks shines in his role as Captain Krause, a character committed to his crew's safety amidst the intense pressures of battle. The film's meticulous attention to historical detail and the tension-filled scenes mark Hanks' ability to tell a more solid story.

Greyhound was historically accurate for its use of detailed naval tactics and authentic portrayals of convoy defense against U-boat attacks.

The movie, though well-received by those who watched it, hasn’t received the praise it deserves. Its narrative and focus on the procedural aspects of warfare offer a fresh perspective in a genre often dominated by exaggerated battles. The film's emphasis on the psychological toll of command is rarely explored in war dramas, making Hanks' character in this movie reveal a quieter yet powerful side of heroism and leadership, making Greyhound notable yet often underappreciated.

1 News of the World (2020)

Hanks excels in a historical setting.

News of the World

Starring Tom Hanks, News of the World is a 2020 Western film directed by Paul Greengrass. Based on the Paulette Jiles novel of the same name, the film sees a Civil War veteran trying to return a young girl to her only remaining family.

In News of the World , Hanks takes on the role of Captain Kidd, a Civil War veteran traveling through post-war Texas. The film's portrayal of a fractured America and Kidd's evolving relationship with a young girl offers an interesting point of view of redemption and justice in a tumultuous time. The movie delivers the idea of a traditional hero being replaced by a flawed figure, reflecting the shifting values of modern Westerns.

News of the World deserves more recognition for its heartfelt tale of courage and connection in a divided world.

The film has an intimate style of storytelling that may have led to it being a box office failure. News of the World deserves more recognition for its heartfelt tale of courage and connection in a divided world. Its clever use of minimalistic settings and sparse dialogue make the movie feel complex but sweet. News from the World helps shine some light on the genre's potential to have more sentimental stories that are still relevant.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, chaz's journal, great movies, contributors, my penguin friend.

Now streaming on:

There’s something radical about the old-fashioned approach of “My Penguin Friend.” It’s an earnest, crowd-pleasing family film – nothing snarky or self-referential, no on-the-nose needle drops - just a sweet, beautifully made movie that earns the emotion it’ll surely draw from its viewers.

Director David Schurmann tells the true story of the unlikely bond between a penguin and a fisherman, which lasted over several years and thousands of miles. The penguin would migrate every June from Patagonia at the tip of Argentina, along the Eastern edge of South America, to Ilha Grande off the coast of Brazil. It’s like “Same Time, Next Year,” with a flightless bird in place of Ellen Burstyn .

In the script from Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Lagudi Ulrich, the fisherman, João, has suffered a devastating loss at the beginning of the film, making the surprising arrival of the penguin that much more poignant. Jean Reno gives a vulnerable, moving performance as João, a simple man broken by tragedy transformed by the thrill of this unexpected connection. He shows great range here, from sorrow to joy to an impish sense of playfulness, and his openness is captivating. And as João’s wife, Maria, Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza is a sturdy anchor, a steady source of calm no matter the highs and lows. She’s also not too thrilled at first about having a penguin pitter-patter around the kitchen of her modest, beachfront bungalow.

But DinDim is too darn cute. That’s the name a little girl in the village gives the penguin, and it sticks. And part of what’s amazing about the film is that it features actual penguins rather than animatronics or CGI creations. The press notes inform us that we see live penguins 80 percent of the time, with some wire-controlled dummies and digital effects. The result is a hugely compelling feeling of intimacy and authenticity. Working with the great cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle , Danny Boyle ’s frequent collaborator, Schurmann shoots much of the film at low angles and from the penguin's point of view. This gives the movie an exuberant feeling of childlike wonder, especially as DinDim gets into mischief.

That’s a great example of how “My Penguin Friend” works on multiple levels for various viewers. Kids will love the silly energy while adults can appreciate the craftsmanship behind the chaos. From vibrant sunsets to endless ocean vistas to quiet moments in the family’s kitchen, Dod Mantle repeatedly offers wondrous images that buoy the film along.

This is why it’s such a letdown whenever “My Penguin Friend” cuts away from this heartwarming story and returns to Patagonia to see what the researchers there are doing. Alexia Moyano , Nicolás Francella , and Rocio Hernández play the scientists who study these cuddly creatures, taking notes on their migration patterns as well as their activities in Argentina. DinDim stands out for his friendliness and curiosity, although Francella’s one-note character is a consistent naysayer who doesn’t think this particular penguin is anything special.

Once a viral video emerges of DinDim being adorable with João and his fellow villagers, and it dawns on the researchers that he might be one of theirs, the back-and-forth of tracking him down becomes especially tedious. Given the international nature of the cast and the production, everyone speaks English to make things easier. Still, the dialogue and delivery in the Patagonia sections feel dull and stilted, particularly in contrast with the warmth of the rest of the movie.

Still, the bond between João and DinDim ultimately prevails. A climactic rescue toward the end that mirrors the tragedy at the film’s start might feel like a bit too obvious of a parallel, but it provides a necessary moment of redemption and closure. The camerawork is so immersive here and Reno’s moist-eyed tenderness is so touching that it’s hard not to feel swept up in the emotion. You might not think you need “My Penguin Friend” in your life, either, but you do.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

Now playing

Matt Zoller Seitz

Rule of Two Walls

Isaac feldberg.

Peyton Robinson

Deadpool & Wolverine

Brian Tallerico

Family Portrait

Film credits.

