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The Finest Hours

5 February 2016English1h 54m

What critics are saying

Critical reception for The Finest Hours is moderately positive, with most reviewers finding it a competent if conventional disaster-rescue drama.

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Craig Gillespie DirectorEric Johnson ScreenplayScott Silver ScreenplayPaul Tamasy ScreenplayCarter Burwell MusicJavier Aguirresarobe Cinematography

Not streaming in India

The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.

Critic Consensus

Critical reception for The Finest Hours is moderately positive, with most reviewers finding it a competent if conventional disaster-rescue drama. Critics appreciated its tension, suspense, and action sequences, with some noting effective performances and visually striking storm sequences. The most consistent criticism is that the film is formulaic and predictable, offering little beyond genre conventions, while VFX quality drew mixed reactions. It is generally recommended for fans of disaster films rather than as a broadly essential watch.

6 rated reviews · 6 positive

Praised: tension, suspense, and actionCriticised: formulaic and unoriginal storytelling

AI-generated summary of 11 critic reviews · may contain errors

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Critic Reviews (11)

Updated
Shalini LangerTop Critic· Indian Express
7.0
Chris Pine as the anchor of that boat and hence this film is an effective choice, a good-looking, clean all-American hero with the shiny eyes one can't ignore.
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Mihir FadnavisTop Critic· Firstpost
Not rated
...it's ultimately a Disney movie, and a sentimental one, and if you've ever found yourself liking any film by this production house you'll easily enjoy The Finest Hours.
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7.0
Leaving the few stretched on ground moments, the entire film is a nature versus man thriller, where courage wins over all odds. Go for this one if you loved the 'The Perfect Storm', this one will take you back on that dreaded journey to the sea. As Miriam puts it in the film, "It's not the water that scares me but what lies beneath it."
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Sreeju Sudhakaran· Bollywood Life
6.0
TFH is still a compelling disaster drama that will certainly not feel like two hours wasted, especially when things get going. If disaster flicks are your thing, this is certainly recommended, but not in 3D though!
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Johnson Thomas· Mid-Day
6.0
There's nothing like faulty human beings rising to the occasion when the chips are down, to warm the cockles of your heart. The overall experience here is one of affected awe and that's more than we get from big-budget spectacles!
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Aleesha Matharu· CatchNews
6.0
The Finest Hours is all about action, suspense and tension - it rarely lets its audience down on any of those accounts. But it's still a strictly procedural film and doesn't exactly break new ground. But it's at least 10 times more fun than Ron Howard's recent high seas drama - In the Heart of the Sea.
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Reagan Gavin Rasquinha· Times Of India
6.0
Enjoy movies about daring rescues? Go watch this...
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Juhi Matta· BookMyShow
Not rated
If you're looking to enjoy a film that features breathtaking visuals and remarkable performances, The Finest Hours is your best bet this weekend. Don't miss this inspiring true story, which pays homage to the unsung heroes.
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Udita Jhunjhunwala· Scroll.in
Not rated
This is a by-the-book disaster-rescue saga with elevated moments of drama. The ocean scenes leave you feeling a little bit seasick, but in awe of the bravery of these men. The 3D is perfunctory.
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Sankhayan Ghosh· The Hindu
Not rated
Even at its finest moments, The Finest Hours is just unexceptionably plain and too traditional to surprise us...
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Uday Bhatia· LiveMint
Not rated
This is meat-and-potatoes film-making, but if you aren't averse to a lot of scenes with tough guys gritting their teeth, The Finest Hours is a reasonably engaging 120-odd minutes. The churning, roiling waves look pretty much like the VFX that they are, but the snowstorm that hits the land is beautiful.
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Cast & Crew

Cast

Details

Release Date
5 February 2016
Runtime
1h 54m
Language
English

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