The Black Hole

PG

Released Dec 18, 1979

1h 37m

Sci-Fi

List

41%

37 Reviews

Tomatometer

45%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In the future, a spaceship dubbed the USS Palomino is on its way back to Earth when it discovers another ship that had been assumed missing, the USS Cygnus. Kate McCrae (Yvette Mimieux), a scientist aboard the Palomino, learns that it's the same ship upon which her father had served as a crew member. When the Palomino's crew boards the Cygnus, they are met by Dr. Reindhardt (Maximilian Schell) and a bizarre, faceless army who plan to be the first people ever to explore a black hole.

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Critics Consensus

While lavishly crafted and brimming with ambitious ideas, The Black Hole probes the depths of space with an unexciting story and hokey melodrama.

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Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

It is good to see the Disney craftsmen doing what they do best on such a grand and risky scale. If one has time for only one space opera this season, this is the one to choose.

Mar 9, 2009

Full Review

Time Out

Disney's most ambitious and costly production to date -- about a spaceship crew which encounters a Black Hole and a long-lost madman -- and if looks were everything, you could hardly fault it.

Feb 9, 2006

Full Review

Janet Maslin

New York Times

It cost half as much as Star Trek and looks better -- not as lavish, perhaps, but more original. The special effects are fancy, and the design even more so.

May 9, 2005

Full Review

Kevin Carr

Fat Guys at the Movies

A bizarre Disney-fied mash-up of FORBIDDEN PLANET and STAR WARS, this darker existential story is imperfect but also fascinating.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 24, 2024

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

If you have a child in need of distracting, take them without fear to this inoffensive entertainment. In any other case, fear this black hole without end. [Full review in Spanish]

Jan 16, 2024

Full Review

John Brosnan

Starburst

For all its undoubted spectacle The Black Hole is fundamentally a disappointment. Buried within it somewhere is a serious picture with an adult theme but only fragments of it remain.

Jul 25, 2022

Full Review

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Ninja W

Fantastic old style movie, for a low budget movie delivers a pretty nice and fun story

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/26/24

Full Review

David W

I absolutely loved this movie on its release and having recently rewatched it I still do. There's a wonderful cast who all give strong performances, an iconic pair of robots, great set design, a strong script, incredible special effects for its time and for me, one of the most memorable endings in sci-fi. The musics absolutely fantastic as well. Adore this film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/24

Full Review

Satin B

💩 the first time and still 💩 the second 🥱⚠️

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Alec B

Obviously made to capitalize on the success of "Star Wars" but this movie is far stranger and all the better for it. Hard for me to dislike something that ends with such brazenly surreal and gorgeous imagery.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/09/24

Full Review

Paul D

I fully accept that I'm viewing this movie with nostalgia since I saw it when I was a kid. Having said that, I do think there is a lot to like in this film. The plot is interesting enough, typically true blue sci-fi fare straight out of the classics playbook. A captain and scientist gone mad with ambition and thinking himself beyond reproach, ignoring orders because he knows he's right. That's stuff straight out of Jules Verne right there. Sure, some of it is hammy at times but I don't count that as a strike. The characters that go through this plot also carry many things we consider tropes by todays standard, but the reason for the trope is that these concepts often work well. The stalwart captain, the idealistic scientists, the brash XO, the droid characters who have as much or more humanity then the human characters as well as the evil droid who could be a stand in for a number of villainous archetypes, clad in monotone crimson and with a face that could rival the most nefarious antagonists. Simple with it's upturned "rictus grin" style. It just works. So is it worth your time in 2023? Obviously I am going to suggest it, I'm a fan. And that's what fans do. I would offer the following suggestions to those who may want to try this movie. Go in with an open mind. Remember that this is more space opera than science fiction. Closer to Star Wars than Star Trek (not that Star Trek is scientifically accurate either). Accept that not everything needs to be scientifically accurate (thank you, Neil the ass Tyson) to be fun and good and worth watching. Who cares if it's not 100% in line with current scientific theory? You're watching a film, not preparing your thesis. Embrace the action, embrace the melodrama, and yes, embrace the silliness. This is a classic sci-fi film worth watching in my opinion. It ain't world changing, but the robots are fun, the ship models are interesting, the visuals are entertaining and the characters are tried and true archetypes that work at their core.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/27/23

Full Review

Brent P

You might like it if you're into science fiction and aren't expecting your typical Disney schtick. Hard science fiction aims for plausibility by including detailed explanations and technical jargon. When compared to other popular science fiction films of the time, such as Star Wars, it may be more reminiscent of the original Star Trek film. As far as I'm aware, it was the only Disney film of its time to receive a PG rating. This is due to the presence of unsettling, dark themes and a touch of violence. I suppose its surreal ending qualifies it as a cult classic. My only gripe is that it's never made clear whether or not the villain was correct in his assessment of the titular singularity. If you have an hour and 37 minutes to spare and are intrigued, by all means give it a look.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/08/23

Full Review

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Gary Nelson

Director

Maximilian Schell

Dr. Hans Reinhardt

Anthony Perkins

Dr. Alex Durant

Yvette Mimieux

Dr. Kate McCrae

Robert Forster

Captain Dan Holland

Joseph Bottoms

Lieutenant Charles Pizer

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Synopsis

In the future, a spaceship dubbed the USS Palomino is on its way back to Earth when it discovers another ship that had been assumed missing, the USS Cygnus. Kate McCrae (Yvette Mimieux), a scientist aboard the Palomino, learns that it's the same ship upon which her father had served as a crew member. When the Palomino's crew boards the Cygnus, they are met by Dr. Reindhardt (Maximilian Schell) and a bizarre, faceless army who plan to be the first people ever to explore a black hole.

Director: Gary Nelson
Screenwriter: Jeb Rosebrook, Gerry Day
Production Co: Walt Disney Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 18, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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