My Penguin Friend (2024)

Jean Reno as Joao

Adriana Barraza as Maria

Nicolás Francella as Carlos

Alexia Moyano as Adriana

Rocío Hernández as Stephanie

David Schurmann
Kristen Lazarian
Paulina Lagudi

Latest blog posts

A Woman Without Peers: Gena Rowlands (1930-2024)

The Needle Drop Sessions: Pump Up the Volume & Untamed Heart

Locarno Film Festival 2024: Youth (Hard Times), Transamazonia, Moon

Thumbnails 8/15/24: Six Must-Reads You Don’t Want To Miss This Week

Corrections
Campaign 2024
Putin's war in Ukraine
Business & Economy
Media Spotlight
Waste, Fraud & Abuse
Inside the Beltway
Inside the Ring
Higher Ground
Entertainment
Just the Headlines
Photo Galleries
Dive Deeper
40 years of The Washington Times
Threat Status
Energy & Environment
Banking & Finance
Health Care Reform
Second Amendment
Immigration Reform
Homeland & Cybersecurity
Aerospace & Defense
Taxes & Budget
Law Enforcement & Intelligence
Transportation & Infrastructure
Commentary Main
Charles Hurt
Cheryl K. Chumley
Kelly Sadler
Jennifer Harper
Tim Constantine
Joseph Curl
Joseph R. DeTrani
Billy Hallowell
Daniel N. Hoffman
David Keene
Robert Knight
Clifford D. May
Michael McKenna
Stephen Moore
Tim Murtaugh
Peter Navarro
Everett Piper
Scott Walker
Black Voices
To the Republic
Sports Main
Washington Commanders
Thom Loverro
Horse Racing
NASCAR & Racing
District of Sports Podcast
Sports Photos
Health Care on the Hill
Invest in Portugal
Health Care 2022
Africa FDI Edition
Immigration 2022
Future of Clean Energy
The Baltic States 2022
Invest in Ireland
ESG Investments
U.S. & South Korea Alliance
Invest in Malta
National Clean Energy Week
Victorious Family
Energy 2024
Infrastructure 2024
Free Iran 2024
Transportation 2024
Reinventing after Globalization
The Chiefs Forum: The Next 100 Days
Harm Reduction and Public Health
Subscriber Only Events
Higher Ground Events
All Podcasts
The Front Page
Politically Unstable
History As It Happens
Bold & Blunt
The Higher Ground
Court Watch
Victory Over Communism
District of Sports
Capitol Hill Show
The Unregulated Podcast
The Rebellion Podcast
Play Sudoku
Crossword Puzzle
Word Search

Threat Status with Philip Zelikow: Is humanity on the edge of world war?

LISTEN: Is Iran closer to having a nuclear bomb? Michael Rubin joins Threat Status

Latest episode: America the polarized Alan Taylor on the election of 1800

WATCH: To win, Donald Trump needs to stay on message With Tim Constantine and David Bozell

‘the bikeriders’ 4k ultra hd movie review.

Filmmaker Jeff Nichols’ period crime drama roars from the cinemas to the 4K disc format to enchant home theater owners in love with midwestern motorcycle culture in The Bikeriders ( Universal Studios Home Entertainment, rated R, 116 minutes, 2:39:1 aspect ratio, $44.98).

Inspired by Danny Lyon’s photobook of the same name, the movie covers the violent shenanigans of the Chicago-based Vandals Motorcycle Club, a fictional version of the actual Outlaws Motorcycle Club, from 1965 to 1973 as they transitioned into an organized gang.

The story of the “club” comes to light via photojournalist Lyon (Mike Faist) as he interviews riders but focuses on Kathy Bauer (Jodie Comer) who fell in love with and married the newest Vandals’ member leader Benny Cross (Austin Butler).

Mr. Nichol’s methodical exposition of the crumbling morality of a burgeoning biker gang plays out through some brutal characters sporting vintage Northside Chicago, working-class accents and mightily succeeds due to the phenomenal cast.

Not only do Ms. Comer and Mr. Butler (certainly channeling James Dean) carry the dramatic load, but heavyweights include Tom Hardy as gang leader Johnny (imagine Marlin Brando with a Chicago accent), Michael Shannon as trusted biker Zipco and Norman Reedus as the relocated California biker Funny Sonny.

Also, watch the end credits for some actual photos from the book that covered the gang in 1965.

4K in action: Sure, the ultra-high definition spotlights the production design on urban neighborhoods and gritty cinematography, but viewers will be equally impressed inspecting the incredible collection of vintage motorcycles assembled including the 1956 Harley-Davidson FLH.

Equally eye-catching is the costuming of the gang relegated to greasy and dirty jeans, leather and jean jackets with embroidered patches, and scuffed leather boots.

And, hearing those mechanical beasts is equally immersive, thanks to the all-surrounding Dolby Atmos mix as engines roar from the speakers.

Best extras: An optional commentary track with Mr. Nichols, who also wrote the script, sheds plenty of light on his love for the project, its background and the production.

Often focused on the source material, the director covers the subtext of the narrative, diving into his “hybrid” film that mixes fact and fiction such as some of the dialogue for Kathy was taken directly from Mr. Lyon’s original audiotapes.

The memories of the 15-year odyssey to make the film play out as the director offers much introspection of his thematic and cinematic choices.

He covers why he used Kathy as the narrator, on deciding to shoot the film in Cincinnati, his vintage musical choices, casting choices, coordinating the mud fight sequence and identifying the characters’ real-life counterparts in the photos at the end of the film.

Viewers then only get three short featurettes: three minutes on the production; a three-minute spotlight on the director; and a little more than three minutes in a minuscule look at the vintage clothing and motorcycles used in the film.

Unfortunately, viewers get very few specifics on the types and years of the bikes used and that is too bad since they were occasionally the stars of the movie.

• Joseph Szadkowski can be reached at [email protected] .

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide

Top of the Times

More From Forbes

The 25 greatest tom hanks movies.

Share to Facebook
Share to Twitter
Share to Linkedin

Woody (in costume), Tom Hanks (2nd-L), Tim Allen (2nd-R) and Buzz Lightyear (in costume) appear with ... [+] characters from the film inside Toy Story Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort.

Who Is Tom Hanks? Life And Career Synopsis

Top tom hanks movies, upcoming and latest tom hanks movies.

Tom Hanks may be the most recognizable and successful actor in the world. Known for his ability to tackle comedy and drama equally well, the gifted performer has starred in some of the most beloved movies of the past four decades, including Toy Story , Big , Forrest Gump , Apollo 13 and so many more. He has a gift for losing himself in a character and bringing attention to things that our society needs—but doesn’t always want—to talk about. Hanks is also an intuitive director and standout producer whose instincts behind the camera are just as good as his instincts in front of it. This list of Tom Hanks movies ranked showcases his incredible acting ability and his obvious devotion to his craft.

