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The Guardian

Play trailer Poster for The Guardian PG-13 Released Sep 29, 2006 2h 19m Drama Action Play Trailer Watchlist
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37% Tomatometer 149 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
A Coast Guard rescue swimmer (Kevin Costner), who still mourns losing his crew in a fatal accident, copes by dedicating his life to training new recruits, so when he meets swimming champion Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), he molds the cocky young man into his protege and takes him on a mission in the dangerous waters of the Bering Strait.
The Guardian

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The Coast Guard gets its chance for a heroic movie tribute, but The Guardian does it no justice, borrowing cliche after cliche from other (and better) military branch movies.

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Critics Reviews

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Brian Tallerico UGO Screenwriter's Voice Will definitely rescue some moviegoers from the post-summer doldrums, but someone should have told Davis that there's going to be casualities if he leaves audiences in the water that long. Mar 24, 2007 Full Review Stephanie Zacharek Salon.com Kutcher and Costner have a kind of visual chemistry that's just as elusive as the other kind. And the connection and contrast between them remind us that Hollywood isn't as forgiving of older male actors as we like to think. Sep 29, 2006 Full Review Scott Bowles USA Today Kutcher may soon be ready to anchor a Hollywood sea voyage. But for now, he's still a touch out of his depth. Rated: 2/4 Sep 29, 2006 Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com A simple, predictable, and formulaic action flick. Rated: 2.0/4.0 Sep 9, 2020 Full Review VyceVictus Lewton Bus The Guardian is ultimately a by the numbers movie that failed to hit big at the box office, seemingly lost to time. Various elements seem dated or unintentionally hilarious. Feb 6, 2020 Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens When I left the theater, it was with not only newfound knowledge and respect for the men and women of our Coast Guard, but with a wave of excitement from the sheer excellence and entertainment of the film. Nov 6, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mark F. It is and absolutely fantastic movie of our everyday heroes in the coast guard and is 100% worth the watch. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/13/25 Full Review Tina P. This is a great movie! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/12/25 Full Review Saydi M This is so good! Good acting and lots of laughs Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/07/25 Full Review Simon C Kevin Costner makes movies for guys and this is a great guy movie. Ashton Kutcher shines in this role. Kevin Costner’s as usually is great. Sure the movie is full of cliches and has been done before but I found it emotionally moving and fun. Makes me proud of the United States coast guard, and that is a great feeling. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/20/25 Full Review Edgar P While there's some cliches in this movie, truth is it doesn't matter at all. It teaches priority in life is to protect life, including your personal life and the people you love. It teaches you that there are more things in life that the search of personal glory and a big paycheck. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/25/25 Full Review Rick M Tedious beyond endurance. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 04/19/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Guardian

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Cast & Crew

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Andrew Davis

Director

Kevin Costner

Ben Randall

Ashton Kutcher

Jake Fischer

Sela Ward

Helen Randall

Melissa Sagemiller

Emily Thomas

Clancy Brown

Capt. William Hadley

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The Guardian

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Movie Info

Synopsis A Coast Guard rescue swimmer (Kevin Costner), who still mourns losing his crew in a fatal accident, copes by dedicating his life to training new recruits, so when he meets swimming champion Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), he molds the cocky young man into his protege and takes him on a mission in the dangerous waters of the Bering Strait.
Director
Andrew Davis
Producer
Beau Flynn, Tripp Vinson
Screenwriter
Ron L. Brinkerhoff, James Vanderbilt
Distributor
Buena Vista
Production Co
Eyetronics, Beacon Pictures, Touchstone Pictures, Firm Films, Contrafilm, A School Productions
Rating
PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Action|Brief Strong Language|Peril|Some Sensuality)
Genre
Drama, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 29, 2006, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$55.0M
Runtime
2h 19m
Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby SRD
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)