Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Play trailer Poster for Picnic at Hanging Rock PG 1979 1h 50m Mystery & Thriller Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
92% Tomatometer 53 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
In the early 1900s, Miranda (Anne Lambert) attends a girls boarding school in Australia. One Valentine's Day, the school's typically strict headmistress (Rachel Roberts) treats the girls to a picnic field trip to an unusual but scenic volcanic formation called Hanging Rock. Despite rules against it, Miranda and several other girls venture off. It's not until the end of the day that the faculty realizes the girls and one of the teachers (Vivean Gray) have disappeared mysteriously.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Picnic at Hanging Rock

Picnic at Hanging Rock

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Visually mesmerizing, Picnic at Hanging Rock is moody, unsettling, and enigmatic -- a masterpiece of Australian cinema and a major early triumph for director Peter Weir.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More (53)
Peter Bradshaw Guardian The film’s mystery still shimmers. Rated: 5/5 Feb 21, 2025 Full Review Kevin Maher The Times (UK) The “readings” are endless, the mood impossibly eerie and the legacy untouchable. Rated: 5/5 Apr 27, 2023 Full Review Joe Clay The Times (UK) Extraordinary, haunting classic... Oct 26, 2022 Full Review Soham Gadre Film Inquiry The various layers of feeling from ethereal coming-of-age fantasy, to domestic drama, to supernatural mystery to surreal nightmare turn Weir’s film into a beguiling experience that defies genre. Aug 28, 2025 Full Review Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast The ethereal and dreamlike vibes that Weir is able to capture are nothing short of magnificent. Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 18, 2025 Full Review Clotilde Chinnici FILMHOUNDS Magazine Such an ending is part of what makes it such an iconic and unforgettable movie that has certainly earned its place in film history as one of the best films in Weir's career and in the tradition of Australian cinema at large. Rated: 4/5 Jul 19, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More (877)
Mike M. A nonviolent thriller that’s mystery and layers linger long after viewing. The obtrusive contrast between the violent and dangerous Australian landscape and the prim proper pressured pomp of the female college couldn’t be more pertinent or prescient. Kudos to author and filmmakers for setting such a well constructed framework for our alluring and original haunt of a film. Weir creates an unsettling mood and atmosphere that left me leaning in and prying. Only to have that same intrigue turned inward at the end, leaving me to ask what is the author of this tale trying to make me see and feel, and maybe even… know. If you leave your own expectations at the door and take it for what it is, i.e what is given and not what you want it to be, only then can you see its power and impact. It’s no coincidence that there are probably more females than males that better “get” this film. But maybe I’ve said too much… Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/16/25 Full Review jacob c A phenomenal entry in Australian cinema, Picnic at Hanging Rock is a haunting mystery, expertly filmed, that exudes elegance and grace. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/23/25 Full Review Xoxo J best filming not bad lah Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/01/25 Full Review Sandi W filmnya recommended untuk kalian tonton Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/01/25 Full Review Fitri D Ini ide yang sangat bagus ya, terus menambah karya perfilm an Indonesia. Yang didalamnya terdapat beragam film, Terus berkembang ya dunia perfilm an, The best pokoknya Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/28/25 Full Review ranita s Good, fun and explore Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/28/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Picnic at Hanging Rock

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
The China Syndrome 88% 81% The China Syndrome Watchlist The Last Wave 78% 79% The Last Wave Watchlist Gallipoli 91% 83% Gallipoli Watchlist Agatha 67% 51% Agatha Watchlist The Odessa File 69% 64% The Odessa File Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In the early 1900s, Miranda (Anne Lambert) attends a girls boarding school in Australia. One Valentine's Day, the school's typically strict headmistress (Rachel Roberts) treats the girls to a picnic field trip to an unusual but scenic volcanic formation called Hanging Rock. Despite rules against it, Miranda and several other girls venture off. It's not until the end of the day that the faculty realizes the girls and one of the teachers (Vivean Gray) have disappeared mysteriously.
Director
Peter Weir
Producer
Jim McElroy
Distributor
Atlantic Releasing Corporation
Production Co
Australian Film Commission
Rating
PG
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
Australian English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 2, 1979, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jan 31, 2025
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 21, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA)
$31.2K
Runtime
1h 50m
Most Popular at Home Now