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born in Concord, California, and his family moved a lot before he graduated from high school in Oakland, California. He then attended Chabot College for two years before transferring to California State University, Sacramento, then dropping out to pursue his acting career.

Hanks’ initial work came on the stage, and in 1979, he made his film debut in the low-budget slasher He Knows You’re Alone . He gained early fame in the TV comedy Bosom Buddies , about college guys who dress up as women to gain a place to live. Since making his film debut, Hanks has appeared in just over 100 movies and produced 25 films, as well as more than 30 TV movies and programs. He’s also directed two films and written three screenplays. He’s best known for his Oscar-winning role in Forrest Gump , for producing and starring in World War II movies and shows such as Saving Private Ryan , and for comedic roles like in Big .

This list of top Tom Hanks films is based on critics’ and audiences’ reviews, box office success, awards and continued cultural relevance. Hanks has starred in or lent his voice to some of the best-known movies of all time, including Gump , Toy Story , You’ve Got Mail , Cast Away and Saving Private Ryan .

He starred in a trio of Dan Brown novel adaptations, including The DaVinci Code , that were popular though not critical hits. His least-popular movie was the box office and critical 1990 bomb The Bonfire of the Vanities , an adaptation of a Thomas Wolfe novel that also starred Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith.

NYT ‘Strands’ Hints, Spangram And Answers For Sunday, August 18th

Ufc 305 results: bonus winners, highlights and reaction, ‘inside out 2’ debuts on digital streaming this week.

Actor Tom Hanks and co-star Audrey Tautou in "The Da Vinci Code."

25. Splash (1984, rated PG)

Hanks’ first starring movie role came in the second film Ron Howard ever directed, setting the two men up for a long and fruitful partnership. Hanks plays an everyman who unwittingly falls in love with a mermaid, who is taken hostage by scientists. The romantic comedy also featured Darryl Hannah, Eugene Levy and John Candy.

Splash earned an Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay, and Hanks’ performance hints at his later depth and comedic timing. You can watch Splash on Disney+ , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

24. Sleepless in Seattle (1993, rated PG)

Hanks tends to work with the same people over and over when the partnership works, and his chemistry with Meg Ryan in this classic romantic comedy is a great example. Hanks plays a single dad whose son calls into a radio show in search of a love interest for his father.

Ryan plays a woman on the other side of the country who answers. Directed by Nora Ephron, it is one of three rom-coms the actors made in the ‘90s, and it made more than $200 million at the box office. You can watch Sleepless in Seattle on YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

23. The Polar Express (2004, rated G)

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, another frequent Hanks collaborator, The Polar Express is a Christmas classic adopted from the beloved children’s book. Hanks voices several characters in the film, about a boy’s magical train journey to the North Pole. The film made more than $300 million at the box office.

You can watch The Polar Express on YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

22. Greyhound (2020, rated PG-13)

This oft-overlooked film, released by Apple TV+ during the height of the pandemic in 2020, follows Navy Commander Ernest Krause during his efforts to win the Battle of the Atlantic, World War II’s longest naval battle—and, in fact, the largest naval battle in world history.

Director Aaron Schneider received solid reviews for this effort. You can watch Greyhound on Apple TV+ .

21. The ‘Burbs (1989, rated PG)

This dark satire, directed by Joe Dante, developed a cult following for its depiction of a suburban family man, played by Hanks, who suspects the new neighbors down the street of being up to no good—but even he has no idea how evil the newbies are.

While the film made just $49.1 million at the box office, it has since become popular among a new generation of viewers who appreciate watching Hanks have a ball with the unique premise (and the famous quote, “Nobody knocks off an old man in my neighborhood and gets away with it"). It also stars Carrie Fisher. You can watch The ‘Burbs on Amazon Prime Video .

20. That Thing You Do! (1996, rated PG)

Hanks’ first directorial effort, which he also wrote, tells the story of a small-town band that rides the success of their first hit to instant fame in the 1960s—and the perils that come along when the Oneders become famous and their drummer is forced to take time off.

The titular song became a real-life hit, too, and was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe. You can watch That Thing You Do! on Hulu , Disney+ , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

Tom Hanks directed "That Thing You Do," one of his best films.

19. The Post (2017, rated PG-13)

Depicting the true story of the Washington Post ’s decision to publish the Pentagon Papers in 1971, The Post features a powerhouse cast including Hanks, Meryl Streep, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk and Matthew Rhys. It focuses on the relationship between editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks) and Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major paper.

The Steven Spielberg film earned six Golden Globe nominations and one Oscar nod. You can watch The Post on YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

18. Bridge of Spies (2015, rated PG-13)

Another Spielberg film, this one set during the Cold War. Hanks plays the lawyer tasked by the CIA with negotiating the release of a U.S. pilot whose U-2 plan was shot down by the Soviet Union. The twist: Hanks defended the spy whom the Soviets want back in return.

The film earned widespread critical acclaim as well as an Oscar nod and multiple critics’ organizations nominations. You can watch Bridge of Spies on YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

17. Catch Me If You Can (2002, rated PG-13)

Directed by, you guessed it, Spielberg, this blockbuster movie based on a true story made $350 million at the box office. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio as con man Frank Abagnale Jr., who was chased for years by FBI Agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks) for committing robbery, among other offenses.

DiCaprio’s charm and Hanks’ doggedness make this the perfect cat-and-mouse caper. You can watch Catch Me If You Can on Paramount+ , Roku Channel , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

16. News of the World (2020)

Another peak pandemic film, this effort directed by Paul Greengrass depicts a Civil War captain (Hanks) trying to return a young girl to her family while traveling across the Texas plains to deliver the “news of the world” to the pioneering towns.

Though it brought in modest box office at a time when many theaters were closed or had restrictions, it features outstanding performances from Hanks and Helena Zengel, who plays the girl. You can watch News of the World on Peacock , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

15. Sully (2016, rated PG-13)

Who better to play America’s hero than America’s favorite actor? In this Clint Eastwood-directed movie , Hanks plays Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who famously landed a plane on the Hudson River after an emergency shortly after takeoff, saving the lives of everyone on board. But an investigation threatens to (sorry) sully his heroics.

