coast guard movie review

Best Movies About the Coast Guard, Ranked

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Every Disney Animation Movie Releasing After Moana 2

9 biggest plot holes created by deadpool & wolverine, the most annoying characters in otherwise perfect movies.

Some of Hollywood’s most riveting and spellbinding films center on the brave men and women who have served this country in the Coast Guard. These tales of heroism and perseverance have captured the attention and respect of audiences everywhere, with their uplifting stories and inspiring rescues demonstrating just how powerful and selfless the maritime security officers truly are.

Many of the big screens' most compelling pictures have tackled the subject of the Coast Guard, dating back as far as the 1920s. From recounting the daring search for a crew of stranded sailors in Disney’s The Finest Hours to witnessing Kevin Costner take a young and cocky Ashton Kutcher under his wing in The Guardian, there have been many fantastic films that have paid tribute to the nobility of the Armed Forces. Let’s take a look at some of the best movies about the Coast Guard.

9 Yours, Mine & Ours

A remake of the '60s film of the same name, the 2005 family comedy Yours, Mine & Ours centers on widowed Coast Guard Adm. Frank Beardsley (Dennis Quaid) as he relocates his eight children back to his hometown in Connecticut and falls for his former high school flame Helen (Rene Russo), who just so happens to have ten children herself.

Related: 15 Movies You Didn't Know Were Remakes

The feel-good flick chronicles Frank's efforts to balance his rambunctious new brood and his commitment to the Coast Guard Academy, as the kids ban together in hopes of sabotaging the couple's blissful union. Despite earning lackluster reviews from critics, the comedy nonetheless was a hit with audiences and received an A- CinemaScore.

8 The Boatniks

When the awkward and clumsy Coast Guard Ensign Thomas Garland sets out to make a name for himself and escape his war hero father's shadow, chaos and hilarious hijinks naturally ensue in the 1970 comedy The Boatniks . Despite his own ineptitude and lack of finesse, Garland is promoted to being his station's new skipper and the young man quickly finds himself in over his head between a blossoming romance with a beautiful sailing school owner and the arrival of scheming jewel thieves . Robert Morse delivers a sidesplitting performance as the bumbling and amiable serviceman, and the wholesome Disney original features plenty of good-natured gags and delightful buffoonery.

7 Border Flight

In the 1936 action drama Border Flight , two dueling Coast Guard pilots battle it out for the affection of a kind and attractive woman while attempting to apprehend dangerous fur smugglers. Featuring a cast including Frances Farmer, John Howard, and Robert Cummings, the thrilling adventure was a modest success at the box office and earned praise for its exciting cinematography and compelling performances.

Cummings, who portrayed Lt. Bob Dixon in the picture, was actually a very talented pilot who had served as a flight instructor during World War II and had manned his first flights as a teenager. He would go on to nab many film roles that revolved around aviation.

6 Coast Guard

After calm and cool Lieutenant Raymond "Ray" Dower (Ralph Bellamy) and his brash best friend Lieutenant Thomas "Speed" Bradshaw (Randolph Scott) execute a daring rescue mission to locate a tramp captain steamer lost at sea, and find themselves competing for the man's granddaughter in the 1939 adventure drama Coast Guard .

The Edward Ludwig picture was a popular period B film and was just one of many movies from the decade that was based on the United States Coast Guard. The drama also was noteworthy for shining a light on the cutting-edge rescue equipment that was used by the Coast Guard, such as the Douglas Dolphin seaplane that was featured in the rescue of the sea captain.

5 The Guardian

Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher star in the riveting 2006 action-adventure drama The Guardian , which follows veteran Coast Guard rescue swimmer Ben Randall as he struggles with survivor guilt after his best friend and crew are killed in a tragic accident.

Randall focuses his efforts and energy on training new recruits for the Aviation Survival Technician program and takes the talented but cocky competitive swimmer Jake Fischer under his wing in hopes of transforming him into his star pupil. Many of the films supporting actors were actual Coast Guard servicemen including pilots and rescue swimmers, and The Guardian went on to be a success with moviegoers despite a mixed-bag response from critics.

4 Fighting Coast Guard

The 1951 adventure extravaganza Fighting Coast Guard focuses on the dedicated men who trained and served in the Coast Guard to help America and their involvement during World War II, demonstrating their methods and measures to prepare for the crucial ongoing battle. Shipyard boss Bill Rourk (Forrest Tucker) is tricked into enlisting in a training course overseen by respected Coast Guard Commander McFarland (Brian Donlevy) in order to serve his country after the events of Pearl Harbor but finds himself struggling to acclimate to his new position as he butts heads with McFarland over a female and their rules. Fighting Coast Guard was viewed as a patriotic and inspiring tale that highlighted the bravery of the U.S. Coast Guard during the war.

3 The Lightship

Robert Duvall stars as a New Orleans criminal who takes a Coast Guard captain's vessel hostage in the 1985 drama The Lightship , an adaptation of the Siegfried Lenz novella of the same name that chronicles Captain Miller's efforts to protect his crew and teenage son from the corrupt ringleader of the group of thugs.

Related: The Best Robert Duvall Movies, Ranked

The twisted Calvin Caspary (Duvall) and his men hijacks the ship in hopes of escaping the police and making a clean break, but are caught off guard when Miller and his men fight back to reclaim their safety and the vessel. Duvall's performance as the violent and psychopathic antagonist was singled out as one of the film's greatest attributes and helped add to the drama's taut atmosphere and tense pacing.

2 The Finest Hours

Touting a phenomenal ensemble cast led by Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, and Ben Foster, the 2016 action thriller The Finest Hours takes place in 1952 and recounts the real-life harrowing rescue of the crew of the SS Pendleton , during which at least 30 sailors were left stranded at sea after a nor'easter caused the ship to split in two.

United States Coast Guardsman Bernard Webber (Pine) sets out with a group of men to attempt to locate and save the crew, as senior officer Ray Sybert (Affleck) tries to figure out a way to keep his fellow sailors alive until help arrives. The treacherous and often overlooked rescue of the SS Pendleton is heavily considered to be one of the most daring and dangerous missions conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard.

1 The Perfect Storm

Mark Wahlberg and George Clooney in The Perfect Storm

Wolfgang Petersen directed the 2000 biographical disaster drama The Perfect Storm , which is based on the Sebastian Junger novel of the same name and features the talents of George Clooney , Mark Wahlberg, and John C. Reilly, and recounts the tale of the commercial fishing vessel Andrea Gail that became stranded at sea during the 1991 Perfect Storm. Clooney and Wahlberg star as Captain Billy Tyne and Bobby Shatford, who fight to stay alive and keep their crew safe until the Coast Guard arrives, despite the vicious storm they are caught up in.

The Perfect Storm was a massive box office hit and earned praise from critics, with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writing, "When so many movies promise a roller-coaster ride, Storm is one of the few that delivers more than noise." The gripping and breathtakingly shot drama also went on to garner two Academy Award nominations including Best Visual Effects.

Movie Lists

Share full article

Supported by

Movie Review | 'The Guardian'

Costner Is Back in the Water, and He’s Stoically Swimming to Save Everybody

By A.O. SCOTT

Sept. 29, 2006

Correction Appended

Compared with the other branches of the United States military, the Coast Guard has been underrepresented in American movies, no doubt because its missions and its motto — “That others may live” — do not involve combat, which is after all the staple of military cinema. “The Guardian,” made in cooperation with and in celebration of the Coast Guard, seems to have been produced with the intention of making up the deficit all at once.

Weighing in at over two hours soaking wet, it sometimes feels like five pictures in one and therefore piles up multiple endings. “The Guardian,” emphatically directed by Andrew Davis from a script by Ron L. Brinkerhoff, is an action movie, a basic training movie, a swaggering sea adventure, a home front melodrama and an inspiring tough-love heroic teacher fable. If the aggregate of all these movies is exhausting and occasionally overwrought, some of the parts are stirring and effective, though not exactly fresh.

You might have thought that, after the debacle of “Waterworld” more than a decade ago, Kevin Costner would be loath to leave dry land. But like his character, Ben Randall, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Mr. Costner just can’t stay out of the drink.

At the beginning of “The Guardian” Ben is stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, where his job is to leap from a helicopter to swim after unlucky souls who have been swept into the cold, churning waters of the Bering Sea. Ben’s love for his work has strained his marriage, and he arrives home from a live-saving mission to find his wife, Helen (Sela Ward), packing up to leave. “I need to work on rescuing myself,” she says.

There are some more groaners where that one came from, but also some effective, pumped-up action sequences, with computer-generated waves and howling winds, most of them early and late in the film. Sandwiched between the big start and the big finishes is a paradigmatic Kevin Costner movie, in which he plays the crusty, world-weary but unshakably decent mentor to a hot-headed tyro, in this case Ashton Kutcher.

Bruised by on-the-job trauma and the breakup of his marriage, Ben descends to the lower 48, where he becomes an instructor in the brutal training program for rescue divers, known as “A School.”

Mr. Kutcher plays Jake Fischer, a former high school swimming champion with aviator shades and a self-satisfied smirk. Jake’s first encounters with his teacher are a bit uncomfortable, but deep down the two men seem to know as well as the audience that each will learn some valuable lessons from the other. Jake will learn the value of sacrifice and teamwork — saving lives is not about personal glory — and Ben will learn not to give up on himself.

Or something like that. Mr. Costner is comfortable in this kind of role, perhaps too comfortable. The profane, leathery, sad-sack qualities of the character — his unorthodox teaching methods, his fondness for whiskey, his gruff manner — amount to a nearly transparent veneer smeared over his essential saintliness.

