White Squall cover art

White Squall Details

1996 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 1780 members

Eclectic director Ridley Scott here tries his hand at a coming-of-age tale, which stars Jeff Bridges as ship captain Christopher Sheldon. Based on a true story, the film is set in 1960 as a group of teenaged prep students signs on to Sheldon's floating summer school, conducted on a two-masted brigantine bound for South America. .. Read more

Starring Jeff Bridges, Caroline Goodall, John Savage, Scott Wolf
Director Ridley Scott
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller

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White Squall cover art

White Squall

Eclectic director Ridley Scott here tries his hand at a coming-of-age tale, which stars Jeff Bridges as ship captain Christopher Sheldon. Based on a true story, the film is set in 1960 as a group of teenaged prep students signs on to Sheldon's floating summer school, conducted on a two-masted brigantine bound for South America. It soon becomes clear that the gruff but humane captain runs a tight ship as he drills his neophyte crew on the importance of teamwork and discipline. The boys possess a wide range of temperaments--there's the bully, the daredevil, the one plagued by insecurities, the one with demanding parents. Sheldon uses the shipboard chores as tools for dealing with their problems, reining in the obnoxious and encouraging the anxious. Since they are, after all, sailors, they also get a chance to get drunk in port and stop over at a whorehouse. Finally, the crew must confront the fabled white squall, a deadly storm so rare that even Sheldon has never experienced one. Bridges, Ryan Phillippe, Balthazar Getty, and Jeremy Sisto give fine performances in Scott's film of spectacular visual beauty.

Starring Jeff Bridges, Caroline Goodall, John Savage, Scott Wolf, Jeremy Sisto, Ryan Phillippe, Balthazar Getty
Director Ridley Scott
Studio SONY BMG
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 4 mins
Certificate Certificate 12
Collections 100 Big Adventures
Genres Action/Adventure, Thriller
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 31 Mar 2003
Production year: 1996
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (3) of White Squall

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Neither Jeff Bridges's quiet authority nor the “in-your-face” dramatics of a killer storm can lift director Ridley Scott's attempt to remake Top Gun (which was directed by brother Tony) at sea. School-ship skipper Bridges gathers a group of undisciplined students aboard the brigantine Albatross for a voyage of self-discovery to South America. Unfortunately, this undemanding but entertaining rite-of-passage adventure, based on a true story, takes a sudden lurch into disaster with the arrival of the storm of the title. It may be a tour de force set piece, but it represents such an abrupt change of tone that the the movie's credibility is almost blown away in the process.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 1 stars out of 4

    Based on a true story, this is no more than an average rites-of-passage drama, with excitement and interest limited to the storm scenes, which are a long time coming.

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of White Squall

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  • 6 out of 6 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A moving and true story

    White Squall is based on a true story in the 1960's. A group of lads including Ryan Phillipe, Scott Wolf, Jeremy Sisto ect decided to do sailing in there last year of high school. The ship they sail on is the Albatross. In the story you learn a lot about the teenagers backgrounds and how they cope without there parents being around. As a team they cope with a lot of differcult situations and then disaster stricks.

    I would say this was one of the best films I have seen. Not to be missed.

      • Richard J Diment from Weston Super Mare
      • Posted 16 Jan 2004 13:28

  • Most recent members' review of White Squall

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  • 6 out of 6 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    A moving and true story

    White Squall is based on a true story in the 1960's. A group of lads including Ryan Phillipe, Scott Wolf, Jeremy Sisto ect decided to do sailing in there last year of high school. The ship they sail on is the Albatross. In the story you learn a lot about the teenagers backgrounds and how they cope without there parents being around. As a team they cope with a lot of differcult situations and then disaster stricks.

    I would say this was one of the best films I have seen. Not to be missed.

      • Richard J Diment from Weston Super Mare
      • Posted 16 Jan 2004 13:28

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Rating breakdown

1,780 Member ratings
  • 100
143
  • 90
132
  • 80
270
  • 70
296
  • 60
409
  • 50
217
  • 40
144
  • 30
81
  • 20
57
  • 10
31

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      • Eclectic director Ridley Scott here tries his hand at a coming-of-age tale, which stars Jeff Bridges as ship captain Christopher Sheldon. Based on a true story, the film is set in 1960 as a group of ...