Gallipoli

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Gallipoli

PG

1981

1h 50m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Archy (Mark Lee) and Frank (Mel Gibson) are two young Australian sprinters who want to join the army to fulfill their sense of duty. Turned down because they are too young, the pair hop a freight train to Perth, where they are allowed to join up. They board a troop ship headed to Cairo and, after training in the shadows of the Great Pyramids, the boys are finally sent to the front line, where their speed makes them candidates for messengers in one of the war's bloodiest battles.

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Critics Consensus

Peter Weir's devastating anti-war film features a low-key but emotionally wrenching performance from Mel Gibson as a young soldier fighting in one of World War I's most deadly and horrifying battles.

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Michael Blowen

Boston Globe

Gallipoli is a predictable war movie filled with all the gung-ho cliches of the genre -- and I loved it.

Jun 29, 2018

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David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

Gallipoli was, and is, a triumph.

Jul 7, 2017

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Evan Williams

The Australian

Weir's objective was not to show us Gallipoli through a documentary lens, but with an artist's vision. He has succeeded magnificently.

Jul 7, 2017

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

This is a stunning film, widely acclaimed and rightfully considered today to be one of Australia’s all-time best

Rated: 10/10

Aug 16, 2024

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Michael Bronski

Gay Community News (Boston)

For its flaws, Gallipoli is consistently interesting, and attractive to look at.

Sep 9, 2022

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Richard Freedman

Newhouse News Service

It maintains interest throughout, without ever being a particularly gripping, dramatic experience.

May 13, 2020

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Audience Member

Ok, even given it's age in 2025, it's not all that great. The performances are fine but there's a long, meaningless, build-up to the actual war= then almost nothing to do with the actual events of the war, and a highly contrived ending that was not very good. I'm watching this now but if I could insert myself back to 81'- I still think I wouldn't have liked it very much- it was a bit boring, especially for a war movie. I'm not mad that I watched it but not going to keep it for my collection, even being a big Gibson fan, and I am.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/15/25

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Gareth v

A masterpiece of Australian cinema - human, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. A story built around friendship & the futility of war, has one of the most memorable ending in cinema history. One of 1981's best movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/09/25

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Jerod S

Gallipoli is an interesting war movie - starts with running and ends, sadly, with the same thing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/25

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To F

Una maravillosa historia. Te demuestra lo hermoso que es la vida y el compañerismo hasta que llega algo mal, como la guerra y todo cambia. Enserió que se disfruta y te da tristeza.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

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Tilly C

I had to watch this during history in college it was boring, dull, humdrum, stale, dull humdrum lifeless monotonous mundane stale stodgy stuffy stupid tame tedious tiresome tiring trite uninteresting

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/08/24

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William O

My God what an ending that was!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/12/24

Full Review

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Peter Weir

Director

Mark Lee

Archy Hamilton

Mel Gibson

Frank Dunne

Bill Kerr

Jack

Ron Graham

Wallace Hamilton

Harold Hopkins

Les McCann

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Synopsis

Archy (Mark Lee) and Frank (Mel Gibson) are two young Australian sprinters who want to join the army to fulfill their sense of duty. Turned down because they are too young, the pair hop a freight train to Perth, where they are allowed to join up. They board a troop ship headed to Cairo and, after training in the shadows of the Great Pyramids, the boys are finally sent to the front line, where their speed makes them candidates for messengers in one of the war's bloodiest battles.

Director: Peter Weir
Producer: Patricia Lovell, Robert Stigwood
Screenwriter: Peter Weir, David Williamson
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Australian Film Commission
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 28, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 21, 2010
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Mono

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