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The Wave

Play trailer 2:09 Poster for The Wave R Released Mar 4, 2016 1h 45m Mystery & Thriller Adventure Action Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 109 Reviews 65% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A Norwegian geologist (Kristoffer Joner) and his family (Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro) fight for survival when a massive landslide causes a 250-foot tidal wave.
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The Wave

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Critics Consensus

Well-acted and blessed with a refreshingly humanistic focus, The Wave is a disaster film that makes uncommonly smart use of disaster film clichés.

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Critics Reviews

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com It's a real world ecological thriller that doesn't forget about the human story running through the heart of the narrative, and as such the film ends up being an avalanche of thrills and chills I cannot wait to watch again. Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 15, 2016 Full Review Wendy Ide Observer (UK) The intimate focus, juxtaposed with the unsettling beauty of the backdrop and the eerie stillness of the aftermath, brings a novel twist to the well-worn disaster movie format. Rated: 4/5 Aug 14, 2016 Full Review Kate Muir Times (UK) The Wave is a small-town Norwegian disaster movie writ satisfyingly large. Rated: 4/5 Aug 12, 2016 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies What Roar Uthaug and company have given us is a film that manages to be unashamedly a disaster movie while at the same time distinguishing itself as something unique. Rated: 4.5/5 Aug 21, 2022 Full Review Hilary A White Sunday Independent (Ireland) Other than its Nordic setting, The Wave has nothing new to offer the genre, lifting its entire structure from any number of volcano or earthquake films we've seen dozens of times already. Rated: 2/5 Apr 26, 2020 Full Review David Harris Spectrum Culture The Wave ultimately stumbles once its titular flood hits, exposing a story predicated on cliché and budgetary restraints. Rated: 2.25/5 Dec 3, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Brad S. R A rare disaster flick that actually sticks its landing. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/27/25 Full Review alan g Knock off foreign movie of so many American disaster movies. What is this hokeywood infatuation with foreign films? Aren't there enough bad American movies? Rated 1 out of 5 stars 03/05/25 Full Review Audience Member The movie started off a bit questionable but turned out to be a great watch! Knowing more about the situation than most, I found it hard to understand why the characters hesitated but honestly most people often doubt or deny things like this in real life when bad things happen. We all react differently to certain situations. The scenery was beautiful, and the CGI made the disaster look incredible. Some character deaths were sad, but they felt realistic since not everyone survives. I liked that some characters were smart enough to follow the guy who ran for safety though. I feel like a lot of movies lose a lot of fans when characters just stand and do nothing. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/12/25 Full Review Dave C A disaster movie with science and history forming a part of its foundation. This is generally well-written, and is focused on a family going through a transition that is impacting on each of them differently, causing some tension and doubt. With the understanding that something bed is likely to unfold sometime soon, the expectation distills some of the suspense. Unfortunately, the directing and acting don't deliver much in the way of tension or a sense of danger. The setting is well chosen, and the effects aren't awful Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/23/24 Full Review Georgan G Well done disaster flick with beautiful scenery and horrifying special effects. Predictable, but worth watching. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/24 Full Review Randi C This movie feels like it could be real. Unlike most disaster movies, this one focuses more on the actual human side of things. All kinds of emotions going into it and a great cast. The wave is beautiful and eerie and it will actually get your pulse racing because it just feels real. I just wish once the wave started to form that they had slowed it down a bit more to keep the tension going. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/18/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Roar Uthaug

Director

Kristoffer Joner

Kristian Eikjord

Ane Dahl Torp

Idun Karlsen

Jonas Hoff Oftebro

Sondre

Edith Haagenrud-Sande

Julia

Fridtjov Såheim

Arvid Øvrebø
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The Wave

The Wave: Trailer 1 The Wave: Trailer 1 2:09 View more videos
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The Wave

The Wave (2015) The Wave (2015) A scene from " The Wave." Kristoffer Joner as Kristian in "The Wave." Ane Dahl Torp as Idun in "The Wave." Kristoffer Joner as Kristian in "The Wave." Kristoffer Joner as Kristian in "The Wave." Kristoffer Joner as Kristian in "The Wave." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A Norwegian geologist (Kristoffer Joner) and his family (Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro) fight for survival when a massive landslide causes a 250-foot tidal wave.
Director
Roar Uthaug
Producer
Martin Sundland, Are Heidenstrom
Screenwriter
John Kåre Raake, Harald Rosenløw-Eeg
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Fantefilm, Film i Väst
Rating
R (Some Language|Disaster Images)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Adventure, Action
Original Language
Norwegian
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 4, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 4, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$176.6K
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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