--- title: "The Perfect Storm: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-perfect-storm/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-perfect-storm" critics_score: 53 critics_reviews: 11 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 Perfect Storm (2000): what the critics said Critics' score 53 from 11 reviews: 3 positive, 4 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews are divided, with mixed and negative responses outnumbering positive ones. Praise centres on the storm effects, the scale of the waves and the tension of the rescue sequences; even some detractors acknowledge the spectacle’s force. The more enthusiastic critics find an exciting, old-fashioned blockbuster, while a recurring reservation across favourable and unfavourable reviews is that the characters lack the depth to make the danger emotionally compelling. The spread is wide, and the disagreement extends to both the build-up and the effects. The Guardian welcomes the time spent developing the story before the storm, whereas the Evening Standard finds the setup sluggish and the character drama weak. The AV Club offers a different objection, finding the details of fishing and the characters’ lives more interesting than the storm spectacle. Elsewhere, complaints cluster around formula, sentimentality and effects that overwhelm the actors. ## Total Film — Yael Shuv Rating 4/5. 28 July 2000. The review finds the film an awe-inspiring spectacle despite its weak emotional core and shallow characterization. It singles out the storm and rescue sequences for their gripping intensity and visual virtuosity. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-perfect-storm-1-review/) ## The Guardian — Xan Brooks Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 27 July 2000. Brooks finds the film an impressive, warmly old-fashioned blockbuster, despite clunky dialogue and archetypal characters. He especially praises how it develops the story before unleashing its spectacular storm sequences. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_review/0,,347813,00.html) ## Empire — Angie Errigo Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. Errigo finds the film’s character setup serviceable but says it ultimately succeeds as an exciting, harrowing action spectacle. She especially praises the storm sequences, cinematography, and effects. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/perfect-storm-review/) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2000. The page does not expose the critic’s verdict. No specific praise or complaint can be verified from the available text. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/30/movies/film-review-instant-calamity-just-add-water.html) ## Time Out — TCh Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It provides no review text indicating what the critic praised or criticized. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-perfect-storm) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Rating 2.5/4. 30 June 2000. The review finds the film’s human drama less compelling than its spectacle. It singles out the storm effects while faulting the characters and story. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-perfect-storm-2000) ## Radio Times — Tom Hutchinson Rating 3/5. Hutchinson gives the film three stars, describing it as an overwhelmingly waterlogged spectacle rather than offering an unqualified endorsement. He singles out its towering waves and warns that the relentless sea may unsettle viewers prone to seasickness. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-adyouk/the-perfect-storm/) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2000. Phipps finds the film a disappointing, overlong spectacle that squanders its promising cast and subject. He singles out the details of modern fishing and the characters’ lives as more compelling than the storm effects. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-perfect-storm-1798192431) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 June 2000. McCarthy finds the film emotionally ineffective despite its enormous scale, leaving audiences less invested in the characters than impressed by the spectacle. He praises the yacht rescue sequences for their tension and the storm effects for their physical scope, but says the digital water still feels artificial. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/the-perfect-storm-1200462711/) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic finds the film dull and emotionally ineffective, despite its spectacular storm sequences. They single out the sluggish setup, weak character drama, and overwhelming effects for criticism. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-perfect-storm-7433664.html) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2001. The critic finds the film a soggy, formulaic disaster movie weighed down by sentimentality. He singles out the storm effects as overwhelming the actors and the characters as thinly drawn. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-perfect-storm-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-perfect-storm.md