The film made $240 million at the box office and received critical lauds including making the “best of 2016” list by the National Board of Review and American Film Institute. YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

Tom Hanks and Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger attend the special screening of "Sully" at BFI ... [+] IMAX on November 17, 2016 in London.

14. The Green Mile (1999, rated R)

One of Hanks’ longest films at three hours, The Green Mile is an adaptation of a Stephen King story . Hanks plays a Depression-era death row guard who clocks supernatural activity on his ward when a prisoner played by Michael Clarke Duncan arrives.

The film, directed by Frank Darabont, earned more than $260 million and four Oscar nominations. You can watch The Green Mile on Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

13. Charlie Wilson's War (2007, rated R)

Hanks starred with Julia Roberts in two movies, including this political romp about a U.S. Representative (Hanks), a socialite (Roberts) and a CIA agent (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who finagle a way to finance the secret operations of Afghan freedom fighters against the Soviet Union in the 1980s.

Director Mike Nichols’ film earned five Golden Globe nods and one Oscar nomination. You can watch Charlie Wilson’s War on Hulu , YouTube , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

12. Road to Perdition (2002, rated R)

You can’t go wrong with a movie featuring Hanks and Paul Newman and directed by Sam Mendes. Hanks plays a mobster’s enforcer who becomes the hunted after the mobster’s son exacts revenge for perceived slights. Jennifer Jason Leigh also stars.

The film was both a box office and critical hit, receiving six Oscar nominations. You can watch Road to Perdition on Philo , Roku Channel , Paramount+ , MGM+ , Sling TV , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

11. Captain Phillips (2013, rated PG-13)

Another Greengrass-Hanks collaboration, Captain Phillips tells the true-life tale of a merchant mariner who was captured by Somali pirates. Co-star Barkhad Abdi delivers a standout performance that earned him an Oscar nomination, one of six nods for the movie.

The film, which features the famous line “I’m the captain now,” has an incredible 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes . You can watch Captain Phillips on Netflix .

10. Cast Away (2000, rated PG-13)

Rarely has an actor carried a movie in quite the way that Hanks does in Cast Away . For the majority of the film, it’s just Hanks and a volleyball (“Wilson”), as he plays a FedEx executive who becomes stranded on a tropical island after a plane crash, surviving by his wits.

The movie, directed by Zemeckis, was a smash, earning $429 million and netting Hanks his fifth Oscar nomination. You can watch Cast Away on Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

Tom Hanks washes up on the beach of an island in a scene from the film "Cast Away."

9. Toy Story 2 (1999, rated G)

What happens when kids walk out of the room? The Toy Story movies imagine the toys get up and enjoy life among themselves. This sequel to the original sees Woody (voiced by Hanks) kidnapped by a toy dealer, prompting a rescue mission by the other toys.

Arguably the greatest animated franchise of all time, Toy Story has four installments that have been critical and box office smashes. This sequel, directed by John Lasseter, made $511 million at the box office and has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating . You can watch Toy Story 2 on Disney+ , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

8. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019, rated PG)

Who better to portray the “nicest man in the world,” children’s icon Mr. Rogers, than America’s favorite actor? Hanks plays the sweater-clad TV host as a beacon of kindness who helps a reporter sent to interview him melt away his own cynicism.

Marielle Heller directed the film, which earned Hanks a best supporting actor Oscar nod. You can watch A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood on Hulu , Sling TV , FXNow , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

7. Apollo 13 (1995, rated PG)

In yet another based-on-a-true-story film, Hanks plays Jim Lovell, one of the astronauts whose trip to the moon on was thrown off by an exploding oxygen tank, endangering the mission and requiring some stateside heroics to help the spacecraft return.

The film was one of several Hanks movies in the 1990s to earn huge box office numbers, bringing in $355 million. You can watch Apollo 13 on Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

6. A League of Their Own (1992, rated PG)

With Major League Baseball players being called up for the draft during World War II, a women’s league popped up. Hanks’ Jimmy Dugan, a former-all-star-turned-alcoholic, is called in to coach a team that includes Geena Davis, Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell. Penny Marshall directed the sports film .

Hanks uttered one of his most famous lines in the film: “There’s no crying in baseball.” You can watch A League of Their Own on YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

5. Big (1988, rated PG)

This movie about a kid who wishes to be “big,” turning him from a 12-year-old into a 30-year-old, could have been just another throwaway body switch movie. But Hanks’ winning performance, combined with Penny Marshall’s magical directing, turned this film into something special, landing Hanks his first Oscar nod.

This ‘80s film was also a box office hit, earning $151 million. Hanks utters the memorable line, “OK, but I get to be on top,” referring to his bunk bed when he has a sleepover with his love interest (Elizabeth Perkins). You can watch Big on Hulu , Disney+ , Philo , fuboTV , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

Tom Hanks, left, earned an Oscar nomination for his role as a 12-year-old who suddenly turns 30 in ... [+] "Big."

4. Philadelphia (1993, rated PG-13)

When gay and HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett (Hanks) is fired from his high-powered Philadelphia law firm, he sues for discrimination. It’s hard to find a lawyer to represent him, but ultimately he teams with Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), making for a powerhouse display of acting prowess.

Hanks earned his first best actor Oscar for his role in the Jonathan Demme-directed film. You can watch Philadelphia on Peacock , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

3. Forrest Gump (1994, rated PG-13)

Hanks captured Oscar No. 2 for his role as the titular Forrest Gump, a goodhearted but simple man whose life keeps intersecting with famous events. He loves his childhood friend Jenny (Robin Wright), who is haunted by a past she can’t escape. Gary Sinise co-stars as Lt. Dan.

In addition to being a huge box office success, raking in more than $675 million, Gump spawned loads of famous quotes, including "Life is like a box of chocolates,” “Run, Forrest, run” and “Stupid is as stupid does.” It was directed by Zemeckis. You can watch Forrest Gump on Hulu , Sling TV , fuboTV , Paramount+ , Roku Channel , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

2. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Private James Ryan’s three brothers are killed in combat during World War II, which earns him a ticket home. But Captain John Miller (Hanks) and his men need to find Ryan behind enemy lines first. The film, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a tribute to the spirit and resolve of U.S. soldiers.

