The Quiet Earth

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The Quiet Earth

R

1985

1h 30m

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

17 Reviews

69%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When everyone around him vanishes overnight, scientist Zac Hobson (Bruno Lawrence) finds himself seemingly the only person on the planet. The isolation initially drives him to the brink of suicide, but eventually Zac adapts to a day-to-day routine. After meeting two other survivors, Joanne (Alison Routledge) and Api (Peter Smith), a Maori, the trio roams New Zealand trying to understand what caused everyone else to disappear, why they remained behind -- and whether disaster will strike again.

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Geoff Brown

Times (UK)

The story's nuts and bolts, for instance, need drastic tightening.

Apr 14, 2020

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

The awe-inspiring final image in the film (of another daybreak, echoing the film's opening) is similarly slippery, catching Zac on a liminal, limbic shoreline between multiverse cosmology and hard eschatology.

Jun 26, 2018

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Tom Keogh

Seattle Times

[A] strange, vivid movie.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 29, 2016

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Alan Boon

Starburst

Lawrence is compelling, and as a balding, middle-aged man is a refreshing lead for a movie that, if made in Hollywood now, would star Will Smith, Tom Cruise, or whoever the hot, young, brooding leading man of the hour happens to be.

Rated: 9/10

Nov 26, 2018

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Rob Aldam

Backseat Mafia

Murphy ensures that the film is laced with a very singular brand of Kiwi humour.

Oct 31, 2018

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Charles Mudede

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

One could never repeat an effort like The Quiet Earth; it stands alone in a universe that seems to be itself completely an original.

Aug 22, 2018

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Wiley C

Horrible excuse for a movie/story!!!!!!!!!!!! Illogical so-called Story/plot. Makes NO sense at all! It gets a 1% grade (out of 100%). Stupid, illogical, and pointless so-called story......Waste of time!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

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Twiggy H

Firstly, my thoughts aren't valuable - but that movie was alright. It doesn't try to be something it isn't, and has some humous moments. There are some moments though it could have done without.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/25/24

Full Review

Audience Member

On the surface, some will find THE QUIET EARTH appealing and some won't — SciFi is like that. I felt it was an excellent and truly engaging production and will certainly be watching it again.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/30/24

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David W

The Quiet Earth is a cult film that approaches a fairly common trope in a thoughtful and engaging manner. The three leads offer rich performances. I would definitely watch this film again.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/02/24

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Joe W

Probably you would have been entertained in 1985, but now this is just silly, poorly acted rifraf.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/13/24

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Tommy

simple premise. but pretty decent.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/02/24

Full Review

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Geoff Murphy

Director

Bruno Lawrence

Zac Hobson

Alison Routledge

Joanne

Pete Smith

Api

Zac Wallace

Api's Mate

Norman Fletcher

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Synopsis

When everyone around him vanishes overnight, scientist Zac Hobson (Bruno Lawrence) finds himself seemingly the only person on the planet. The isolation initially drives him to the brink of suicide, but eventually Zac adapts to a day-to-day routine. After meeting two other survivors, Joanne (Alison Routledge) and Api (Peter Smith), a Maori, the trio roams New Zealand trying to understand what caused everyone else to disappear, why they remained behind -- and whether disaster will strike again.

Director: Geoff Murphy
Producer: Sam Pillsbury, Don Reynolds
Production Co: Cinepro, Mr. Yellowbeard Productions Limited & Company, Pilsbury Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 7, 2017
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Surround

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