--- title: "The Aviator" year: 2004 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-aviator" fi1m_score: 74 critics_score: 74 critics_reviews: 20 published: "2026-09-20T07:11:03.734980+00:00" updated: "2026-09-20T07:11:15.138666+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Aviator (2004) Directed by Martin Scorsese · 2h 50m · MPA PG-13 · Drama **Fi1m score: 74** · Critics 74 from 20 reviews *In a sentence:* Three hours of a man who can build anything except a door handle he can bring himself to touch > Scorsese’s Howard Hughes film is big, fast and beautifully dressed, with a Cate Blanchett who steals every scene she is in. It explains its subject in one childhood scene and then keeps pointing at it, and at 170 minutes the last hour drags. ## Synopsis Hollywood, the late 1920s. Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), heir to a Houston tool fortune, is spending it on *Hell’s Angels*, a war film with real aeroplanes and real pilots. He wants more cameras, he wants clouds, and he has hired the meteorologist Professor Fitz (Ian Holm) to find some, while his accountant Noah Dietrich (John C. Reilly) tries to keep the company solvent. The film opens with Hughes’s mother bathing him as a boy and spelling out the word “quarantine”; the grown man washes his hands with his own soap and lines up the peas on his plate. Once the picture is finished he moves on to faster planes, to buying an airline, and to Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett), whom he meets on a golf course and cannot keep up with. ## Review Martin Scorsese and the writer John Logan take Howard Hughes from the shooting of *Hell’s Angels* in the late 1920s and stop well short of the bearded recluse of legend. Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) has his father’s tool company in Houston to pay for whatever he wants, and what he wants, in order, is a war film with real aeroplanes, the fastest plane in the world, an airline and Katharine Hepburn. The film says the appetite that built the planes is the one that left him unable to touch a door handle. It is a good film, worth an evening, and not the great one people hoped for from this director. At 170 minutes it is about an hour longer than its best material. The first stretch is the best. Hughes has spent a fortune on his dogfight picture, is waiting for clouds, and has hired a meteorologist, Professor Fitz (Ian Holm), to find him some. John C. Reilly, as the accountant Noah Dietrich, walks a pace behind with the face of a man who has already read the bank statements. Thelma Schoonmaker cuts the aerial footage and Hughes’s pacing together so that the money and the mania look like the same thing. Then Cate Blanchett arrives as Hepburn, on a golf course, talking faster than Hughes can think, and the film goes up a gear. She has the voice and the stride, but what makes it a performance rather than an impression is that she lets us see the work: Hepburn keeping up with being Hepburn. Lunch with her family in Connecticut, where everyone talks over everyone about politics and nobody will admit to caring about money, is the funniest scene in the film. We laughed, then noticed Hughes was not laughing. Robert Richardson shoots the first hour in the colours of early Technicolor, so greens come out blue: the golf course, the peas on Hughes’s plate. Later the full palette arrives and the reds get louder. Dante Ferretti builds the Cocoanut Grove with paper palms and a dance floor big enough to land on, and Sandy Powell puts Hepburn in trousers and Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale) in the strongest colour in any room she enters. Howard Shore keeps his own music low and lets the bands carry the nightclubs. None of it is only decoration: Hughes lines those peas up by size, and stops eating when Errol Flynn (Jude Law) takes one off his plate. The moment we will keep is in a men’s lavatory. Hughes has washed his hands until they bleed, and he cannot touch the door handle, so he stands and waits for someone else to come in and open it. DiCaprio does almost nothing, and we were more frightened by that door than by anything the film puts in the air, because we understood, as he did, that he would rather stay in there all night than touch it. The flying sequences are there so this scene can land: the man who can fly anything, beaten by a brass knob. DiCaprio is good as the young Hughes, all appetite and impatience. He is less good later, when the film gives him a moustache and a lower voice and his face declines to go along with it. He plays a man of forty like a boy who has been told to, and the film needs that older Hughes to carry weight. The larger problem is Logan’s script. It opens with Hughes’s mother washing him and spelling out “quarantine”, and it treats that scene as a receipt for everything after: each tic has a cause, each cause gets a flashback. Once Hughes leaves the aeroplanes for boardrooms and committee rooms, opposite Alec Baldwin’s Juan Trippe and Alan Alda’s Senator Brewster, the film slows to the pace of a hearing, and we felt every remaining minute. Baldwin and Alda are fine. Their scenes are about airline routes. Scorsese has made a better film about a man taking himself apart, in black and white, and he was not fond of Jake LaMotta the way he is fond of Hughes. Fondness makes him generous with time. Watch this on the largest screen you have, in one sitting, and expect the first two hours to be better than the third. The 12A is honest; the length is the only thing in it a child would struggle with. *Fi1m score 74, published 20 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like The Aviator, and the praise gathers in the