It was the second-highest-earning film of the year and was nominated for 11 Oscars, including Hanks for best actor. You can watch Saving Private Ryan on Peacock , Paramount+ , Roku Channel , YouTube , Google Play , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

1. Toy Story (1995)

The cartoon that started it all deals with relatable childhood emotions such as jealousy and the desire to fit in. When new toy Buzz (voiced by Tim Allen) lands in Andy’s room, he replaces Woody (voiced by Hanks) as the favorite. But the toys must work together when a neighbor gets ahold of them.

The well-reviewed film, directed by Lasseter, made nearly $400 million and launched a four-picture franchise. You can watch Toy Story on Disney+ , YouTube , Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango at Home .

There will undoubtedly be more Tom Hanks films to add to this list soon. The 68-year-old actor continues to make new movies. Following an appearance in 2023 in Asteroid City , Hanks has two films slated for 2024.

The first reunites Hanks with his Gump director, Zemeckis, as well as co-star Wright. Here tells the story of Hanks and Wright’s family while also contextualizing it in the bigger picture of our entire existence. The film will be out in November. Hanks’ second 2024 film, The Phoenician Scheme , is the latest Wes Anderson picture. Co-starring Scarlett Johansson and Benedict Cumberbatch, it focuses on a morally gray family and the relationship between father and daughter.

Bottom Line

Tom Hanks is one of the most beloved and enduring movie stars for a reason. Whether he’s using his comedic or dramatic chops, he can elevate any film and take you to a different world. Enjoy the actor’s charisma and varied roles by choosing any movie on this list.

Editorial Standards
Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service. We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
Content that otherwise violates our site's terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
Actions that otherwise violate our site's terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

Stay on topic and share your insights
Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
Protect your community.
Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service.

Skip to main content
Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

LISTEN & FOLLOW
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

'Alien: Romulus' is another franchise movie that brings more nostalgia than novelty

Justin Chang

Alien: Romulus is the latest movie in the long-running Alien sci-fi/horror series. But it actually takes place shortly after the events of the very first film: Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic, Alien . 20th Century Studios hide caption

If you’ve gone to the movies lately, you might have noticed — or even purchased — one of those novelty popcorn buckets promoting the year’s big blockbusters. Maybe you dug into the gaping maw of a Dune: Part Two sand worm — or, more recently, into the hollowed-out head of Deadpool or Wolverine.

Now, there are at least two popcorn-bucket models promoting the new movie Alien: Romulus . One is shaped like the head of a Xenomorph, that most terrifying of horror-movie demons, though I suspect without the drooling retractable tongue. Another bucket comes affixed with a Facehugger, a skittering critter that’s famously fond of attaching itself to a human’s head and laying an egg in their throat.

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Why 'prometheus' went flat.

'Alien: Covenant' Continues To Mine Old Ground

These concession-stand gimmicks may be new, but the iconography of Alien: Romulus could hardly be more familiar. That’s no surprise; these monsters, brilliantly conceived decades ago by the Swiss artist H.R. Giger, have kept this series alive. In recent years Ridley Scott, the director of the unimprovable 1979 Alien , has tried to push the franchise in a more philosophical direction, in movies like Prometheus and Alien: Covenant . By contrast, Alien: Romulus , which was directed and co-written by the Uruguayan filmmaker Fede Alvarez, has no such weighty ambitions. It’s an efficient and reasonably entertaining thriller that, like a lot of franchise movies nowadays, traffics more in nostalgia than novelty.

Álvarez does set his sights somewhat high; he means to take us back to the franchise’s glory days. The story, set in the year 2142, is sandwiched between the events of the first Alien and James Cameron’s hugely entertaining 1986 sequel, Aliens . As in those films, starring the incomparable Sigourney Weaver, there’s a tough-minded female protagonist. Her name is Rain, and she’s played by Cailee Spaeny, the versatile young actor from Priscilla and Civil War . There’s also a friendly, not entirely reliable android sidekick — Andy, played by the English actor David Jonsson. We’re in a period that you might call late late capitalism, where villainous corporations rule the day and Rain, like most people her age, is part of a heavily exploited labor class, working off debts that will never be repaid.

Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine in Alien: Romulus. 20th Century Studios hide caption

And so when she and Andy hear of a possible way out, they seize the opportunity along with a few friends — never mind that it means heading up into space and boarding a large rustbucket ship that’s not quite so abandoned as it appears. The ship has two sections, named Remus and Romulus, which partly explains the Roman mythology-referencing title. As for what lurks aboard the ship, Álvarez knows there’s no point in building mystery or suspense, and he unleashes his army of Facehuggers and Xenomorphs almost immediately. His human characters, however, do intend to put up a fight.

Álvarez has a knack for rebooting horror properties, having made his debut with a fresh 2013 spin on Evil Dead . He followed that with the walking-on-eggshells thriller Don’t Breathe , about a group of young burglars trying to rob a blind homeowner. There are actually some amusing plot similarities between that movie and Alien: Romulus , right down to a third-act twist that pushes things into see-it-to-believe-it body-horror territory.

Álvarez is a strong director of action, and he riffs inventively on classic Alien beats. The Xenomorphs, as usual, have corrosive acid for blood — a detail that the movie exploits ingeniously in a suspenseful, gravity-defying set-piece. And there’s at least one memorable moment that reminds us that the Xenomorphs, with their phallic heads and goopy secretions, are among the most psychosexual of cinematic nightmares.

In the end, though, Álvarez’s command of craft only gets him so far. The problem isn’t just that the characters, apart from Rain and Andy, are pretty bland monster fodder. It’s that while the director seems content to update the Alien movies — with young, fresh faces and state-of-the-art technology — he has no apparent idea how to push them forward. His boldest and least successful gambit is to resurrect a key figure from an earlier film — a visual-effects coup that tries to honor the series’ roots, but feels more like a desecration. I’ll never pass up an Alien movie, but I do hope the next one has something more than elaborate fan service in mind. Dwelling too obsessively on the past is no way to guarantee a franchise’s future.

