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Stalker

Play trailer Poster for Stalker TV-14 Released Oct 20, 1982 2h 43m Sci-Fi Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 43 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
In an unnamed country at an unspecified time, there is a fiercely protected post-apocalyptic wasteland known as The Zone. An illegal guide (Aleksandr Kajdanovsky), whose mutant child suggests unspeakable horrors within The Zone, leads a writer (Anatoliy Solonitsyn) and a scientist (Nikolay Grinko) into the heart of the devastation in search of a mythical place known only as The Room. Anyone who enters The Room will supposedly have any of his earthly desires immediately fulfilled.
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Stalker

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Critics Consensus

Stalker is a complex, oblique parable that draws unforgettable images and philosophical musings from its sci-fi/thriller setting.

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Critics Reviews

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John Semley Salon.com It's a film that challenges us to be bored, while refusing to be boring. Feb 7, 2019 Full Review David Jenkins Little White Lies Yet Stalker is a movie to be watched as many times as physically possible... It really is that astounding. Feb 7, 2019 Full Review Kristin M. Jones Wall Street Journal There are no flying saucers in the great Russian director's haunting tale of a journey into the depths of a postapocalyptic landscape, but it offers visual splendor, as well as mysteries, portents and miracles. Feb 14, 2018 Full Review Dave Giannini InSession Film Impressive work. It challenges us, whether we are people of faith or not. In a dramatically fantastic artistic career, Stalker is Tarkobvky’s greatest achievement, and one of film’s greatest accomplishments, as well. Rated: A+ Feb 29, 2024 Full Review Zita Short InSession Film This is a film that sets itself apart from the rest for subtle reasons. It doesn’t jump out at you as something that is daring or audacious and you do have to dig a bit deeper in order to properly engage with it. Rated: B Feb 7, 2023 Full Review Emmanuel Carrère Positif The opening is one of the most gripping and visionary moments I have ever seen in the cinema. May 4, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Free S Worst movie ever! Very far from original story by Strugacki bros. Tarkovsky maybe is a genius, but definitely not here! Hi turned very interesting story into incredibly boring waste of film! Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 11/11/24 Full Review Audience Member C h e e k i B r e e k i Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/02/24 Full Review Dane M STALKER, and the book that it's based on, Roadside Picnic, are some of the few pieces of fiction that I would consider "important" to a person's understanding of history and philosophy. They are unique and exquisite examples of sometimes-banned Soviet Russian science fiction that the USSR spent years trying to prevent the publication of or edit into effective oblivion. Despite this, the book and film remain completely intact in their content and message. As a work of fiction, it tells a story in desperately stark drama with deeply subtle satire about the realities of life under an oppressive regime. The story dives into the need to find an escape from a dreary life--no matter how terrifying, tantalizing, or horrible that escape may be. It contrasts the quietude of self with the noise of the outside world. I strongly recommend this movie (and the book, as well as the resulting video game series) to science fiction fans, and anyone who is interested in history or philosophy. It's a slow-burning story (as many old movies are), but well worth the time it takes to watch it. After you've finished, I encourage you to read about the story of how the movie was created and the aftermath thereof; it will surely blow your mind for a second time. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/24/24 Full Review Audience Member Takes time to watch it, and even more if you're watching it in 2024 where the attention span has decreased significantly, but the message behind is extremely powerful. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/04/24 Full Review Branwen F If I could give it a negative amount of stars I would, because I've never seen a film where so little happened during almost 3 h and yet so many people find a profound "meaning" in it. Most pretentious nothing-burger I've tortured myself through. Only thing I can give it is that many scenes are quite beautiful, but there is absolutely NO reason for each shot to be over 5 minutes long, it doesn't get any deeper or more profound just by slowly zooming in on a man trying to sleep on some moss, half submerged in a soggy pond before changing to another 5 min shot of another man lying on another patch of moss, also half submerged in the same slop, all while mumbling "deep" depressing russian philosophy, sorry. Would not recommend unless you want to pretend that you like it in order to make your friends angry Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/25/24 Full Review Leigh F It is just visual poetry, just lovely shot after lovely shot. It is a 100% movie but I wouldn't expect people to like it in this video game and marvel movie time period. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/24/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Stalker

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Movie Info

Synopsis In an unnamed country at an unspecified time, there is a fiercely protected post-apocalyptic wasteland known as The Zone. An illegal guide (Aleksandr Kajdanovsky), whose mutant child suggests unspeakable horrors within The Zone, leads a writer (Anatoliy Solonitsyn) and a scientist (Nikolay Grinko) into the heart of the devastation in search of a mythical place known only as The Room. Anyone who enters The Room will supposedly have any of his earthly desires immediately fulfilled.
Director
Andrei Tarkovsky
Producer
Aleksandra Demidova
Screenwriter
Arkadiy Strugatskiy, Boris Strugatskiy, Arkadiy Strugatskiy, Boris Strugatskiy
Production Co
Mosfilm
Rating
TV-14
Genre
Sci-Fi, Adventure
Original Language
Russian
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 20, 1982, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
May 5, 2017
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 18, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$258.4K
Runtime
2h 43m
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