At one point, after a night of bonding and truth-telling, Jake apologizes to Ben for various failings. “Don’t you have anything you want to say to me?” Jake asks, expecting an apology in return. But the older man just stares at him blankly. It’s a funny moment, but also a revealing one, since there is nothing in “The Guardian” that suggests anything like real fallibility. In the movie’s fifth and final ending, Ben’s selfless goodness is pushed to the very edge of earthly heroism, as he becomes an almost theological figure.

Meanwhile, though, there is mentoring to be done, in a manner that suggests a serviceable variation on the “Top Gun”/“Officer and a Gentleman” model, most of it taking place in a swimming pool. Mr. Kutcher has a sly star quality, and some of the supporting actors — notably Neal McDonough as Ben’s fellow teacher and sort-of-rival, and Melissa Sagemiller as the schoolteacher who serves as Jake’s love interest — bring a sparkle of wit and invention to their stock characters. The participation of actual members of the Coast Guard lends an air of authenticity, and the mission of “The Guardian” is, in its way, as admirable as their own. It’s not a great movie, but it’s certainly one of the finest Coast Guard pictures you’re likely to see anytime soon.

“The Guardian” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It has some intense action sequences, salty language and implied sex.

THE GUARDIAN

Opens today nationwide.

Directed by Andrew Davis; written by Ron L. Brinkerhoff; director of photography, Stephen St. John; edited by Dennis Virkler and Thomas J. Nordberg; music by Trevor Rabin; production designer, Maher Ahmad; produced by Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson; released by Touchstone Pictures and Beacon Pictures. Running time: 139 minutes.

WITH: Kevin Costner (Ben Randall), Ashton Kutcher (Jake Fischer), Melissa Sagemiller (Emily Thomas), Bonnie Bramlett (Maggie McGlone), Clancy Brown (Capt. William Hadley), Sela Ward (Helen Randall), Neal McDonough (Jack Skinner), John Heard (Frank Larson), Brian Geraghty (Hodge), Dulé Hill (Ken Weatherly) and Shelby Fenner (Cate).

Correction: Oct. 3, 2006

A film review in Weekend on Friday about “The Guardian” referred imprecisely to the motto “That others may live.” It is the motto of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, the subject of the movie, and other rescue groups — not of the Coast Guard as a whole. (The Coast Guard’s motto is “Semper Paratus” — “Always Ready.” )

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

About Rotten Tomatoes®
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening This Week
Top Box Office
Coming Soon to Theaters
Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

Fandango at Home
Prime Video
Most Popular Streaming Movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

77% Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Link to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
94% Rebel Ridge Link to Rebel Ridge
100% His Three Daughters Link to His Three Daughters

New TV Tonight

100% Slow Horses: Season 4
97% English Teacher: Season 1
92% Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: Season 1
100% Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos: Season 1
54% The Perfect Couple: Season 1
-- Tell Me Lies: Season 2
-- Outlast: Season 2
-- The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Season 1
-- Selling Sunset: Season 8
-- Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Season 14

The Finest Hours

Where to watch.

Watch The Finest Hours with a subscription on Disney+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Old-fashioned to a fault, The Finest Hours will satisfy those seeking a traditional rescue drama - but may leave more adventurous viewers wanting more.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Craig Gillespie

Bernie Webber

Casey Affleck

Richard Livesey

Holliday Grainger

Seaman Wallace Quirey

More Like This

Related movie news.

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

DVD & Streaming

The Guardian

Action/Adventure , Drama

Content Caution

In Theaters

Kevin Costner as Ben Randall; Ashton Kutcher as Jake Fischer; Melissa Sagemiller as Emily Thomas; Clancy Brown as Capt. William Hadley; Sela Ward as Helen Randall

Home Release Date

Andrew Davis

Distributor

Disney/Buena Vista

Movie Review

Senior Chief Ben Randall is way past the prime of his stellar career as a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The missions are no longer smooth sailing for the highly decorated daredevil. And even his personal life is becoming waterlogged as his wife packs up and moves out. But when a stormy high seas rescue goes wrong—destroying the helicopter, killing his crew and leaving his best friend dying in his arms—the world finally comes crashing in on the weather-beaten man.

His captain strongly suggests that he take a break and teach as an “A” School rescue swimmer instructor. Randall reluctantly agrees.

As his trainees struggle to stay afloat, one recruit rises to the top. Jake Fischer is a former swimming champion with a lot of attitude and a troubled past. Randall recognizes a bit of himself in the young man and eventually takes him under his wing. With time and exhausting work, the team begins to gel. However, as the recruits find their way, Randall worries that he might not find his way back to the job he so desperately loves.

Positive Elements

The Guardian is all about brave men and women who are willing to risk their lives in order to save others’. Randall’s wisdom, humility, tough love and servant leadership are outstanding. He doesn’t demand respect; he earns it. For example, after icing down a pool to give the newbies a crash course in hypothermia, he freezes right along with them. No sacrifice is too great. He’s a real pro and a father figure to Fischer, and in time turns the young man into a strong leader.

Randall and Fischer are both shown rescuing people in the most harrowing of conditions. One scene has Randall jumping into gigantic crashing waves—battling a furious storm that has already sunk a ship and claimed a half-dozen lives—in the hopes of saving one nearly-frozen boy. In another, Fischer refuses to leave a trapped man below deck in a sinking ship.

The story is told of the senior chief saving 20 people from a doomed medical transport. With the last man, the helicopter winch jams and Randall, dangling from the line, has to hold the man with one hand all the way back to base. He tells him, “I won’t let go,” which becomes Randall’s credo (and Fischer’s) for all future rescues. [ Spoiler Warning ] At the end of the film, Fischer and Randall are in a similar situation, swinging from a fraying winch cable. Fischer tells him, “I won’t let go.” Randall deliberately loosens his glove and drops 80 feet into the churning sea in order to save the younger man.

The movie also speaks of teamwork and unswerving dedication. Randall tells his recruits that the only way “we work is as a team,” and that in the face of impossible odds while rescuing others, “You have to find a way to be that miracle.” Fischer keeps pressing Randall for a number (meaning the number of people he’s rescued); finally Randall says, “22.” Fischer shows surprise that it’s that low, but Randall continues, “That’s the number I lost. The only number I kept track of.”

Spiritual Elements

No film in recent memory has reflected the noble self-sacrifice described in John 15:13 as well as The Guardian . “You get to save lives,” Randall preaches, “And there is no greater calling in the world than that.” Another trainer says, “When the Holy Lord Himself reaches down from heaven with winds that rip houses off the ground, we go out.” (Incidentally, “Acts of God” get several mentions.) In a perilous moment a helicopter crewman says sincerely, “God help you.”

Sexual & Romantic Content

Fischer dares his friends to pick out the hottest girl in the bar and bets them that he can take her home. And even though the girl (Emily) is reluctant to get involved (“Every 18 weeks a new bunch of you guys are looking to score with the local talent”), she is eventually swayed by his charm.

They find themselves hopping into bed pretty early on, despite (or is it because of?) Fischer’s teasing: “You’re gonna have to stop undressing me with your eyes. ‘Cause there’s no way you’re getting me into bed.” Emily makes it clear that she’s OK with a physically intimate relationship as long as they avoid commitment and all meaningful conversation. “You want casual,” Fischer replies. “I’m a guy. I can do casual.” (He can’t, of course, but the deeds have already been done by the time he figures that out.)

Those deeds involve us seeing her in a robe and him bare-chested in her bed—afterwards. Later, they’re in bed again, fawning over each other and diving under the covers for more. (Their banter includes a few mild sexual innuendoes and double entendres.)

Emily wears low-cut tops. A very muscular recruit strips off his shirt for the camera. After a freezing cold training exercise, the recruits are all shown naked in a hot shower. (The camera doesn’t dip below their waists.) An older female friend of Randall’s says that the only reason she can look back with fondness on her life is that she “drank, smoked and screwed” her way through it. A snide, gay-themed jab is thrown out after we witness Fischer teaching another recruit how to break a panicked swimmer’s death grip. Another one is flung at a man who tries to stand up for someone.

Violent Content

The rescue scenes often get intense as the lives of everyone involved are constantly threatened. Ships burn, explode and sink. The Coast Guard helicopter crashes, burns and sinks. In an agonizing sequence, it then drags a boy to his death because he’s inside the rescue basket which is still attached to the winch. A man is shown with a horribly burned face. Dead bodies are seen floating on the water.

Struggling to survive in rough water, a man almost drowns his wife in his panic and Randall must punch him and knock him out in order to save them. During a training exercise, a recruit does much the same thing to a trainer in order to break his stranglehold. There’s a discussion of an accident that killed a car full of young men.

When Navy sailors contemptuously pour a beer over Fischer’s head, a bar fight erupts. Fischer and a buddy are later shown bruised and bloodied in a jail cell. Instead of disciplining Fischer, Randall takes him back to the bar for payback. (Mitigating circumstances include the fact that Randall had been trying to unearth Fischer’s buried sense of teamwork and camaraderie—and the brawl was spawned by his sticking up for a friend and for the Coast Guard.) Still, the scene shows Randall hitting a man and then slamming his head several times into the top of the bar. Elsewhere, Fischer has to be separated from another recruit when their pushing and shoving nearly turns to blows.

Crude or Profane Language

Four or five s-words. One f-word. Milder profanities (including “a–,” “h—” and “d–n”) pop up at least a dozen times. There are two misuses of Jesus’ name. And God’s name is combined with “d–n” on several occasions.

Drug & Alcohol Content

The recruits and trainers are shown in numerous bar, party and casual scenes drinking beer and hard alcohol. It’s implied that Randall downs whiskey along with his prescription pain medication.