Clockwise from top left: Inside Out 2, Thelma, Twisters, Hit Man, Fancy Dance and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

These are the 19 movies we're most excited about this summer

Apple TV Plus top 10 movies — here's the 3 worth watching right now

These are the three Apple TV Plus movies you need to watch

Best of Apple TV Plus top 10
Full Apple TV Plus top 10

As a movie lover who has spent countless hours scrolling through some of the best streaming platforms , I’ve learned the hard way that a spot in the top 10 doesn’t always guarantee quality. And Apple TV Plus is no exception.

While some of its most-watched movies are absolute gems, others can leave you wondering how they even made the cut (like "Argylle" and "The Family Plan"). Even the recent addition "The Instigators", which currently sits in the No.1 spot, isn't worth your time.

But don’t worry — I’ve done the legwork for you. After sifting through the top 10 list on the streamer, I’ve found three movies that are actually worth watching, including a thriller starring Sebastian Stan and Justin Timberlake’s emotional drama. Here are the movies you need to stream right now…

This is based on the Apple TV Plus top 10 movies as of Friday, August 16.

BEST MOVIES IN THE APPLE TV PLUS TOP 10

Palmer â€” Official Trailer | Apple TV+ - YouTube

"Palmer" is an emotional drama that revolves around Eddie Palmer (Justin Timberlake), a former high school football star who returns to his hometown in Louisiana after spending 12 years in prison. Palmer moves in with his grandmother and struggles to rebuild his life, finding work as a school janitor.

Palmer's life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes a caretaker for Sam (Ryder Allen), a young boy with gender non-conforming behavior who is bullied by his peers. Sam lives with his drug-addicted mother in a trailer next to Palmer's grandmother's house. As Palmer grows closer to Sam, he begins to form a bond with the boy, stepping into a fatherly role, which helps Palmer find redemption and a sense of purpose. "Palmer" is a touching story about second chances and the power of kindness and love.

Watch on Apple TV Plus

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox.

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.

Sharper | Official Trailer HD | A24 - YouTube

If you're in the mood for a psychological thriller, then "Sharper" should be your next watch. It follows several characters in New York City, each of whom has their own hidden agenda. The plot is divided into segments, each focusing on a different character, gradually revealing how their lives intersect through a series of cons and deceptions.

At the heart of the story is a young man named Tom (Justice Smith), who falls in love with a woman named Sandra (Briana Middleton). As their relationship develops, they get caught up in a very messy web of lies and deceit involving a wealthy family and various con artists.

Sebastian Stan plays Max, a charismatic and cunning con artist who is deeply involved in orchestrating the elaborate schemes that drive the plot. Julianne Moore portrays Madeline, a wealthy and sophisticated woman who becomes embroiled in the cons, often blurring the lines between victim and perpetrator.

'Killers of the Flower Moon'

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is a historical crime drama that is based on the non-fiction book by David Grann. The movie is set in the 1920s and revolves around a series of brutal murders that took place within the Osage Nation in Oklahoma after oil was discovered on their land, making the Osage people some of the richest in the world. As the Osage begin to die under mysterious circumstances, an investigation is launched, leading to the involvement of the newly formed FBI.

Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a World War I veteran who marries into the Osage Nation through his wife, Mollie Burkhart (Lily Gladstone), an Osage woman whose family becomes the target of a series of brutal murders.

William "Bill" Hale (Robert De Niro), known as "King Hale," is Ernest’s uncle and a powerful figure in the community. He manipulates those around him to gain control of the Osage's oil-rich land, making him the mastermind behind the murders. Tom White (Jesse Plemons) is the FBI agent assigned to investigate the crimes, determined to bring justice to the Osage people.

APPLE TV PLUS TOP 10 MOVIES RIGHT NOW

1. "The Instigators" (2024) 2. "The Family Plan" (2023) 3. "Argylle" (2024) 4. "Ghosted" (2023) 5. "Luck" (2022) 6. "Greyhound" (2020) 7. "Napoleon" (2023) 8. "Killers of the Flower Moon" (2023) 9. "Palmer" (2021) 10. "Sharper" (2023)

More from Tom's Guide

7 ways you can get Apple TV Plus for free
How to watch 'Bad Monkey' online and from anywhere
The best summer blockbuster movie of 2024 is now streaming

Alix is a Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, which basically means watching the best movies and TV shows and then writing about them. Previously, she worked as a freelance writer for Screen Rant and Bough Digital, both of which sparked her interest in the entertainment industry. When she’s not writing about the latest movies and TV shows, she’s either playing horror video games on her PC or working on her first novel.

Apple TV Plus just landed a new comedy-drama show — and it's 92% on Rotten Tomatoes

How to watch 'Bad Monkey' online and from anywhere — Vince Vaughn detective comedy

The Helix mattress Labor Day sale: Deals you can't miss

Entertainment

How to Watch
My watchlist
Stock market
Biden economy
Personal finance
Stocks: most active
Stocks: gainers
Stocks: losers
Trending tickers
World indices
US Treasury bonds
Top mutual funds
Highest open interest
Highest implied volatility
Currency converter
Basic materials
Communication services
Consumer cyclical
Consumer defensive
Financial services
Industrials
Real estate
Mutual funds
Credit cards
Balance transfer cards
Cash back cards
Rewards cards
Travel cards
Online checking
High-yield savings
Money market
Home equity loan
Personal loans
Student loans
Options pit
Fantasy football
Pro Pick 'Em
College Pick 'Em
Fantasy baseball
Fantasy hockey
Fantasy basketball
Download the app
Daily fantasy
Scores and schedules
GameChannel
World Baseball Classic
Premier League
CONCACAF League
Champions League
Motorsports
Horse racing

New on Yahoo

Privacy Dashboard

'Greyhound' Movie Review

If you love Tom Hanks shouting numbers at people, Greyhound is the movie you’ve been waiting for. Available on Apply TV+ July 10th, Greyhound isn’t demanding much when it comes to attention commitment, but if you’re not yet an Apple TV+ subscriber, it also can’t be said that this is the title that should convince you to sign up. Here's CinemaBlend Managing Director Sean O'Connell's review.

