Bat 21

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Bat 21

R

Released Oct 21, 1988

1h 45m

Action

Drama

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Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

17 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton (Gene Hackman) is shot down behind enemy lines during the waning days of the Vietnam War. His only connection to the outside world is through radio transmission with Capt. Bartholomew "Bird-Dog" Clark (Danny Glover), a pilot who helps him craft an escape plan and maintain his sanity. Lacking survival skills and unfamiliar with the harsh terrain in Vietnam, Hambleton is forced to fight for his life as he witnesses the shocking horrors of war.

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

I was reminded of Hackman's comment in Night Moves that watching a Rohmer film was like watching paint dry - although in this case, it's more like watching blood coagulate.

Apr 5, 2010

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Variety Staff

Variety

A straightforward, surprisingly somber picture that sticks to the facts.

Mar 26, 2009

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Nigel Floyd

Time Out

An unsatisfactory mix of low-key heroics, buddy-buddy humour, and anti-war sentiment ..

Jan 26, 2006

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...an above-average endeavor that ranks above many of its similarly-themed brethren.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 2, 2023

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Cathy Burke

United Press International

Bat 21 belongs to Hackman and Glover, and director Markle has the good sense to let these two veterans take over the show.

Oct 11, 2016

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Jul 10, 2005

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thiago s

Filme mais ou menos, o roteiro é mais ou menos, as cenas são mais ou menos, o elenco é bacaninha, e alguns ajudou a melhorar o filme, a história é bacaninha, os personagens sao fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes para fazer o filme ser bom.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/28/25

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Lisa H

I loved this movie, and it made me love Gene Hackman all the more. The connection between he and Danny Glover's character was amazing and how how he portrayed this man, stranded, and not being a fighting soldier and in such a dangerous position and all the challenges he had to try to survive and get home had me on the edge of my seat. Just loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/25

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Audience Member

Mediocre war movie. Nothing special

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/14/18

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Audience Member

excellent visual for understanding 'Nam......

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

A helicopter pilot crashes in war torn Vietnam and is soon rescued.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Audience Member

I apologize, but I do not understand how they managed to take a very intense and one of a kind Vietnam War story, star Gene Hackman and Danny Glover and turn it in to a (I apologize, but there is no other way around it) pile of steaming crap. This movie has no value whatsoever. I can not imagine who at their right mind at any point thought about this movie and figured that "wow, this was a cool, well made, action movie - awesome script, awesome story, awesome screenplay". Damn it, I have no polite words for it. It is just something that is there, there on your screen and it will be there for 1 hour and 40 minutes and when it ends it seems like all it was was some colors flashing on your screen and occasional face of Glover/Hackman/Reed. It was there and it actually wasn't. Dear lord, I am just speechless. DO NOT BOTHER WITH THIS MOVIE, THIS IS NOT EVEN CRAP ENOUGH TO BE FUNNY.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Peter Markle

Director

Gene Hackman

Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton

Danny Glover

Capt. Bartholomew Clark

Jerry Reed

Col. George Walker

David Marshall Grant

Ross Carver

Clayton Rohner

Sgt. Harley Rumbaugh

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Synopsis

Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton (Gene Hackman) is shot down behind enemy lines during the waning days of the Vietnam War. His only connection to the outside world is through radio transmission with Capt. Bartholomew "Bird-Dog" Clark (Danny Glover), a pilot who helps him craft an escape plan and maintain his sanity. Lacking survival skills and unfamiliar with the harsh terrain in Vietnam, Hambleton is forced to fight for his life as he witnesses the shocking horrors of war.

Director: Peter Markle
Producer: Gary A. Neill, David Fisher, Michael Balson
Screenwriter: William C. Anderson
Distributor: TriStar Pictures, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: Eagle Films, Vision PDG, TriStar Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 21, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 29, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.2M
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo