The Bounty

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The Bounty

PG

Released May 4, 1984

2h 12m

Adventure

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

19 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Captain Bligh (Anthony Hopkins) struggles to restore discipline among the crew of the HMS Bounty after the ship has an extended furlough in Tahiti. After the captain doles out floggings and other physical punishments, the crew mutinies, led by Bligh's former close friend, Fletcher Christian (Mel Gibson). Unable to return to their tropical paradise, the mutineers find themselves stranded, while Bligh and his faithful crew members embark on a dangerous journey to the Dutch East Indies.

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Critics Consensus

Thanks in large part to its cast, and Anthony Hopkins in particular, The Bounty's retelling of the mutiny on the HMS Bounty is an intelligent, engaging adventure saga.

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Variety Staff

Variety

An intelligent, firstrate, revisionist telling of the famous tale of Fletcher Christian's mutiny against Captain Bligh.

Mar 26, 2009

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

It's all a brave try, though Gibson is perhaps not up to the demands of a Christian's progress from naive rating to self-loathing exile, and Donaldson's direction often verges on the stolid.

Feb 9, 2006

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

A great adventure, a lush romance, and a good movie.

Rated: 4/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Jim Schembri

Cinema Papers

For a film that tries so hard to follow a 'mass appeal' format, The Bounty fails to consolidate properly each of the formula's ingredients to offer anything special or memorable to the audience it is so eager to capture.

May 13, 2020

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Jason Wilson

Under the Radar

The Bounty ultimately tries to do too much ... it's a missed opportunity that needs trimming in some areas and extra time in others.

Apr 23, 2019

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Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

While no match for the revered classic that earned the Best Picture Academy Award for 1935 (Mutiny on the Bounty, starring Clark Gable and Charles Laughton), this is an intelligent retelling that relates the historic mutiny through an altered prism.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 8, 2015

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Michael Patrick M

No other Bounty film even comes close. The best Bligh and Christian I’ve ever seen. Captures the dynamic of initial friendship that goes south as the ship does the same. My only regret is that this film was not longer or better yet made into a trilogy.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/24/24

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Leaburn O

Quite decent, Hopkins as always is a class apart. Not as good as the old Oscar winning version called Mutiny on the Bounty which I would definitely recommend above and beyond this version. Watched on Amazon Prime.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/24/24

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A.L.Jude P

Truly, a masterpiece went unnoticed by Oscars as usual.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/08/24

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Zinjx W

For once, you can't complain about a remake of an old classic or crowd pleaser. So definitely as good as the movie from 1935, and definitely better than the slightly empty picture book from 1962.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/07/24

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Peter W

Overall, The Bounty is a dramatic story about friendship, poor choices, friction, and trust. Performances from Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson are impressive, and this film stands firmly as an accurate depiction of mutiny which is incredible to witness. The costume work here is excellent, along with the locations, and the ship's look is stunning. The score by Vangelis is deeply effective but repetitive, and the film's second act drags on. Still, the opening and finale are touching, engaging, and the entire movie leaves a lasting experience.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/14/23

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Kevin A

A star studded cast, & a truly remarkable tale, make for an excellent viewing experience. 85%.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/29/23

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Roger Donaldson

Director

Mel Gibson

Fletcher Christian Master's Mate

Anthony Hopkins

Lieutenant William Bligh

Laurence Olivier

Admiral Hood

Edward Fox

Captain Greetham

Daniel Day-Lewis

John Fryer

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The Bounty: Official Clip - Stolen Coconuts

1:54

The Bounty: Official Clip - Mutiny

2:27

The Bounty: Official Clip - Land, Ho!

2:02

The Bounty: Official Clip - Mixing With the Natives

2:02

The Bounty: Official Clip - Exonerated

2:27

The Bounty: Official Clip - The Loyalists Are Castaway

2:14

The Bounty: Official Clip - Gag Them Both

2:11

The Bounty: Official Clip - Divvying Up the Spoils

1:42

The Bounty: Official Clip - Lost At Sea

2:14

The Bounty: Official Clip - Second in Command

2:12

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Synopsis

Captain Bligh (Anthony Hopkins) struggles to restore discipline among the crew of the HMS Bounty after the ship has an extended furlough in Tahiti. After the captain doles out floggings and other physical punishments, the crew mutinies, led by Bligh's former close friend, Fletcher Christian (Mel Gibson). Unable to return to their tropical paradise, the mutineers find themselves stranded, while Bligh and his faithful crew members embark on a dangerous journey to the Dutch East Indies.

Director: Roger Donaldson
Producer: Bernard Williams
Screenwriter: Richard Hough, Robert Bolt
Distributor: Orion Pictures, Video Classics
Production Co: Dino De Laurentiis Productions, Bounty Productions Ltd.
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 4, 1984, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround

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