Supported by

8 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week

Whether you’re a casual moviegoer or an avid buff, our reviewers think these films are worth knowing about.

Share full article

By The New York Times

In space, no one can hear you groan.

A woman with a gun stands in front of an android who holds her shoulder. They are on a space station.

‘Alien: Romulus’

The newest entry in this sci-fi horror franchise, this one directed by Fede Álvarez, follows a mistreated contract worker (Cailee Spaeny) and her glitchy android friend (David Jonsson) as they face off against the eponymous extraterrestrials.

From our review:

“Alien: Romulus” is a nuts-and-bolts action-adventure horror story with boos and splatter. It doesn’t have much on its mind but it has some good jump scares along with a disappointingly bland heroine, a sympathetic android and the usual collection of disposable characters who are unduly killed by slavering, rampaging extraterrestrials. … Álvarez spends a lot of time showing off his sets, which are more engaging than the writing.

In theaters. Read the full review .

‘The Purge’ meets the Powerball.

A near-future Los Angeles holds a Grand Lottery: the winner then must fight off losers who can legally kill them to get the cash. An unsuspecting transplant (Awkwafina) gets the golden ticket and must turn to a bodyguard (John Cena) for protection.

The concept provides a convenient vehicle for the characters to learn helpful lessons about human decency and trust. But “Jackpot!” does not quite stick the landing. Directed by Paul Feig from a screenplay by Rob Yescombe, the movie sustains an admirably zany energy, though its jokes often feel underwritten. (“You can’t just steal people’s panic rooms. What are you, Jodie Foster?”) Worse, though, it seems intent on mixing its metaphors.

Watch on Amazon Prime Video . Read the full review .

Bowdlerized but still bold.

‘caligula: the ultimate cut’.

Thomas Negovan re-edited this (ahem) colorful cult classic originally released in 1980. It follows the rise and fall of the Roman emperor and stars Malcolm McDowell and Helen Mirren.

Even more crucial is the belief that a masterpiece lurks within the mangled original release. Now attempting to prove that theory is “Caligula: The Ultimate Cut,” the latest iteration of a film that has gone through an unfathomable number of edits over the decades. This is the rare re-edited version of a movie that features less graphic sex and violence than the original. What kind of world are we living in?

Through a child’s eyes, darkly.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in .

Want all of The Times? Subscribe .

IMAGES

Hollywood Movie Review
Movie Review: Greyhound
Greyhound Review| Greyhound Movie Review and Rating (3/5): A
Greyhound movie review: Tom Hanks’ naval thriller struggles to stay
Greyhound movie review & film summary (2020)
Greyhound (2020) Movie Review