same places. DiCaprio’s Hughes is the performance nearly everyone singles out, for its shrewdness, petulance and the slow slide into obsession. Behind him, the reviews admire the scale: the recreation of old Hollywood, the flight sequences and the colour design, with Scorsese credited with a pace and energy several see as a return to form after a slack patch. The reservations gather too. A run of critics find the film keeps Hughes at a distance, sumptuous to look at but not much interested in what drove him, and several say plainly that it is not among Scorsese’s best. The spread is wide: RogerEbert.com gives full marks, The New York Times finds it hollow once the character begins to decline, and The Independent, the one negative voice, thinks DiCaprio miscast and the whole reverential and unengaging. Most reviews sit in the middle, impressed and a little unsatisfied. ### Reviews we read (20) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (4/4): The critic praises Scorsese's focus on Hughes's glory years and the director's ability to capture both the excitement and the encroaching madness. DiCaprio's performance and the recreation of period glamor are singled out as highlights. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-aviator-2004) - **The AV Club** (90/100, inferred): Calls it a sprawling, larger-than-life American epic with never-better DiCaprio and strong supporting turns, praising its complexity in balancing celebration and critique of individualism alongside vivid portrayal of mental illness. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-aviator-1798200235) - **The Times**, James Christopher (90/100, inferred): One of the most fascinating and revealing pictures of Scorsese’s career, The Aviator is the story of Howard Hughes and a masterclass in how to chisel a hero out of a legendary 20th-century monster. The pressure that Scorsese inflicts on Hughes is spookily revealing about the director’s moral uncertainty, but you can’t but kiss and admire the craft of the film. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/the-aviator-78d7202rws6) - **The New Yorker**, David Denby (85/100, inferred): Scorsese's entertaining film is celebrated as a rehabilitation and fantasia of Hughes as a studly capitalist prince who soared on golden wings. The aerial sequences and abundant humor with obvious sympathy are highlighted as strengths. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2004/12/20/high-rollers) - **Evening Standard**, Sheila Johnston (80/100, inferred): The review praises the film's spectacular scale, visual flair and barnstorming energy as a glittering return to form for Scorsese, with DiCaprio persuasive as the eccentric Hughes. It highlights dazzling set-pieces and technical brilliance while noting it falls short of the director's greatest works. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/a-magnificent-madman-7201661.html) - **Time Out**, GA (80/100, inferred): The review calls it Scorsese’s best film since The Age of Innocence, praising DiCaprio’s nuanced portrayal of Hughes and the director’s shift into expressionist style in the later sections, while noting some ordinariness in the opening. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-aviator) - **Los Angeles Times** (75/100, inferred): The review finds the film impressive in a movie-movie way and able to overcome weaknesses in Scorsese's recent work, with ferocious pace, humor, and DiCaprio convincingly conveying the character's shrewdness and petulance. It deserves acclaim despite some noticeable problems at its length. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-dec-17-et-aviator17-story.html) - **Sight and Sound**, Ian Christie (75/100, inferred): The critic highlights Scorsese's ambitious recreation of Hughes' early career and Hollywood world, praising the scale, visual effects, and DiCaprio's committed performance while noting the film's focus on the subject's genius and obsessions. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/128) - **Empire**, Simon Braund (70/100, inferred): The critic calls it a grand, impressive Tinseltown drama with lush production values, absorbing narrative and strong performances, but notes a niggling lack of depth in exploring what made Hughes tick and that it falls short of Scorsese's masterworks. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/aviator-review/) - **IndieWire** (70/100, inferred): Highlights Scorsese's direction of the Howard Hughes story as a soaring biopic centered on ambition, obsession, and early Hollywood glamour with DiCaprio in the lead. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/indiewire-review-scorseses-the-aviator-the-boy-who-could-fly-78494/) - **Slant Magazine** (70/100, inferred): Commends Scorsese's first-rate biopic for showing how Hughes' audaciousness and perfectionism led to both greatness and reclusive insanity, with focused bravado in DiCaprio's performance. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-aviator/) - **The Guardian**, Philip French (70/100, inferred): Scorsese traces the tycoon's early career as a high flier and explains his germ phobia in an immensely enjoyable biopic. Despite shortcomings as serious biography, the film is an immensely enjoyable three hours with exemplary work from the cinematographer, production designer, costume designer and editor. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/dec/26/philipfrench) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Kirk Honeycutt (70/100, inferred): Praises Scorsese's gorgeous, beautifully acted biographical epic with strong DiCaprio performance and technical achievements, but notes an oddly distancing quality that keeps viewers from fully engaging emotionally. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/aviator-review-movie-2004-1247996/) - **Total Film** (70/100, inferred): The review finds it not the masterpiece hoped for but sumptuously mounted with magnetic DiCaprio and Scorsese's signature verve and style, delivering a thrilling ride despite not fully illuminating the subject's drives. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-aviator-review/) - **Screen Daily** (65/100, inferred): The critic praises the lively, richly detailed biopic and its visual panache for justifying the runtime and awards potential, but notes the emotionally distant central character may limit audience connection and box office. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-aviator/4021180.article) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (60/100, inferred): The film is described as visually sumptuous yet disappointingly hollow in its account of Hughes's early life. The critic notes strong elements like bold color design and witty links between Hughes's obsessions but finds the overall momentum falters as the character declines. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/17/movies/savoring-a-legend-before-it-curdled.html) - **The Independent** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the biopic reverential but ultimately unengaging, with DiCaprio miscast as a lightweight Hughes and the film failing to probe the subject's psyche or earn sympathy. Scorsese's direction lacks the fire of his earlier character studies. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-aviator-12a-614521.html) - **Eye for Film**, Josh Morrall (90/100, inferred): The critic declares the film blissfully perfect in every way, a beautiful picture with flawless performances, wonderful cinematography and extravagant mise-en-scene. Scorsese's direction, the lead performances by DiCaprio and Blanchett, and the stunning action sequences are singled out for particular praise. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-aviator-film-review-by-josh-morrall) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (B): The piece notes that Scorsese brings high-energy cinematic flair to the Hughes biopic, with strong support from Blanchett and others, and DiCaprio growing into the role. It complains that the take feels somewhat incomplete, checking biopic boxes without fully expanding on them. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/retrospective-essentials-films-of-martin-scorsese-20131217/9/) - **HeyUGuys**, Jon Lyus (3.5/5): The review praises the epic biopic of Howard Hughes for DiCaprio's compelling central performance and Scorsese's dizzying visual flights of fancy, especially the flight sequences and production design. Hughes' OCD and the opulent Hollywood recreation are highlighted as key elements. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-aviator-blu-ray-review/) ## Details - **Director:** Martin Scorsese - **Director:** Martin Scorsese - **Writer:** John Logan - **Cinematography:** Robert Richardson - **Editor:** Thelma Schoonmaker - **Music:** Howard Shore - **Production design:** Dante Ferretti - **Costume design:** Sandy Powell - **Producer:** Sandy Climan, Charles Evans Jr., Graham King - **Cast:** Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes; Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn; Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner; John C. Reilly as Noah Dietrich; Alec Baldwin as Juan Trippe; Alan Alda as Senator Ralph Owen Brewster; Ian Holm as Professor Fitz; Danny Huston as Jack Frye - **Runtime:** 2h 50m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 25 December 2004 - **Genres:** Drama - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2004); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Winner, 2004); [Golden Globe Best Drama winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-drama.md) (Winner, 2004) - **Budget:** $110 million - **Box office:** $214 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkwypzOQf8o ## Where to watch in the US - Paramount+: streaming, hd - Pluto TV: free - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Hulu: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on - Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-20.* Also available in: AE, AT, AZ, BE, BG, CA, CH, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IT, KR, LT, MY, NL, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2005: Best Actor (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Sound (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Cinematography (won); Best Costume Design (won); Best Film Editing (won); Best Production Design (won); Best Supporting Actress (won) ## If you liked this - *Hell's Angels* (1930): The film Hughes is making in the first hour; the dogfights still look dangerous. - *Bringing Up Baby* (1938), Fi1m 88: Hepburn herself, talking at the speed Blanchett imitates, opposite a leopard and Cary Grant. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/bringing-up-baby.md) - *Citizen Kane* (1941), Fi1m 93: The original rich American boy who could buy everything except the thing he wanted. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/citizen-kane.md) - *The Right Stuff* (1983), Fi1m 86: Test pilots and sound barriers, three hours long, and it earns most of them. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-right-stuff.md) - *The Wind Rises* (2013), Fi1m 77: Miyazaki’s aeroplane designer dreams beautifully and builds machines for a war; quieter, sadder, shorter. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wind-rises.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-aviator