Other Noteworthy Elements

Randall and his wife are going through a difficult time in their marriage. That’s not a negative element; that happens to almost everybody at some point. But they choose to solve their problems by separating and signing divorce papers—even though it’s obvious that they still care for each other.

The Guardian is a nicely acted, well directed, bits-and-pieces blend of a number of movies we’ve seen before ( Top Gun, The Perfect Storm and An Officer and a Gentleman among them). So there’s no new revelations in watch a grizzled pro teach cocky upstarts the ropes. That not to say the rescues at sea aren’t cool—even if the boats all look like they’re pivoting mechanically amid CGI waves and overactive dump tanks.

Chest-thumping hoo-rah moments, partially undressed romance, a smattering of foul language and a beer-tipping bar brawl mean this is a genuine, Grade A formula action pic. It also means families will be forced to gasp for air more than few times if they choose to watch it.

And that’s too bad. Because The Guardian also embraces something we haven’t seen in a while. It’s a movie about sacrifice. And not just the sacrifice Peter Parker makes when he dons his Spider-Man costume, either. This is a film that gives a face to the real people out there who put others first. Someone who’s willing to die to save another. It’s a film that gives a face to and pays tribute to the very real men and women who live and die by the motto “So Others May Live.”

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

Latest Reviews

The Front Room

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

reagan movie president reagan gives a speech

Weekly Reviews Straight to your Inbox!

Want to stay Plugged In?

Our weekly newsletter will keep you in the loop on the biggest things happening in entertainment and technology. Sign up today, and we’ll send you a chapter from the new Plugged In book, Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family , that focuses on how to implement a “screentime reset” in your family!

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

For Parents
For Educators
Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

The guardian.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 2 Reviews
Kids Say 7 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

By Cynthia Fuchs , based on child development research. How do we rate?

Waterlogged rescue flick is too intense for kids.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Characters drink in bars to get drunk; some vomiting; Ben chews Vicodins to kill

One "f--k" several other profanities ("damn," "s--t,&qu

A fairly young couple engages in sexual activity, including passionate kisses an

Several violent storms at sea; flashbacks show the dangers of Coast Guard rescue

Wild Turkey liquor bottle is visible.

Any Positive Content?

An arrogant young swimmer learns to support his team and make hard choices in re

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters drink in bars to get drunk; some vomiting; Ben chews Vicodins to kill physical and emotional pain; some cigarette smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

One "f--k" several other profanities ("damn," "s--t," "a--hole," etc.).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A fairly young couple engages in sexual activity, including passionate kisses and some playful rolling in bed, wearing underwear and mostly under the covers.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Several violent storms at sea; flashbacks show the dangers of Coast Guard rescue-swimming; a rescuer has to punch a hysterical victim; a couple of rescuers die; a helicopter crashes and explodes; a trainer is punched in the nose and bleeds; a couple of barfights with Navy sailors leave Jake (and then Ben) bloodied and bruised; training is hard (in freezing water, holding breath, swimming to the point of exhaustion).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Positive messages.

An arrogant young swimmer learns to support his team and make hard choices in rescue situations; a lonely veteran swimmer trains youngsters to take up his heroic legacy.

Parents need to know that this action drama includes several harrowing scenes of storms and sinking boats at sea. Rescue swimmers valiantly try to save victims, but some deaths occur on screen (not bloody, but sad and -- in one case -- quite disturbing). Kids with fears about water should probably see something else. Sailors and swimmers argue and draw blood in fistfights. A couple falls in love and is shown kissing and in bed (no explicit sex, but tumbling under blankets and some underwear shots). Protagonists drink, take painkillers, and use occasional profanity. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (2)
Kids say (7)

Based on 2 parent reviews

Its okay to let other people in

Another great movie, what's the story.

Kevin Costner stars as Ben Randall, a veteran Coast Guard rescue swimmer who turns to teaching after a traumatic event leaves him unable to carry on as usual. Ben needs to recover his nerve, while cocky student Jake ( Ashton Kutcher ) learn to play nicely with others, including his girlfriend, Emily (Melissa Sagemiller). Both teacher and student have suffered; the revelations of that suffering lead each to his own sort of manly re-commitment. At the rescue-swimming training facility, Ben's red-lit nightmares are compounded by the fact that his long-suffering wife, Helen (Sela Ward), has left him. He self-medicates and grumps at the recruits, and for 18 weeks, drills his trainees hard. Ben's methods occasionally alarm and annoy his fellow instructors, including resentful second-in-command Jack (Neal McDonough) and skeptical presiding officer Larson (John Heard). During his down time, Ben calls Helen to beg forgiveness and helps Jake avenge a beating he received from disdainful Navy sailors. Though the trainees' ranks do include a woman, the focus here is on boys learning to be men. Ben and Jake see themselves in each other, pretty much to the exclusion of anyone else. When Emily suggests to Jake that Ben may be "trying to push you to be better," Jake sets her straight: "He knows I'm better than he is!"

Is It Any Good?

With a retread plot, plenty of boy-bonding action, and a shirtless Ashton Kutcher, this is a by-the-numbers crowd pleaser that's about as dull as a heroic redemption story could be.

Per formula, parallel redemption stories grant "emotional" moments to both Ben and Kutcher's Jake. By the time Jake has his big breakdown scene (he cries, though he doesn't actually say, "I got nowhere else to go!"), it's clear that, for all their earnest, actorly efforts, neither man has a chance against Ron L. Brinkerhoff's hackneyed script.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about ways to deal with trauma. How does the movie make the case that focusing on the future (in the form of students to be taught and lives to be saved) helps Ben overcome his guilt, anger, and frustration? What are other ways -- both successful and unsuccessful -- that people deal with traumatic events? How do Ben and Jake's similarities (ambition, competitiveness, tragic pasts) make them ideal partners? What other movies have used a similar structure (tough veteran mentors young hot shot)? Families can also discuss the work of the Coast Guard, including the unit's heroic rescues on the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.

Movie Details

In theaters : September 28, 2006
On DVD or streaming : January 23, 2007
Cast : Ashton Kutcher , Kevin Costner , Melissa Sagemiller
Director : Andrew Davis
Studio : Buena Vista
Genre : Action/Adventure
Run time : 136 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : for intense sequences of action/peril, brief strong language and some sensuality.
Last updated : August 27, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

Start a new list…
Add all films to a list…
Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

The guardian.

Directed by Andrew Davis

How do you decide who lives or who dies?

A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's 'A' School, where legendary rescue swimmer, Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice.

Kevin Costner Ashton Kutcher Sela Ward Melissa Sagemiller Dulé Hill Bryce Cass Omari Hardwick Clancy Brown Neal McDonough Benny Ciaramello Shelby Fenner Peter Gail Damon Lipari Scott Mueller Travis Willingham Eric Norris John Heard Richard T. Henry Alex Daniels Daniel J. Molthen Andrew Schanno Adam Pena Joe Arquette Gary Billburg Joshua Mitcheltree Rusty Tennant James Barnes Stephanie Barnes Andrea Martynowski Show All… Ron Fien Nevada Smith Jay Bingham Keith Sweitzer Shane Walker Joseph Blythe Robert E. Watson John F. Hall Johnell Gainey Jeff Loftus Brian Geraghty Michael Rady Brian Patrick Wade El Raziel Matt Laub Matthew L. Rucker Tanica Jamison Paul Wallace Tilky Jones Megan Melgaard Jacob Stevens Austin Lash Mark Gangloff Gregory J. Barnett Kenny G. Krauss Gioacchino Brucia J.D. Evermore Bonnie Bramlett Richard Davis Brandon Molale Thomas Rosales Jr. Roger Edwards Conrad E. Palmisano Ray Donn

Director Director

Andrew Davis

Producers Producers

Beau Flynn Tripp Vinson Lowell D. Blank

Writer Writer

Ron L. Brinkerhoff

Casting Casting

Randi Hiller Sarah Halley Finn Craig Fincannon Tamara Hunter

Editors Editors

Dennis Virkler Thomas J. Nordberg

Cinematography Cinematography

Stephen St. John

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Vincent Lascoumes Christophe Le Chanu

Additional Directing Add. Directing

Ronald Hersey

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Peter Macgregor-Scott Armyan Bernstein Charlie Lyons Zanne Devine

Lighting Lighting

Eli Everhard Andy Ryan

Camera Operators Camera Operators

Steve Adcock Michael Applebaum

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Courtney Harrell

Production Design Production Design

Maher Ahmad

Art Direction Art Direction

Austin Gorg Andrew Max Cahn

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Gene Serdena Daniel R. Jennings Hannah Beachler

Special Effects Special Effects

Scott R. Fisher John J. Downey

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Christian Severin George Macri William Mesa

Title Design Title Design

Stunts stunts.

Karin Justman Gene Hartline Oliver Keller Alex Daniels George Fisher Russell Towery Leigh Hennessy Gregory J. Barnett Jeffrey G. Barnett Keith Woulard

Composer Composer

Trevor Rabin

Sound Sound

Randle Akerson Steve Copley Richard Bryce Goodman John Sievert Matthew Harrison Robert L. Sephton Gabriel Guy Adam Kopald

Costume Design Costume Design

Mark Peterson

Makeup Makeup

Tracey Levy Louis Lazzara Carla Brenholtz

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Elle Elliott Kerry Mendenhall

Touchstone Pictures Beacon Pictures Contrafilm Firm Films Eyetronics A School Productions

Releases by Date

28 sep 2006, 29 sep 2006, 04 oct 2006, 05 oct 2006, 06 oct 2006, 11 oct 2006, 12 oct 2006, 13 oct 2006, 19 oct 2006, 20 oct 2006, 26 oct 2006, 27 oct 2006, 02 nov 2006, 10 nov 2006, 16 nov 2006, 17 nov 2006, 23 nov 2006, 29 nov 2006, 30 nov 2006, 01 dec 2006, 13 dec 2006, 20 dec 2006, 13 jan 2007, 19 jan 2007, 10 feb 2007, 26 jan 2009, 20 mar 2007, 23 mar 2007, 02 may 2007, releases by country.

Theatrical M

Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

Theatrical 12
Theatrical U
Theatrical PG
Theatrical 16

Netherlands

Physical 12 DVD
Physical 12 Blu ray
Theatrical 12 SBS 6
Theatrical 15

South Korea

Theatrical 7
Theatrical 12A
Theatrical PG-13

United Arab Emirates

Physical Blu-ray

139 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Sean Fennessey ★★★ 26

This was one of my mom's ex-boyfriends' favorite movie of all time. He was a 911 dispatcher and an incredibly good guy and I watched him pop this DVD in at our house like 10 times, and I'd never sat down to watch it with him. I see why he liked it—sturdy, traditional, heroism-oriented, kinetic. On the other hand, it features Ashton Kutcher saying "Ooo-rah" in a swimming pool a lot.

Fascinating that not a single mutual on Letterboxd has ever logged this movie, which is directed by one of the steadiest and most successful action directors of the past 40 years. This was his last movie and it stars Kevin Costner! Maybe I can get my mom's ex onto this platform.

Review by Vishwas Verma 🟠🟢🔵 ★★★★★

Loved this film so much. Better than expected.

Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher both did good performances. The training part is so damn good. Simple story (looks familiar like Top Gun, GI Jane, An Officer, and a Gentleman) but an impressive film-making, congrats to Andrew Davis.

Favorite movie of the month.

Review by T-Time ★★★★★ 4

So others may live.

A true homage to the U.S. Coast Guard and Kodiak, Alaska . Some of the best training camp scenes in film. This just makes you want to become a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer !

"You get the distinct possibility of dying slow, cold and alone somewhere in the vast sea. However, you also get the chance to save lives, and there is no greater calling in the world than that."

Kevin Costner is one of my favorite actors of all time! I love everything he's done. Also for me, this is Ashton Kutcher's best performance!

So many amazing and true quotes & messages that this movie gives you for life. One of the best scores in film ever…

Review by Nightwing04 ★★★★ 2

“What's your real number?” “22” “22? That's not bad. It's not 200 but...”

“22 is the number of people I lost, Jake. The only number I kept track of”

The Guardian is Top Gun: Maverick before Top Gun: Maverick. An old legend who just can’t quite leave the adrenaline fueled career he’s chosen, has to train a group of new recruits one of which has a chip on his shoulder and is bound to be the best there ever was.

Kevin Costner is great in the lead role and while Kutcher is “good” I don’t think he was the best choice for a role like this.

The rescue scenes are super intense and captivating and I wish that would…

Review by Tom Saunders ★★★★★ 4

‘What makes a legend? Is it what someone did while they were alive? Or how they're remembered after they're gone?’

‘If by some miracle you actually have what it takes to become one of us, then you get to live a life of meagre pay with the distinct possibility of dying slow, cold and alone somewhere in the vast sea. However, you also get the chance to save lives, and there is no greater calling in the world than that.’

‘I don't care who you are, where you're from, or where you’re going. I care about one thing, and one thing only. That is the future victims that you will be asked to save. If i think that you will…

Review by joori ! ★★★★★ 6

you know how everyone has that movie that instantly becomes almost like a go to comfort movie? this is my new one. a good movie to start off melting august, we love. kevin costner really outdid himself in this. and ashton kutcher? well you guys already know how i am 😆

im now gonna start saying OORAH everytime i get into the shower thank you. tom i can see why you liked this movie so much and appreciate you introducing it to me!!

Review by David James 🍩 ★★ 4

The Guardian is a post-9/11 Coast Guard riff on Top Gun that actually prefigures the recent Maverick sequel, with Kevin Costner as the haunted but still-kickass old instructor and Ashton Kutcher as the cocky upstart young cadet with a dark past of his own. The rescue sequences and the dynamic between those two guys genuinely gripped me, but the problem is that it's at least thirty minutes too long, with too many training montages, repetitious sequences at the academy, and pages in the script in general. The core idea is solid; there's a reason we have so many movies like this. But it could have been evoked so much better, with sharper feeling, in a tighter screenplay with judicious editing.…

Review by Andy Summers 🤠 ★★★ 1

I've definitely found that Kevin Costner's later films have been more interesting than some of the generic fodder he starred in during his purple patch. I still love Field of Dreams and Bull Durham, probably my favourites from Costner's filmography, but the further away from a leading man he went, the more interesting his roles became. This film from director Andrew Davis still has Costner in the starring role, but it feels less like a leading part where he's having to do it all on his own.

The Guardian is an action-adventure film that focuses on The United States Coast Guard and their AST program that trains Rescue Swimmers for work in the most dangerous of seas. Costner's Ben Randall…

Review by maneleeo ★★

I can't get over the fact this is basically a two hour-long advertisement for the U.S. Coast Guard. It features some impressive scenes, and what they do is insane, however, story is sacrificed to show how amazing they are and how tough their training is. Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher's stories are cut short so we are given lectures about the work of the Coast Guard.

Review by Tom Saunders ★★★★★ 2

My go-to comfort movie. A film that keeps me grounded and I will revisit time and time again. This film genuinely changed me at a vulnerable age and I have a deep connection with it that very few would understand. I needed this. Everybody needs their own niche film that they would defend to the ends of the Earth.

Review by Ayden The NinjaPirateBear ★★★

2006 Ranked Non-2020 First Time Watches Ranked Directors Ranked: Andrew Davis

This was okay, but I believe it had some wasted potential. Kevin Costner is pretty solid in the lead, and Ashton Kutcher isn't horrible as "the trainee that the old guy initially doesn't like but after a while sort of comes round until something happens then they become the best of friends." You can see where I'm going with this, right?

The main issue with the whole film is that it is just ridden with cliche after cliche after cliche. The whole thing was incredibly predictable which is a shame as I think it's pretty competently made.

Overall, it's an okay watch, but don't expect much more than that.

Review by bilbo1234 ★★★½ 1

Pretty entertaining but would’ve flowed better if it was under the 2 hour mark. Going through Ashton Kutcher films, I really enjoy when he isn’t doing a generic rom-com even if it’s something like this or open season, it shows he can act quite decently. 7/10

Similar Films

Select your preferred backdrop

Select your preferred poster, upgrade to remove ads.

Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. Please consider upgrading to a Pro account —for less than a couple bucks a month, you’ll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages ( example ), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads!

Search Reeling Reviews

The guardian.

Senior Chief Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) is the most highly decorated of the US Coast Guard’s elite search and rescue teams. His last mission ended with disaster when his entire crew was killed in an aborted life-saving mission. Haunted by the tragedy, Ben reluctantly agrees to take over the Coast Guard’s training school to teach the next generation of rescue swimmers. One of his new wards is cocky young hotshot Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher) who Ben must mold into one of the best of the best in “The Guardian.”

Laura's Review: B-

When legendary Coast Guard rescue swimmer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner, "Open Range") survives a disastrous mission which takes the lives of his helicopter crew and best buddy, his commanding office, Capt. William Hadley (Clancy Brown, "Bad Boys"), sends him to train at the "A" school to get over the psychological blow. Randall's unique methods challenge his class of recruits to the max, but one, Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher, "A Lot Like Love"), puzzles Ben. When Jake's motivation is revealed, Ben takes a strong personal interest and Jake comes to revere his teacher as "The Guardian." Screenwriter Ron L. Brinkerhoff takes the standard issue military teacher/recruit template of "An Officer and a Gentleman" (among others) and fleshes it with the little known world of Coast Guard rescue swimmers, yet while the film's cliches are obvious, director Andrew Davis ("The Fugitive," "Holes") nonetheless delivers a compelling film studded with several amazingly realistic rescue sequences. Costner's grizzled stoicism is more of a natural for Randall than Kutcher's cocky jock is for Jake, but the two gradually mesh into a believable mentor/student team. The film establishes Randall's expertise with a rescue which will foreshadow one of his recruit's breakthrough moments when he's forced to punch out a man who is drowning his wife in his desperate effort to survive. A tired Ben returns home to discover his wife, Helen (Sela Ward,"The Fugitive"), in the process of moving out. Ben, of course, is married to the Coast Guard and even as he pleads with her his pager goes off, calling him back to the mission which will lose him even more. Arriving in Louisiana (Ben's stationed in Kodiak, Alaska), Randall's warmly greeted by Capt. Frank Larson (John Heard, "Pollock," seemingly wearing the same blue contacts that made Maria Bello look like an alien in "World Trade Center"), but his drill second in command, drill instructor Jake Skinner (Neal McDonough, "Minority Report"), bristles at Randall's hard core methods. At a school where only 50% make the grade, Ben loses a recruit on day one by having them tread water for an hour and teaches them about hypothermia by making them experience it. Jake, a high school swimming champion, is determined to prove himself better than his teacher, but Ben calls him out as a guy only interested in breaking records rather than saving lives. Jake's past, though, holds a tragedy very similar to what Ben's just gone through and the two ending up bonding over a beer and a bar fight. When Jake graduates, he stationed to Ben's base and although the conclusion can be seen like a beacon, Davis stages it in two heart stopping action sequences. Costner gets the job done and even pulls the heart strings when he sees his wife for the last time, combining the athleticism on display in his many baseball flicks with the watery emotions of "Message in a Bottle" and the stoic heroics of "Open Range." Kutcher cannot overcome the initial miswriting of his character, but he's charming enough in his subplot pairing with local teacher Emily Thomas (Melissa Sagemiller, "The Clearing") and is physically believable for the strenuous and daring action. Only one other recruit, Brian Geraghty's ("Art School Confidential") Billy Hodge, makes any real impression and Geraghty is too meek as a guy determined enough to be going through his third try at "A" school. The recruits' continuity suffers as well, when a prominently lone blonde female is shown as one of the remaining group but disappears and is replaced by a lone African American woman. St. Louis jazz and blues singer Bonnie Bramlett (TV's "Roseanne") provides the requisite gruff humor and warmth as the mother hen of Maggie's Bar. Cinematography, production design and special effects are all top notch. "The Guardian's" tank shot water heroics are head and shoulders better than anything seen in "The Perfect Storm" and their gripping execution will leave the viewer with a new found respect for the extraordinarily brave men and woman of the Coast Guard's rescue teams. Editors Thomas J. Nordberg and Dennis Virkler also lend tension to the Coast Guard Operation Center scenes, heightening the drama unfolding before them and us. "The Guardian" may be textbook and go overboard with its attempt at supernatural myth-making, but Davis has grounded his film with enough unheralded heroics to make it work.

Robin's Review: B

Director Andrew Davis’s latest effort begins with the story of the legendary man who lives in the see, a man who mysteriously saves those stranded in the deadly wasteland of the sea. Cut to married couple washed overboard from their boat. Ben heads the mission to save them and proves, once again, that he is the best at his craft and brings the pair, after a struggle with the husband, to safety. On their next mission, the rescue team nears the limit of their fuel and Ben must decide whether or not to save some stranded mariners. He chooses to make the daring save but things go terribly wrong and he, alone, survives the catastrophe. Ben’s commanding officer, Captain Bill Hadley (Clancy Brown), gives him a choice – resign, with honors, or take over the Coast Guard’s rescue school. He takes the latter but with the stipulation that he be allowed to run the “A” School his way to make his students into his image. His biggest challenge is Jake Fischer, a champion swimmer who makes it his goal to break all of the records held by his new teacher. Ben must transform Jake and the rest of his classmates into being integral members of the Guard’s most elite corp. No one is going to accuse scripter Ron. L. Brinkerhoff of originality in his screenplay that derives from such flicks as “Top Gun,” “Heartbreak Ridge,” “The Right Stuff” and “An Officer and a Gentleman.” But, to the scribe and director Davis’s credit, “The Guardian” is a well crafted and exciting old-fashioned story that combines harrowing rescue action with romance, teamwork and a man with a troubled past. Kevin Costner would appear to be getting too old for this kind of stuff but the actor, early on, establishes Ben Randall as a seasoned rescue specialist who is dedicated to the saving of lives. After his tragic last mission he agrees to become the top instructor at the Coast Guard’s rescue school, rubbing his subordinates the wrong way with his tough, unconventional training methods. Costner takes the challenge of the physicality of his role and creates a believable character in Ben Randall. And, in a surprising performance, Ashton Kutcher does a creditable job as the full of himself trainee, Jake Fischer. The young actor has never impressed me but, under Andrew Davis’s firm hand, Kutcher fills his bill well. The rest of the cast is given little by way of character development with Brinkerhoff’s script and, instead of fleshing out the supporting roles, the other classmates and colleagues are merely faces surrounding Ben and Jake. There are a couple of exceptions with Brian Geraghty, as three time rescue candidate Charlie Hodge, and Emily Thomas as Jake’s love interest, Melissa, called upon to give a 3-D face to the stick figure supporting cast. The real draw to “The Guardian” are the exciting and well-done rescue scenes that do a fine job of showing the dangers and demands that the men and women of search and rescue must face on a daily basis. These unsung heroes have been given short shrift by Hollywood with only “The Perfect Storm” and “The Guardian” depicting their death-defying craft. Andrew Davis and his crew, using a giant water tank to create the rescues, do a marvelous job making the missions look real and believable. The movie really makes you wonder at what drives these dedicated folk to put their lives on the line to save others and succeeds in delivering the goods. Their motto, “So Others May Live,” really hits home by the end of “The Guardian.” The Guardian” is rife with its derivativeness and stereotypical characters as it follows the by-the-numbers script. But, in this case, that is not such a bad thing, especially with Costner’s focused, well-defined performance. Techs are solid across the board and help the viewer suspend disbelief, as a good movie should. This is a real crowd pleaser, done with the full cooperation of the US Coast Guard that should do well in the theater and beyond.

REELING IS A PROUD MEMBER OF…

Laura and Robin's reviews are also featured on Rotten Tomatoes , the Movie Review Query Engine , and the IMDB .

Reeling’s Top 10 Lists
All Reviews
Past Episodes
Broadcast Schedule

Reeling: The Movie Review Show

has been produced by Robin and Laura Clifford at the Malden, Massachusetts cable access television station, MATV, since March 16, 1991.

Reviews RSS

Entertainment
Movie Review

The Finest Hours is a Disney throwback that's finer than it looks

Gale force boston accents.

By Tasha Robinson
on January 28, 2016 09:00 am

The Finest Hours is going to look very different on home screens than it does in theaters. That's not just because the action sequences, which recreate an astonishing 1952 Coast Guard rescue, were designed for the biggest screen possible. It's also because, with the aid of subtitles, viewers will actually be able to understand what the characters are saying. Incomprehensibility is frequently a problem in this true-life adventure, which devotes an astonishing number of scenes to quiet men with comically impenetrable faux New England drawls muttering technical jargon through the ear-splitting roar of a struggling engine room or a raging sea. The fear on the actors' faces tells the story adequately enough, and it's a fervid, moving film even without the technical detail. But there's a perpetual sense of meaning being lost as characters grumble incomprehensibly into the gale.

That meaning seems particularly important to director Craig Gillespie, who stages The Finest Hours like a 1950s war epic. Screenwriters Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, and Eric Johnson previously partnered on the Oscar-nominated script for David O. Russell's The Fighter , and they bring a similar blend of sentiment and grit to Gillespie's film. Drawing from Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman's non-fiction book The Finest Hours: The True Story Of The U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue , they frame the rescue as half explosive CGI-effects battle against the elements, half emotional struggle among big-hearted, quiet heroes operating in the name of nobility and humanity. This isn't just an action film; it's a multi-pronged assault on the heartstrings, with plenty of wide-eyed, apple-cheeked Norman Rockwell Americana saturating the pounding digital waves. The film's emotions go overboard almost as often as the frequently soaked sailors.

Chris Pine stars as Coast Guardsman Bernie Webber, a young man shy enough to be flummoxed when his blind date Miriam (Holliday Grainger) turns out to be beautiful, and even more flummoxed when, after a few months of dating, she asks him to marry her. It's unusual in 1952, in the little town of Chatham, Massachusetts, where the women mostly seem to raise the kids, cook the food, and stolidly wait to see whether their men will make it back from their dangerous work at sea. It's February, a particularly treacherous time of year for ships off the northeastern coast, and the film notes early and often the approaching anniversary of the sinking of the William J. Landry , a storm-wrecked fishing boat Bernie tried and failed to save. It's well known that men die at sea, and their would-be rescuers stand a good chance of dying as well.

But Gillespie is in no rush to get Bernie back out into the raging maelstrom. Instead, the script uses his budding relationship with Miriam like the grit that forms a pearl, slowly accreting layers of story around it. Over the first 45 minutes of the movie, the film looks at Bernie's other relationships, from his local-boy closeness with the area fisherman to his awkwardness around other Guardsmen, who resent his rule-abiding earnestness. There are complicated undercurrents moving through the Coast Guard outpost and through Chatham, and the script doesn't express all of them subtly. But it does capably capture the density of feeling among people forced to live or work together, and the way complicated emotions surface in small ways: an eye-roll here, a grunt of derision there.

Quiet, internal men who make life-saving decisions

While Bernie's backstory unfurls, a crisis builds at sea: A violent storm tears two different oil tankers in half off the coast. The Fort Mercer gets off a distress signal, and Massachusetts' rescue efforts focus on that ship. But the Pendleton lacks a working radio, and the 30-plus surviving crew members on the stern half of the sinking ship disagree about whether to abandon ship. Ultimately, chief engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) takes charge of the remains of the Pendleton , and heads up the effort to keep the crew alive until help can come. And Bernie and his inadequate boat have to brave blinding snow, gale-force winds, and crushing waves to provide that help.

Without making any great fuss out of it, The Finest Hours draws a line of comparison between Bernie and Ray. They're both quiet, internal men who start the film barely able to make eye contact with other people, and end up decisively making choices that save dozens of lives. Neither seek out leadership, but both become leaders through sheer force of confidence. Their form of heroism makes an interesting contrast with the protagonists of Michael Bay's recent Benghazi movie 13 Hours , who share many of the same traits, but come from a more macho, grab-ass, aggressive tradition, and express their competence with guns instead of wrenches and engines.

Claire Folger / Disney Enterprises, Inc.

But Finest Hours isn't as concerned with mythologizing individual heroes. It has a more diffuse, and more unusual focus on the community around those heroes, that works in fits and starts. The filmmakers bring many of the side characters to the foreground, from the brother and widow of one lost Landry fisherman to several of the Pendleton crew members. But Grainger, who makes a brave job out of turning Miriam into a bold, smart, unconventional woman, is really only there to learn that Sometimes Men Have To Go Into Battle. In the same way, Bana gets significant screen time to wrestle with his unconvincing Southern accent, but he's so underdeveloped that it's hard to tell whether he's being portrayed as callous or determined, an incompetent leader or the only man at the station capable of judging his own men's potential.

And the film's strident emotional manipulation sometimes distracts from the subtlety of its writing. Carter Burwell's insistent score crashes down on the film as heavily as the 30-foot waves crash onto Bernie's pathetically dinky rescue ship. Gillespie has an almost Spielbergian love of close-ups of his characters gaping at the ineffable — in this case, usually killer waves rather than aliens or dinosaurs. The scenes tend to run long, until even the most hair-raising battle against the elements starts to feel overextended. And those drawling fake accents are often dreadful, especially during the endless debates over whether Bernie will be able to get his rescue boat across the lethal, unpredictable Chatham Bar, which in local parlance is just "the baaaaah." There are moments in this otherwise solemn, adult film where a bunch of military men discussing life-or-death matters literally sound like a flock of dyspeptic sheep.

But The Finest Hours is still a much stronger film than the familiar disaster-movie treatment of its trailers suggests. The scenes at sea are riveting and punishing, with the CGI storm providing a convincing chill. The filmmakers also capture the eerie stillness of a big ship's interior, even under the worst conditions. And there's a remarkable lack of hand-holding and overexplaining in the script, which assumes audiences can follow along with the action, whether or not they understand sailor jargon.

The Finest Hours is a Walt Disney production, and in its unhurried pacing, wholesome relationships, sentimental journey, and message of uplift, it feels like an old-school throwback to a much earlier age of Disney filmmaking. The digital effects are modern, but the film's spirit comes from the 1950s, and from a Thomas Kinkade vision of warm lights in the darkness, guiding sailors home from calamity. It's unquestionably no movie for cynics. But cynics have plenty of movies already. This one's for anyone who wants to believe in a vision of an America where people commit selfless acts not with a cowboy swagger and a cocky smirk, but shyly, blushing at all the attention.

Entertainment
The True Story Behind <i>The Finest Hours</i>

The True Story Behind The Finest Hours

I f you’ve never felt a strong sense of connection to the U.S. Coast Guard, The Finest Hours , out Jan. 29, might be the thing to change that. The new film, which stars Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, is based on the true story of one of the most dangerous and daring rescue attempts in Coast Guard history: Boatswain’s Mate First Class Bernie Webber (Pine) sets out with a small team to rescue the crew of the Pendleton T2 oil tanker, which split in half off the coast of Cape Cod during a brutal nor’easter in 1952.

With some exceptions for the sake of dramatic tension and concise storytelling, the script largely sticks to its source material, Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman’s 2010 book The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Most Daring Sea Rescue . Here’s what really unfolded on that blustery February day.

Warning: Spoilers for The Finest Hours follow.

Fact: The Pendleton split in half because of a crack in its hull that couldn’t hold against the raging sea.

The tanker had sustained a three-way fracture the previous year, and despite a failure to repair it, the boat still passed inspection in January 1952, the month before the storm. But the crew didn’t realize the tanker had split in half until a young seaman named Chris Bridges ascended to the catwalk and realized that it just ended a few feet in front of him. It would later be confirmed that Captain John J. Fitzgerald and seven crewmen had gone down with the bow. Chief Engineer Raymond L. Sybert, played by Affleck, became the de facto captain of the stern.

MORE See Chris Pine as a Coast Guard Captain in Trailer for Disney’s The Finest Hours

Fact: After securing boats to the pier, Bernie was ordered by Chatham Station commanding officer Cluff to pick a crew for the mission, and he got three volunteers: Richard Livesey, Andy “Fitz” Fitzgerald and Ervin Maske.

As in the film, Bernie’s friend Mel Gouthro attempted to volunteer, but all agreed he was too sick to go. Richard (Ben Foster) and Fitz (Kyle Gallner) were the first to volunteer, followed by Ervin (John Magaro). The four men had not trained together as a unit and 24-year-old Bernie, who had joined the Coast Guard in 1946 (despite his father’s wish for him to enter the ministry), was the oldest and most experienced.

Fiction: Bernie and his girlfriend Miriam were on the brink of getting engaged when Bernie set out on the rescue mission.

The screenwriters took liberties with the timeline more than the facts here, since Bernie and Miriam Penttinen (played by Holliday Grainger) had actually been married for more than a year and a half in February 1952—but their real-life courtship played out much as it does in the film.

Fact: Chatham Station was on its own in the Pendleton rescue because the Boston and Nantucket Coast Guards had dispatched all their crews to another oil tanker that had split in half.

A tanker called the Fort Mercer suffered the same fate as the Pendleton during that February storm. Only four of the Mercer ’s crewmembers survived.

Fact: One of the most dangerous parts of the rescue mission was getting past the Chatham Bar, so the crew thought hard about whether to even attempt it.

Tougias and Sherman describe the bar as “a collection of ever-shifting shoals with flood currents carrying ocean waves that can splinter small boats in a matter of seconds…just in normal weather.” Cape Cod Bay was often referred to as “the graveyard of the Atlantic” and had seen some 3,000 shipwrecks over several centuries.

Mostly Fact: The rescue took place largely as depicted in the movie—with the exception of the song the men sang to soothe themselves during a moment of overwhelming fear.

Cluff told the men to “proceed as directed,” even after hearing Bernie’s report of the 60- to 7o-foot waves beyond the bar. As they approached, they sang “Rock of Ages” to comfort themselves. After making it past the bar, they lost their compass and radio signal and the boat’s windshield had shattered, spewing bits of glass. Upon reaching the Pendleton despite a lack of navigational tools, they assumed it was a ghost ship until they saw one man on the deck, followed by dozens more. They quickly realized that the number of men to be rescued far exceeded the capacity of the boat, but they agreed, “We would all live, or we would all die.” Upon their return, more than one hundred locals were waiting to welcome the freezing cold men.

Partly Fiction: George “Tiny” Myers, the beloved 300-lb. part-time chef played by Abraham Benrubi, died after a wave caused him to be tossed against the Pendleton while descending the ladder to the rescue boat .

Tiny was, indeed, the only one of the 33 men aboard the Pendleton ’s stern to die during the rescue. But he died in a different way than the one depicted onscreen. After slipping off the jacob’s ladder into the sea, the crew tried to pull him aboard but his weight was so great that they began slipping into the water and lost their grip on him. He was swallowed by a wave and then resurfaced, but when Bernie navigated the lifeboat toward him, a wave made the boat lose control, slamming into Tiny.

Partly Fiction: Bernie was haunted by a failed rescue attempt a few years back, and Miriam encountered the widow of one of the victims when she crashed her car into a snowbank.

Bernie was, in fact, tormented by the failed 1950 rescue attempt of a scalloper called the William J. Landry . He had been among the crew of four who tried to get out to the men during a storm, but their dory capsized multiple times on the way to the rescue boat, their oars broke, and after four attempts to get out they gave up. The victims’ remains were never recovered. As Miriam was stuck at home with the flu, her encounter with the widow was fabricated.

Fiction: Miriam barged into Chatham Station, demanding that commanding officer Cluff call Bernie back home, and was waiting at the pier to welcome him upon his return.

Though Miriam was a telephone operator, as depicted in the movie, she wasn’t calling to check in on Bernie from the switchboard because she was home with the flu for the duration of the storm. For the most part, the role she plays in the film is fabricated—presumably because shots of her sniffling in bed would have been much less interesting to watch.

Watch it now

More Must-Reads from TIME

The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024
Inside the Rise of Bitcoin-Powered Pools and Bathhouses
How Nayib Bukele’s ‘Iron Fist’ Has Transformed El Salvador
What Makes a Friendship Last Forever?
Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
Your Questions About Early Voting , Answered
Column: Your Cynicism Isn’t Helping Anybody
The 32 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024

Write to Eliza Berman at [email protected]

an image, when javascript is unavailable

The Guardian

Cliches and conventions from several generations of basic-training scenarios are proficiently recycled in "The Guardian." With Kevin Costner as a demanding mentor haunted by past failures, and Ashton Kutcher as a brash recruit dealing with his own demons, the overlong but involving drama has obvious cross-generational appeal.

By Joe Leydon

Film Critic

‘Going Varsity in Mariachi’ Review: Netflix Doc Follows Texas Teenagers Through the Ups and Downs of Statewide Band Competitions 1 week ago
‘Reagan’ Review: Dennis Quaid’s Affable yet Authoritative Presidential Performance Leads a Blatantly Worshipful Biopic 1 week ago
‘Crescent City’ Review: Overplotted Thriller Sustains Interest Primarily with Yeoman Performances by Well-Cast Leads 3 weeks ago

Cliches and conventions from several generations of basic-training scenarios are proficiently recycled in “The Guardian ,” a shrewdly updated version of classic (and not-so-classic) military-themed pics about grizzled, blunt-spoken vets who transform cocksure hotheads into coolly efficient professionals. With Kevin Costner well cast as a demanding mentor haunted by past failures, and Ashton Kutcher surprisingly effective as a brash recruit dealing with his own demons, the overlong but involving drama has obvious cross-generational appeal. Add some exciting rescue-at-sea sequences, and you have the potential for an early fall breakout hit.

Venu Legal Fight Is About More Than FuboTV: What’s at Stake for the Entire Industry

REASONABLE DOUBT - “204” (Disney/Crystal Power)
EMAYATZY CORINEALDI, MORRIS CHESTNUT

Emayatzy Corinealdi and Morris Chestnut Lead a Soapy and Intense ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Season 2: TV Review

Neatly sidestepping any possibility for political controversy, this particular basic-training pic pays tribute to saviors, not soldiers. Scripter Ron L. Brinkerhoff focuses on the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers, an elite unit of men and women who hoist or dive from helicopters — often during dangerously stormy weather — to aid victims in distress. (Production was green-lit well before Rescue Swimmers attracted attention while saving people stranded on rooftops, or drifting in floodwaters, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.) So arduous is the training that, more than 50% of the Rescue Swimmer candidates drop out before completing their schooling.