COMMENTS

Greyhound movie review & film summary (2020)
Greyhound. Tom Hanks continues his role as a WWII historian with "Greyhound," an intense Aaron Schneider film that barely plays longer than an episode of the Hanks-produced HBO series "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific.". At just over 80 minutes if you skip the end credits, fans of this war movie will be drawn to its lean, no ...
Greyhound
Full Review | Original Score: 4.5/5 | Aug 21, 2022. Greyhound is probably the best film you didn't see in 2020 and 2021. Full Review | Feb 22, 2022. Greyhound doesnt break the mold for war films ...
Greyhound
Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/19/24 Full Review Kyle T Greyhound was a great movie, had you on the edge of your seat the entire time Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars ...
'Greyhound' Review: At Sea in World War II, With Tom Hanks in Command
And while much of the movie was shot on an actual ship, there is a lot of C.G.I., and a good deal of it is not entirely convincing. "Greyhound" also feels like a movie that was conceived as an ...
Greyhound (2020)
Greyhound: Directed by Aaron Schneider. With Tom Hanks, Elisabeth Shue, Stephen Graham, Matt Helm. Several months after the U.S. entry into World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy commander must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by a German submarine wolf pack.
Greyhound (2020)
Commander Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) captains the American destroyer USS Keeling, codenamed Greyhound, on his first convoy leading three other warships and many slow moving transport ships. Tom Hanks is our Jimmy Stewart. He is our everyman and that's why he is so effective. He's not a superhero or a super-fighter.
'Greyhound' Review: Tom Hanks Anchors a Sturdy WWII Sea Thriller
When the mortars aren't firing, the movie ebbs, flows, occasionally sags, and sometimes rivets. ... 'Greyhound' on Apple TV Plus: Film Review Reviewed online, June 29, 2020. MPAA Rating: PG ...
Greyhound Movie Review
Greyhound is a fast paced, and accurate retelling of the sea war in the Atlantic Ocean. After the brief meeting with the girlfriend, Hanks take the watcher on a 90-minute non-stop thrill ride, giving all of us a sense of the Atlantic crossing in WW 2. My father and uncle were WW 2 vets and basically they said the movie was generally ...
Greyhound movie review: Tom Hanks is the captain now in tense WWII
Greyhound. : Review. In this crazy mixed-up world, there are still at least some things we can be sure of: death, taxes, and the sturdy, twinkling durability of Tom Hanks. COVID-19 couldn't take ...
'Greyhound' Review
Tom Hanks wrote and stars in the World War II nautical action drama 'Greyhound,' about an Allied convoy crossing the North Atlantic under attack from Nazi U-boats, streaming on Apple TV+.
'Greyhound' review: Tom Hanks takes on Nazi U-boats in World War II
Review: 'Greyhound' unleashes ferocious WWII sea battle and an earnest Tom Hanks. Leave it to Tom Hanks, last seen onscreen donning Mister Rogers ' red sweater, to take on Nazi submarines while ...
Greyhound Review
Greyhound Review. 1942. US Naval commander Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) takes charge of his first assignment on board the USS Keeling — codename: Greyhound. His mission is to lead an international ...
Greyhound
The basic synopsis is "U.S. Navy Cmdr. Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) is assigned to lead an Allied convoy across the Atlantic during World War II. His convoy, however, is pursued by German U-boats". Greyhound is directed by Aaron Schneider, no clue on him, with a screenplay by Tom Hanks who is also the main star.
Greyhound (2020) Movie Review
Greyhound is a 2020 Apple TV+ war film starring and written by Tom Hanks. Hanks plays Captain Krause, a US Navy Commander who must lead his crew as they are hunted by the Germans during World War II. Elisabeth Shue, Stephen Graham, and Matt Helm star alongside Hanks in this Aaron Schneider-directed film. What you end up with is a better history ...
Greyhound Review
Of course, there are movies out there which can exist, and thrive, on just conflict alone. But the absolute best of those are able to craft characters you care about and root for. Greyhound feels ...
Movie Review: Greyhound (2020)
Overall, Greyhound is a gripping war drama that does a nice job illustrating the Battle of the Atlantic (and just one encounter with Germany's strong wartime Kriegsmarine ["Navy"]). Hanks' turn as Krause proves his agility and ultimate worth to war/period films. And his script — while not perfect — is worthy complement to Schneider ...
Movie Review: Greyhound, starring Tom Hanks, on Apple Plus
Movie review: In the World War 2 maritime adventure Greyhound, Tom Hanks stars as a U.S. Navy captain who must fight Nazi submarines while escorting a 37-ship convoy across the Atlantic.
Greyhound (film)
Greyhound is a 2020 American war film directed by Aaron Schneider and starring Tom Hanks, who also wrote the screenplay. [5] The film is based on the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester, and follows a US Navy commander on his first assignment commanding a multi-national escort destroyer group of four, defending an Allied convoy from U-boats during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Greyhound Review: Tom Hanks Is Lost at Sea in a Rudderless WWII Movie
A terse and streamlined dad movie that's shorter than a Sunday afternoon nap and just as exciting, "Greyhound" bobs across the screen like a nuanced character study that's been entombed in ...
'Greyhound' Movie Review
'Greyhound' Movie Review. CinemaBlend. July 16, 2024 at 12:30 PM. Link Copied. If you love Tom Hanks shouting numbers at people, Greyhound is the movie you've been waiting for. Available on ...
Tom Hanks' Greyhound Reviews Are In, See What Critics Are Saying
It looks like Greyhound has some thrilling moments, as Tom Hanks' Aaron Schneider and crew battles German U-Boats in WWII. But the characters are reportedly underserved throughout the movie's 91 ...
Greyhound True Story: What Was Actually Real & How Accurate The Movie Is
Directed by Aaron Schneider ( Get Low) from an adapted script by Hanks, Greyhound follows the U.S. Navy Captain Ernest Krause (Hanks) as he commands the destroyer USS Keeling - call sign Greyhound - and is charged with helping to protect 37 Allied ships while they cross the North Atlantic to deliver materials to the U.K., even as a group or ...
10 Most Underrated Tom Hanks Movies
Greyhound. July 10, 2020 News of the World. December 25, 2020 ... Unfortunately, the movie was met with mixed reviews immediately after its release. The Terminal explores themes of isolation, resilience, and the kindness of strangers, all delivered through Hanks's charming acting. His ability to convey a wide range of emotions, from frustration ...
My Penguin Friend movie review (2024)
Christy Lemire. Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor.
'The Bikeriders' 4K Ultra HD movie review
Inspired by Danny Lyon's photobook of the same name, the movie covers the violent shenanigans of the Chicago-based Vandals Motorcycle Club, a fictional version of the actual Outlaws Motorcycle ...
The 25 Best Tom Hanks Movies, Ranked
The movie, directed by Zemeckis, was a smash, earning $429 million and netting Hanks his fifth Oscar nomination. You can watch Cast Away on Google Play , Amazon Prime Video , Apple TV and Fandango ...
'Alien: Romulus' review: Dwelling on the past doesn't guarantee a ...
The latest installment of the "Alien" series is an efficient and reasonably entertaining thriller. But dwelling too obsessively on the past won't guarantee a franchise's future.
Apple TV Plus top 10 movies
Here are the three best movies you need to stream in the Apple TV Plus top 10, including a tense thriller starring Sebastian Stan and Julianne Moore. ... the hottest reviews, great deals and ...
'Greyhound' Movie Review
'Greyhound' Movie Review. CinemaBlend. July 22, 2023 at 2:00 PM. 1. Link Copied. If you love Tom Hanks shouting numbers at people, Greyhound is the movie you've been waiting for. Available on ...
8 New Movies Our Critics Are Talking About This Week
Rain (Cailee Spaeny), left, and Andy (David Jonsson) in "Alien: Romulus," which tells a familiar story of perseverance, quick thinking and a fight for survival.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Where to Watch

What to Know

Critics Reviews

More Like This

Greyhound (2020)

Did You Know?

Photo & Video

Related Items

Recently Viewed

‘Greyhound’ on Apple TV Plus: Film Review

Owen Gleiberman

Related Stories

Popular on Variety

Reviewed online, June 29, 2020. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 92 MIN.

More from Variety

Or browse by category:

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Common Sense Selections for Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

How to Prepare Your Kids for School After a Summer of Screen Time

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Common Sense Media Review

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 13+?

Any Positive Content?

Violence & Scariness

Positive Role Models

Positive Messages

Where to Watch

Parent and Kid Reviews

Fast paced from start to end. One of the best WW 2 movies I’ve seen

Is It Any Good?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Suggest an Update

Crimson Tide

Saving Private Ryan

Captain Phillips

Best History Documentaries

Tom Hanks is the captain now in tense WWII naval drama Greyhound : Review

Related Articles

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

site categories

David Rooney

Related Stories

Tom Hanks Urges People to Wear Masks, Questions U.S. Leadership Amid COVID-19 Spikes

THR Newsletters

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Review: 'Greyhound' unleashes ferocious WWII sea battle and an earnest Tom Hanks

Greyhound Review

Related Articles

Greyhound Review

Every TV Show Coming to Apple

In This Article

Where to Watch

Tom Hanks' Greyhound Review

More Reviews by Matt Fowler

Movie Review: Greyhound (2020)

Greyhound Proves That Tom Hanks Loves Ships More Than Anyone Else Loves Ships

More Movie Reviews

Most Viewed Stories

Editor’s Picks