Waterworld

While I like The Postman better (dare anyone tell me I'm a pervert), Waterworld has its charms, too. The story is as simple as can be, but everything is saved by the monumental set design, admirably spectacular action scenes, a mutant Costner and an entertaining (if at times unnecessarily overacting) Hopper. Waterworld also has one of my favorite soundtracks that was made after 1990. (23/07/2010)

The first two acts are great, and if the whole film was like that, I wouldn't hesitate to reach for the highest rating. But the botched ending with the "liberation" scene from the tanker completely spoils the good impression. The scene where Costner runs through the tanker and sets it on fire is very bad, and what followed, including the bungee jumping, gave me fits of laughter. Also, the over-acting Dennish Hopper wasn’t a very fortunate choice, either. (21/07/2002)

Not bad at all. Actually, Waterworld is a nice exotic adventure with an excellent subject. If it had been directed by Steven Spielberg, it could have been an unforgettable contribution to the genre. But even so, despite the spasmodic final third, it’s still a bombastically presented and rather intelligent Hollywood blockbuster that, unlike many others, I can watch again and again, and never get bored or irritated. And Kevin Costner fits it perfectly! (03/01/2003)

It's not such a bad movie, but it's hard to believe it cost $175 million. It's just not evident in the film, especially when it comes to the finale, where the special effects scenes are dreadful. Even though the film didn't gather as many fans, it's certainly not a downright bad film, and Kevin Costner's character is excellent. (15/03/2017)

The theme is certainly impressive and the atmosphere of the post-apocalyptic water world is sympathetically exotic... What kills the film are terribly cheap replicas, terribly cheap action scenes and sometimes very cheap tricks. However, the expedition is generous and here and there, everything goes the way it is supposed to. Kevin is decent in the role of the amphibious vagabond, but the sweet-romantic rebirth of his personality really belongs somewhere in the B-movie category. If it weren't for the budget, this film would firmly belong there, but from a certain point of view it's actually quite an interesting spectacle. But the film truly is naive. (13/08/2007)