Popular on Variety

Ben Randall (Costner) is a living legend among Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. But he’s hard-pressed to deal with the physical and psychological damage after he loses his entire crew in a fiery crash in the Bering Sea near Kodiak, Alaska. (It doesn’t help much that, shortly before the disaster, Randall’s neglected wife, played by Sela Ward , left him.)

Randall’s commander reassigns him from active duty to the head teaching post at the Coast Guard’s “A” School for Rescue Divers. (Bulk of the pic was shot in northwest Louisiana, including locales at Barksdale Air Force Base.) Randall objects, but follows orders.

Enter Jake Fischer (Kutcher), a former high school swimming champ who’s certain he has the right stuff to make the grade. On the first day of training, however, he runs afoul of Randall, who’s unimpressed by Fischer’s bluster, and skeptical of his dedication.

As Fischer divides his time between romancing a sexy schoolteacher (Melissa Sagemiller) during off-duty hours, and trying to prove his prowess to a cynically incredulous Randall, “ The Guardian ” is more than a little reminiscent of “An Officer and a Gentleman.” The big difference here is, the romantic elements are scarcely more than window dressing. Director Andrew Davis focuses primarily, if not exclusively, on the edgy conflict between stern mentor and callow student.

Costner is effortlessly convincing as a savvy and seasoned professional who’s not quite ready to pass the torch on to a new generation. Kutcher is every bit as convincing, if markedly less interesting, during early scenes that emphasize Fischer’s golden-boy bravado. As complexities of the character are revealed, however, Kutcher’s performance deepens and darkens into something far more substantial. Like Fischer, the young actor gradually proves himself as a worthy partner for his older cohort.

Supporting roles are capably filled by the likes of Neal McDonough (as a zealous assistant instructor), Clancy Brown (Randall’s severe but sympathetic commander) and John Heard (the “A” School chief). Singer Bonnie Bramlett steals scenes from Costner, Kutcher and everyone else onscreen as a brassy jazz-blues chanteuse who operates a music club near the chool. Sagemiller and Ward have little to do.

Pic clocks in at an indulgent 139 minutes, though it never feels draggy. The training-school story is bracketed with genuinely thrilling rescue sequences convincingly filmed in a 750,000-gallon water tank constructed for the production in Shreveport, La. (Unlike the real-life Rescue Divers, the filmmakers had to flee New Orleans — their original choice of location — after Hurricane Katrina struck last year.)

Pic’s stab at acquiring a mythical dimension during the final rescue mission aren’t exactly successful. But the mission itself generates maximum suspense while showcasing outstanding contributions by production designer Maher Ahmad and f/x supervisor William Mesa. Music by Trevor Rabin recalls his similar scores (complete with martial drumbeats) for “Armageddon” and “Con Air.”

Production: A Buena Vista release of a Touchstone Pictures and Beacon Pictures presentation of a Contrafilm/Firm Films production. Produced by Beau Flynn, Tripp Vinson. Executive producers: Charles Lyons, Peter Macgregor-Scott, Armyan Bernstein, Zanne Devine. Directed by Andrew Davis. Screenplay, Ron L. Brinkerhoff.
Crew: Camera (Technicolor), Stephen St. John; editors, Dennis Virkler, Thomas J. Nordberg; music, Trevor Rabin; production designer, Maher Ahmad; art directors, Andrew Max Cahn, Austin Gorg; set decorator, Gene Serdena; costume designer, Mark Peterson; sound (Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS), Richard Bryce Goodman; visual effects supervisor, William Mesa; associate producer, Lowell Blank; assistant director, Vincent Lascoumes. Reviewed at AMC Studio 30, Houston, Sept. 16, 2006. MPAA rating: PG-13. Running time: 139 MIN.
With: Ben Randall - Kevin Costner Jake Fischer - Ashton Kutcher Emily Thomas - Melissa Sagemiller Maggie McGlone - Bonnie Bramlett Capt. William "Bill" Hadley - Clancy Brown Helen Randall - Sela Ward Jack Skinner - Neal McDonough Frank Larson - John Heard Hodge - Brian Geraghty

More from Variety

‘Scare Tactics’ Reboot From Jordan Peele Sets October Premiere Date

A rollercoaster moving down a line chart

Disney’s Theme Parks Problem Is a Monster of Its Own Making

Vince McMahon Docuseries Sets Netflix Premiere Date

WWE Pairs Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett as ‘Raw’ Commentary Team, Michael Cole Heads to ‘SmackDown’ With Corey Graves

First Paramount, Now SiriusXM: Can Warren Buffett’s Media Investments Be Trusted?

‘The Rainmaker’ Series at USA Network Casts Milo Callaghan in Lead Role

More from our brands, t.i. testifies at $25 million omg girlz trial: ‘anyone with eyes can see’ alleged theft.

Can I Send This Wine Back? Yes, Here’s How.

Ravens, Chiefs Draw 23-Year Ratings High in Blockbuster NFL Opener

The Best Loofahs and Body Scrubbers, According to Dermatologists

Disney+’s Vision Series Adds Star Trek Vet Todd Stashwick to Cast

Find Family Movies, Movie Ratings and Movie Reviews

The Guardian Parent Guide

After a tragic accident kills his crew, Coast Guard veteran Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) is reassigned to teach at the department's elite training school. Yet even in the classroom, Ben discovers someone who needs saving--a cocky recruit named Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher). Moments of peril and some off-duty antics may endanger this film's suitability for some viewers.

Release date September 28, 2006

Run Time: 139 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kerry bennett.

While countless employees are content to swim around in the office shark tank, there are a few—-and only a few—-willing to put their lives on the line for others. The Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers are a part of the select group.

Jumping into towering ocean waves to retrieve stranded sailors, these specially qualified men and women ignore their own safety and comfort in favor of complete strangers. They train, work and breathe by the motto “So Others May Live.”

Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher) is a cocky high school record holder who’s out to prove what he can do in the pool. More interested in setting times and hitting on girls than saving lives, the young hot shot needs a strong hand to guide him. Luckily Ben’s unconventional, hard-nosed tutoring methods and his willingness as an instructor to go the extra mile prove to be just what the student needs.

However, the real test comes when Jake is sent out on his first solo mission in the frigid waters off the coast of Alaska. Hovering in a helicopter over the turbulent waters, the new graduate puts his skills to trial.

Although both men are stellar during a crisis, in their off-duty hours they face personal challenges. Ben’s marriage to Helen (Selma Ward) is failing and Jake is involved in a casual relationship with a schoolteacher (Melissa Sagemiller) that revolves around frequent, casual sex with no commitment. Unfortunately the sexual antics, some profanities including a strong sexual expletive and the men’s frequent drinking habits, are distracting sidelines to these swimmers’ otherwise heroic actions.

Still, for older audiences, the willingness of Ben Randall and the new cadets to retrieve the stranded, the injured and even the foolhardy, provides a strong example of committed service. The film also invokes a greater appreciation for the real life guardians of the sea who put it all on the line when a distress call comes in.

About author

Kerry Bennett

The guardian rating & content info.

Why is The Guardian rated PG-13? The Guardian is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of action/peril, brief strong language and some sensuality.

The students and teachers at the Coast Guard’s school work hard and drink hard, although the lingering effects of alcohol seem to disappear when they respond to a crisis call. During a rescue attempt, a helicopter explodes killing several crewmembers, severely burning another and pulling a man underwater. Numerous dead bodies are seen. Casual sex is portrayed between two young adults. Profanities, along with a strong sexual expletive, and brief sexual comments are included.

Page last updated February 13, 2012

The Guardian Parents' Guide

What impact can a rescue worker’s job have on his or her family? What personal strain might be caused when these personnel have to make life or death decisions?

What teaching techniques does Randall employ to weed out the weaker candidates at the training school? Are these methods too harsh or are they necessary for the job?

Randall and Fischer do more than save people from the ocean. In what ways do they rescue one another? What does Randall mean when he tells the cadets to “honor your gift, save the ones you can and let the others go”?

Maggie, the bartender, says getting old is earned. What does she mean? How does she feel about her wrinkles and graying hairs? What lessons does age bring?

The most recent home video release of The Guardian movie is January 22, 2007. Here are some details…

The Guardian splashes down on DVD with an alternate ending (introduced by director Andrew Davis) and an audio commentary (also with director Andrew Davis). Two featurettes are included as well: Making Waves (the making of The Guardian ) and Unsung Heroes (a tribute to the real-life Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers). Audio tracks are available in English, French and Spanish (all Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround), with subtitles in French and Spanish.

