'
Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Pearl Harbor

Play trailer Poster for Pearl Harbor PG-13 Released May 25, 2001 3h 3m War Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
24% Tomatometer 195 Reviews 66% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
This sweeping drama, based on real historical events, follows American boyhood friends Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) as they enter World War II as pilots. Rafe is so eager to take part in the war that he departs to fight in Europe alongside England's Royal Air Force. On the home front, his girlfriend, Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale), finds comfort in the arms of Danny. The three of them reunite in Hawaii just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Pearl Harbor tries to be the Titanic of war movies, but it's just a tedious romance filled with laughably bad dialogue. The 40 minute action sequence is spectacular though.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (195) Critics Reviews
Joe Morgenstern Wall Street Journal Pearl Harbor is a blockheaded, hollow-hearted industrial enterprise. May 28, 2014 Full Review Andrew Sarris Observer The best way to see the movie is as I did: expecting nothing and being pleasantly surprised, and strangely moved, by Mr. Bay's audacity in filming his lovers in end-of-the-world close-ups, however briefly. May 28, 2014 Full Review Anthony Lane The New Yorker The effect of watching a Michael Bay film is indistinguishable from having a large, pointy lump of rock drop on your head. His new picture, Pearl Harbor, maintains the mood. May 28, 2014 Full Review Michael D. Reid Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada) This formulaic three-hour opus seems to go on from here to eternity. Rated: 1.5/5 Apr 30, 2024 Full Review Sergi Sánchez Fotogramas 'Pearl Harbor' effortlessly self-parodies itself. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 2/5 Jun 22, 2022 Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens Although Pearl Harbor will fill Disney's coffers, it will fail to fill your heart or adequately honor those men and women who were Pearl Harbor. Nov 14, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews
Angela Q I loved the movie Pearl Harbor so much, and I cried SO MUCH during it. It was so sad and heartbreaking, and I loved the romance between Rafe and Evelyn, and the chemistry and acting were amazing, and the casting, too. Everything was produced really well, including the special effects. It was so emotional and really touching. It is now one of my favorite movies of all time. I would totally recommend if you're into sad, heartbreaking romances. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/30/25 Full Review Nadine N Pearl Harbor” is more than a war movie—it’s a love letter to resilience, heartbreak, and the weight of history. Directed by Michael Bay and set against one of the most devastating attacks on American soil, it doesn’t just recreate a moment—it makes you feel it. The action sequences are staggering—the attack on Battleship Row is raw, chaotic, and unrelenting. It made me understand, in a visceral way, just how quickly a normal morning turned into a nightmare. You don’t just watch it—you live it. But what caught me off guard was the emotion. The love triangle between Rafe, Evelyn, and Danny might be fictional, but the feelings it surfaces—grief, loyalty, guilt, and impossible choices—felt real. It reminded me that even during war, people are still just trying to find something worth holding on to. Yes, the film takes dramatic liberties. No, it’s not a documentary. But as a cinematic experience, it captures something rare: the ache of innocence lost, and the quiet strength that follows. By the end, I didn’t just feel like I had watched a war movie—I felt like I had remembered something important about what courage really looks like. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/28/25 Full Review Michael L While the film offers brief awe-inspiring and patriotic shots the overall story leaves a lot to be desired. The ending of the film was not a mix of emotions, rather just two, anger and confusion. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/23/25 Full Review Jace E First things first, the fact that many of the posters only show Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale is a travesty. Josh Hartnett's Danny is the heart and soul of this film and one of the driving forces for this review to be more positive than negative. Pearl Harbor is a fascinating film. On one side, you have the incredible action sequences that depict the devastation of the events of December 7, 1941. On the other side, there is an abudance of melodramatic romance that becomes tiring and cumbersome. The problem is that the action sequences are only about 1/4 of the film, where the romance is the other 3/4. If that was flipped, I think Pearl Harbor would have much better reviews and would have resonated more with audiences. Best Character: Danny Best Quote: "No, you are" - Danny Best Scene: December 7th Best Piece of Score: "Tennessee Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/21/25 Full Review Audience Member An absolute masterpiece. A star studded cast and a love romance that is beautiful. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/29/25 Full Review Bethany H Pearl Harbor was good, but too many plot twists and Evelyn shouldn't have gotten her happy ending. We liked Gooz. Too many random scenes. It was fun. Not bad, but not my favorite. It did show how sad it was for the soldiers and families affected. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 04/15/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Pearl Harbor

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Enemy at the Gates 54% 82% Enemy at the Gates Watchlist Hart's War 60% 48% Hart's War Watchlist Regeneration 60% 76% Regeneration Watchlist Jarhead 60% 68% Jarhead Watchlist The Aryan Couple 12% 58% The Aryan Couple Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis This sweeping drama, based on real historical events, follows American boyhood friends Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) as they enter World War II as pilots. Rafe is so eager to take part in the war that he departs to fight in Europe alongside England's Royal Air Force. On the home front, his girlfriend, Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale), finds comfort in the arms of Danny. The three of them reunite in Hawaii just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Director
Michael Bay
Producer
Jerry Bruckheimer, Michael Bay
Screenwriter
Randall Wallace
Distributor
Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista Home Video (BVHV), Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Touchstone Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Rating
PG-13 (Images of Wound|Brief Sensuality|Intense War Sequences|Some Language)
Genre
War, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 25, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 23, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$198.5M
Runtime
3h 3m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
Most Popular at Home Now