Back to the Future

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1:31

Back to the Future

PG

1985

1h 56m

Comedy

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

118 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In this 1980s sci-fi classic, small-town California teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is thrown back into the '50s when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) goes awry. Traveling through time in a modified DeLorean car, Marty encounters young versions of his parents (Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson), and must make sure that they fall in love or he'll cease to exist. Even more dauntingly, Marty has to return to his own time and save the life of Doc Brown.

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Critics Consensus

Inventive, funny, and breathlessly constructed, Back to the Future is a rousing time-travel adventure with an unforgettable spirit.

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Phil Hoad

Guardian

Jan 7

2/5

There are some passable sequences, such as a cart-borne escape down a hillside tea plantation. But the fight choreography is rote gun-fu -- surprisingly, as it’s overseen by old master Sammo Hung -- and often chopped into restrictive closeups.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

Oct 31

4.5/5

40 years later, Future is as fun as ever, but Marty’s anxiety – and having to confront seeing himself reflected in his father – reveals a sneakily resonant story of self-doubt and self-discovery.

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Pauline Kael

The New Yorker

06/28/2023

What pushes Back to the Future over the edge from so-so to oh-no is its willing complicity in the continuing glorification of the '50s.

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Branyan Towe

InSession Film

Dec 16

A+

Thanks to an excellent cast and hilarious script, Back to the Future continues to be one of the greatest films ever made, 40 years after its original release.

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Matt Neal

ABC Radio (Australia)

Dec 13

5/5

While it sucks to think we live 10 years beyond the future Doc and Marty visited in the under-appreciated Back To The Future II, at least it's good to know that 40 years on from their first outing, Back To The Future remains a timeless classic.

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Giancarlo F. Ciprian

Cinencuentro

Nov 5

Back to the Future is, in addition to being an iconic film whose elements now form part of retro culture, a reflection on the passage of time and the vindication of the past. [Full review in Spanish]

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Coop

6d

Awesome show. One of the best ever. Good reason Colleges and Universities have taught classes about this film.

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Zach M

Jan 7

This in IMAX was breathtaking. Never have I experienced anything like that. What a trip.

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Tony J

Jan 1

Great to see this classic on the big screen!

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Michael

Dec 14

Timeless movie, was great to see it in the theater on the big screen.

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Hassan Haroon

Dec 14

A timeless classic about time travel that still hold up 40 years later!

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Kristen

Dec 13

SO awesome to see this classic in theaters 🎥 considering I was too little when it originally came out. 😀

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Robert Zemeckis

Director

Michael J. Fox

Marty McFly

Christopher Lloyd

Dr. Emmett Brown

Crispin Glover

George McFly

Lea Thompson

Lorraine Baines McFly

Wendie Jo Sperber

Linda McFly

Movieclips: Back to the Future's Best Scenes

22:02

Back to the Future: Official Clip - The DeLorean

1:22

Back to the Future: Official Clip - Back In Time

2:03

Back to the Future: Official Clip - Johnny B. Goode

2:57

Back to the Future: Official Clip - 1.21 Gigawatts

2:46

Back to the Future: Official Clip - Back to the Future

3:04

Back to the Future: Official Clip - You're George McFly!

2:59

Back to the Future: Official Clip - You Leave Her Alone

2:59

Back to the Future: Official Clip - I'm From the Future

2:52

Back to the Future: Official Clip - The Libyans Find Doc Brown

2:41

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Back to the Future Part II

63%

86%

Back to the Future Part II

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Back to the Future Part II

Back to the Future Part III

79%

78%

Back to the Future Part III

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Back to the Future Part III

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Back to the Future: 40th Anniversary Trailer

1:31

Rotten Tomatoes is Wrong About…The Back to the Future Trilogy (With Special Guest Topher Grace)

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Back to the Future: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

In this 1980s sci-fi classic, small-town California teen Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is thrown back into the '50s when an experiment by his eccentric scientist friend Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) goes awry. Traveling through time in a modified DeLorean car, Marty encounters young versions of his parents (Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson), and must make sure that they fall in love or he'll cease to exist. Even more dauntingly, Marty has to return to his own time and save the life of Doc Brown.

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Producer: Bob Gale, Neil Canton
Screenwriter: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 3, 1985, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Oct 31, 2025
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 8, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $224.9M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround

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