Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #140731 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-11-14
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Box set, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD, Limited Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 130 minutes

Amazon.com
Setting out for the one last catch that will make up for a lackluster fishing season, Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) pushes his boat the Andrea Gail out to the waters of the Flemish Cap off Nova Scotia for what will be a huge swordfish haul. While his crew is gathering fish, three storm fronts (including a hurricane) collide to create a "perfect storm" of colossal force, and Billy's path back to Gloucester, Massachusetts, takes them right smack into the middle of it. Wolfgang Petersen's adaptation of Sebastian Junger's seafaring bestseller is a faithful if by-the-numbers true-story account of a monster storm that rocked New England in 1991, specifically Tyne's commercial fishing boat and its crew. Junger's tale fashioned a compelling if staid narrative out of seemingly disparate events, but this film adaptation tends to flatten out the story into a conventional if absorbing story of man vs. nature, as the crew fights for survival against the awesome waves the storm kicks up. The central part of the film, which cuts between the Andrea Gail's fight to stay afloat and the attempts of the Coast Guard to rescue a yacht in peril, is suspenseful action of the first degree, aided by some awesome computer-generated waves.

Still, it's a long way to that action, with an extended first act that consists mainly of stoic men, crying women, and a fair amount of "don't go out into the sea" dialogue--in other words, a compelling story has been shoehorned into standard summer movie fare. It's too bad, as Peterson assembled an excellent cast--including Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, John C. Reilly, and William Fichtner among them--but seems to opt for only a surface exploration of these characters, though Clooney seems to have a touch of Captain Ahab in him. You may still be won over by the movie, but for a more in-depth portrait, go to Junger's book for the missing details. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews

A Perfect 5
The Perfect Storm is a really good movie. The special effects were MORE than perfect, and the acting was great. I didn't think the characters were paper-thin at all. At least ~I~ found myself sad at the end.

The fact is, people - who really went to see a 2 1/2 hour-long movie and expected a fully ACCURATE portrayel of a ship lost at sea? To act disappointed that they made half the movie up is ludicrous. It was LOOSELY based on a real-life account. I found it to be a great fictional story that had me on the edge of my seat.

Through all this people still tend to shoot this movie down based on the fact that it is more sentimental than action-packed. Maybe so. But I think that the main point of the film was to make the audience feel for the characters on board and their families and friends waiting back home. The sentiment really made the movie. (BTW, I thought there was TONS of action)

I really liked this movie and would recommend it to anyone.

it shows how it really is
Coming from a fishing town in Alaska, this film hits especially close to home. Although the Bristol bay crabbing fleet has lots worse weather and loses lots more lives and boats than we do, we still have our share of boats that sink in bad storms. Some people complain that The Perfect Storm doesn't have a happy ending, well "welcome to the real world". It wouldn't have been realistic at all if any of the crewmen would have survived. There has also been some complaints about the weak roles that the actors play. I know alot of fishermen and deckhands, I have done some long-lining myself, and those men and women acted perfectly normal; no great, awesome speechs; you never see a bunch of fisherman get super emotional and powerful; but often there is alot of passion shown for fishing since it is not only a job, but a way of life. All in all, the movie was very realistic and powerful. Last of all, hats off to the coast-guard men and women who risk their lives daily to save others. It is very much appreciated among all fisherman and sea-farers; especially those who have been rescued by them. It's a great film that hits close to home. I highly recommend it

Starts Slow, but Wait Until It Gets Going!
Okay, so for the first 1.5 to 2 hours you may be bored, just a lot of BS about cutting & cleaning fish. However, during that time you really bond with the characters and get to know them personally. Then, they go broke. They need to score a big load of fish. When better to fish then during "the storm of... forever"? (None, because the fish come out when it rains). But with the storm comes some violent seas. Some sato-machismal, be all that ends all, VIOLENT seas. From the first flash of lightning, until the very last second, WOW! Believe me, you've never seen anything like it! If you bave a big screen & digital surround, this is a must-have. If not, it's a must-rent.