Rolling Thunder

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Rolling Thunder

R

1977

1h 39m

Action

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

A Vietnam veteran who returns home after years in a POW camp, Maj. Charles Rane (William Devane) is treated as a hero, but his family proves to be distant. When thugs invade his home to steal silver coins that Rane received for his service, they mangle his hand and leave him, his wife and son for dead. Rane survives and becomes obsessed with getting revenge. Aided by his loyal friend Johnny Vohden (Tommy Lee Jones), Rane, now wielding a hook for a hand, sets out on his mission of vengeance.

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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

Flynn's crisp, laconic direction and evocative use of Southern Texas locations transorm Rolling Thunder, now at area theaters, into a more distinctive exploitation movie than it deserves to be.

Dec 21, 2015

Full Review

Nick Pinkerton

Village Voice

Performances are made crystalline through a sixth sense for camera placement and curt cutting from director John Flynn, whose 2007 passing was little noted, though his no-BS way of laying down a story is a rare commodity in any era.

Aug 1, 2012

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Variety Staff

Variety

In sum, it neither rolls nor thunders.

Mar 26, 2009

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

The movie is just as much a character study as it is a revenge thriller. Its themes are straightforward but insightful, plowing deep into the post-Vietnam alienation felt by many veterans. At the same time, there’s no denying its exploitation inspiration.

Rated: 3.5/5

Feb 12, 2025

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Basically an inferior version of Death Wish, with a thudding simplicity that makes the Charles Bronson hit look as complex as All the President’s Men by comparison.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 23, 2024

Full Review

Naila Scargill

Trebuchet

The film should be viewed by any pondering war and its psychological consequences. And, if not made clear enough already, the acting on offer is simply fantastic.

Feb 28, 2019

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Jonathan O

Rolling Thunder is an explosion violent revenge thriller ever with really great cast and good writing from the same writer who did Taxi Driver.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

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Matt F

One of my favorite revenge movies. I saw it at an early age and was suprised to see James Best as a villain but he was really good as one as well as Luke Askew. Probably one of Tommy Lee Jones earliest movies. William Devane's character reliving the torture as a POW just added the fuel for the blowout ending.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/28/24

Full Review

Mark W

The ever dependable William Devane alone make this worth watching. 70s revenge thriller set against the backdrop of the fallout from the Vietnam war. Not action packed throughout but boy when it comes it packs a bloody punch.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/30/24

Full Review

Jelisije J

A slow standard revenge movie of a veteran returning home who cannot adjust to society and witnesses his family murder he then seeks revenge....well he also has a hook for a hand so its quite interesting watch.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/06/24

Full Review

Scott M

Fascinating story about a Vietnam veteran who has flashbacks about being tortured during the war and how it affects his family life. I enjoyed the story a lot. What I hated was the choice for leads. There was no chemistry between Devane and Haynes. I think they hated each other. The producers should have picked Tommy Lee Jones to play the lead and then found a young Signourney Weaver.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

05/21/24

Full Review

AlphaSnail N

Amazing concept, setup, and even climax of the movie but the acting is insanely wooden. William Devine and Tommy Lee Jones are great but almost every other actor is very stilted, especially the young lady who befriends the main character. The movie is worth the bad acting all for the scene where he hooks the guys hand, and the climactic shootout.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/20/24

Full Review

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John Flynn

Director

William Devane

Major Charles Rane

Tommy Lee Jones

Johnny Vohden

Linda Haynes

Linda Forchet

James Best

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Synopsis

A Vietnam veteran who returns home after years in a POW camp, Maj. Charles Rane (William Devane) is treated as a hero, but his family proves to be distant. When thugs invade his home to steal silver coins that Rane received for his service, they mangle his hand and leave him, his wife and son for dead. Rane survives and becomes obsessed with getting revenge. Aided by his loyal friend Johnny Vohden (Tommy Lee Jones), Rane, now wielding a hook for a hand, sets out on his mission of vengeance.

Director: John Flynn
Producer: Norman T. Herman
Screenwriter: Paul Schrader, Heywood Gould
Production Co: Lawrence Gordon Productions, TBC Filmproduktion, American International Pictures (AIP)
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 39m

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