Related news about The Guardian

8 Kevin Costner Movies You Won’t Want to Miss

{parents:pull_quote}

Cast & crew
User reviews

The Guardian

A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's "A" School, where legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice.
Ben Randall is a Coast Guard rescue swimmer. When his crew is killed in an accident and his marriage ends, his commander tells him he wants Randall to go to the US Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer "A" School to train other rescue swimmers. He encounters a guy named Jake who's a little cocky because he was once a swim champion. So Ben puts him through the wringer to see if he can handle it. — [email protected]
The US Coast Guard version of "Top Gun" with a little "An Officer and A Gentleman" thrown in: an aging USCG rescue swimmer's team is killed in a horrific rescue mission. Immediately prior to this terrible event, his wife also announced that she cannot take anymore. His first love is always the rescue mission. This leaves him an obviously emotional wreck. His commander gives him a choice - quit or take a position as an instructor at the USCG training facility in Louisiana. Reluctantly he takes the position. Moving into the school, he immediately increases the 18 week curriculum that routinely fails half of the people that attend. Here he meets a young man with unlimited potential, but with some secret that seems to hold him back as a team player. Delving into his past, links are found that make him a psychic twin to the older man. Thrown into the midst of the story is a romance with a local girl. Rescue missions punctuate the beginning and end of the story with the training sessions the center of the film. — John Sacksteder <[email protected]>
The plot follows Senior Chief Petty Officer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) and Airman Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher) at the United States Coast Guard's Aviation Survival Technician (AST) Program. Ben Randall is the top rescue swimmer who continues to work against regulation past the age of 40. Jake Fischer is a hot-shot candidate for AST who was ranked as a top competitive swimmer in high school with scholarships to every Ivy league college and university, but opted to enlist in the Coast Guard instead in hopes of becoming an AST. The movie title is introduced by a mythic tale: People lost at sea often claim they feel a presence lifting them to the surface, breathing life into their bodies while they are waiting for help to arrive. They call this presence "The Guardian." Ben, who has been juggling his home life and work as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, is confronted by his wife asking for a separation due to his frequent time at work. During the argument, he receives a page for an immediate rescue. Out at sea, he loses his rescue team in an HH-60J Jayhawk helicopter mishap, and while waiting in a survival raft, his best friend, Chief Petty Officer Carl Billings, dies due to injury, cold, and shock. Additionally, Ben had placed a victim into the helicopter's rescue basket who was abruptly pulled under with the sinking helicopter and was never seen again. Shaken, he is forced to either retire or to teach at a Coast Guard training school to recompose in which he reluctantly chooses the latter. Here, Jake arrives as a hopeful AST candidate at "A" school. Ben is considered a legend with a countless number of saves. Actual Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers in a training exerciseBen goes against protocol as an instructor and teaches as he wills, while Jake is the usual arrogant, but good-hearted student. During the training, Jake meets a local schoolteacher, Emily Thomas, and begins a "casual" relationship, as they both know his time there is limited. Once the initial, grueling weeks of training are over, and more than half of the students dropped (the school's Commandant almost boasts of an attrition rate of more than 50%), detailed instruction begins at the academy. After sleeping at his girlfriends house, Jake arrives late to class and is confronted by the waiting Ben. Unexpectedly, Jake is not dropped, although he is punished for his tardiness. Ben tries to force Jake into quitting, but he later sees his persistence and dedication. Meeting Emily in a bar, Jake tells her about him beating all of his instructor's, Ben Randall's, records. However, Maggie the barkeep, an old friend of Ben's, tells Jake of an unbreakable record: On a rescue at a ship fire (The Aegis), Ben worked tirelessly to save all the victims. With one man left and a broken winch, Randall held the man by his fingertips for the entire flight to land, resulting in extensive injuries to his hand and shoulder, a record that could never be broken. Jake is humbled. That night, Jake and Emily are at her house and Jake proposes they go on a date. Emily denies the date with Jake to stick to their "casual relationship" but later gives in to the date and they sleep together again. Later, during instruction, Jake's friend Charlie Hodge is unable to cope with panicked victims in the water and is afraid of failing school, so Jake takes him out for a drink before his date with Emily to cheer him up. After ending up in a Navy bar, they get involved in a fight and land in jail, leaving Jake's girlfriend stood up. Jake arrives back at base beaten and bandaged where he takes the blame entirely. Ben confronts Jake as to why he left his prospects as a competitive swimmer to join the AST program, and tells Jake what he learned about Jake's past: on a late night out, Jake, the designated driver, got into an accidental automobile crash, resulting in the deaths of his high school relay team. After a moment of sorrow, Ben and Jake share common ground, now they both know how it feels like to be the only survivor. Jake asks what Bens real number of saves is; no answer is given. Instruction is nearing completion and Jake takes to the role of leader during exercises. At graduation only a handful of the original candidates remain. Emily comes to see her boyfriend graduate, but the two must say goodbye because Jake is leaving town. Jake and Emily find saying goodbye to each other overwhelming by sharing a hug and kiss, then they slowly walk away from each other. Jake is assigned to CG Air Station Kodiak, Alaska for protection of the Bering Sea, Randalls post and the same post Jake wants to be assigned to in the first place. On a mission together they are sent to rescue two kayakers trapped in a cave. Fischer enters the cave and lights a flare. This brings back painful memories as Ben flashes back to his crew's disaster. After rescuing the first victim Jake returns to find Ben locked up unable to move. Ben's victim had hit a log and had a head laceration, which reminded him of the night he lost his crew. Jake continues to rescue both the second victim and Ben. At this point Ben realizes he cannot continue. Against his commander's wishes he retires. Jake again asks Ben what the number is. Twenty-two is the answer, the number of people Ben couldn't save, the only number he kept track of. Finding his wifes house, Ben goes in to apologize. He gives her the divorce papers and his wedding ring while they both act remorseful. Ben reveals that he has retired and slowly makes his way out. Ben returns to station to clear his office when he hears the radio chatter of a rescuer needed. Jake is to be sent to rescue four sailors trapped on a sinking vessel. Three seamen are rescued while the ship's captain is trapped in the hull. While Jake refuses to leave the captain, the chopper leaves to refuel. Finally freeing the captain, the door to the room is sealed shut by water and debris. Trapped in the room the hull begins to fill with seawater. Moreover, waves hit the vessel, causing the captain to hit his head against a pipe. In addition, an oxygen tank falls on the captain's body, killing him in the process. Ben Randall is the only rescue swimmer available to save Jake. He promptly begins to gather his gear. On scene, Ben is lowered onto the vessel. Getting snagged on the mast he is forced to unhook and climb down. At this point Jake has very little breathing room. Finding the sealed door, the water is released and Jake is freed. Back on deck they both hook to the rescue cable. Halfway up, the winch jams and the cable begins to unravel. Ben, realizing it can't hold both of them, unhooks and tries to fall. Jake catches and will not let him go, holding onto him by his glove simply saying, "I won't let go." Ben understandingly says, "I know." and unstraps his glove, plummeting from a fatal height into the ocean. Desperate to go in, Jake isn't allowed, as the only cable they have is broken and are afraid to lose Jake as well; the spotlights never see Ben resurface. Then, Jake Fischer begins to narrate. "The Coast Guard conducted one of the largest search-and-rescue missions for a single man in its history, but the body of Senior Chief Ben Randall was never found. What makes a legend? Is it what someone did when they were alive... or how they're remembered after they're gone? Some people actually believe Senior Chief made the swim to the Aleutian Islands. He's standing on a distant beach somewhere with a fishing pole in his hand. But I found my answer a couple of weeks later..." Weeks later, Jake is again sent to rescue a man. Upon retrieval, the victim keeps asking where the other man is. Jake realizes that 'someone' helped him, staying with him until help came. "He never let go", the man said. Jake attributes this to Ben's presence and continues his narration. "There's a legendof a man who lives beneath the sea. He's a fisher of men. A last hope for all those who have been left behind. He is known as The Guardian (Senior Chief Ben Randall). Ben Randall always said life is about making choices. In the end, by making his, he helped me make mine." This narration Jake makes refers to being reunited with Emily for good. In saying so, he visits Emily at the elementary school she teaches at. Because her class was interrupted by Jake, Emily pauses her class, approaches him and asks, "What are you doing here?" Jake answers, "I lied to youI can't do casual." There, Emily kisses Jake happily.

Contribute to this page

Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher in The Guardian (2006)

See more gaps
Learn more about contributing

More from this title

More to explore, recently viewed.

The Finest Hours

“The Finest Hours” tells the story of a true-life rescue operation, that, if someone had tried to pitch a similar but wholly fictional story following its basic parameters, would have been rejected as too implausible. For the most part, it is a solid film that bolsters its innately compelling narrative with effectively low-key performances, some genuinely thrilling sequences and only a few moments here and there that lean towards hokeyness. However, I cannot in good conscience fully recommend seeing it because of a presentation issue that renders the film virtually unwatchable for long stretches.

Set off the coast of New England, the film recounts the events of February 18, 1952 when a severe storm arose with such force that two oil tankers, the SS Fort Mercer and the SS Pendleton, were both literally split in half. While the Fort Mercer was able to get off distress signals and attract help, the splitting of the Pendleton resulted in the sinking of its fore section and the loss of its commanding officers and radios. With the rear section of the ship taking on water and some of the crewmen contemplating going out in the lifeboats—a suicidal move considering the size of the boats and the strength of the storm—it is bookish chief engineer Ray Sybert ( Casey Affleck ) who figures out a way to steer the crippled remains onto a nearby shoal in order to give potential rescue parties a little more time in which to find them before the rising waters finally overwhelm the generators and leave them dead in the water.

Though the Pendleton was unable to send out a distress signal, its existence was miraculously discovered and the commander of a Massachusetts Coast Guard outpost ( Eric Bana ) sends out a four-man crew consisting of sailor-with-a-troubled-past Bernie Webber ( Chris Pine ) and volunteers Richard Livesey ( Ben Foster ), Andy Fitzgerald ( Kyle Gallner ) and Ervin Maske ( John Magaro ) on a 36-foot motorized lifeboat in search of survivors. To local observers, this is a mission destined to at best fail as it is impossible for a boat that size in those waters to get across a sandbar and out into the open sea. Amazingly, after a long and harrowing struggle, Bernie manages to finally get the boat over the sandbar but loses the compass in the process. With night falling and with no way to determine where the ship is going, the mission goes from dangerous to downright suicidal, but Bernie and the others are determined to do their job, and get to the Pendleton to rescue as many of the sailors as they can.

“The Finest Hours” fumbles a bit early on as it goes about setting up its situation. There is an extended prologue charting the courtship of Bernie and telephone operator Miriam ( Holliday Grainger ) that is presumably meant to give an extra emotional resonance, but doesn’t add much to the proceedings. It gets even more frustrating later on when the story keeps cutting back from the rescue effort to scenes of Miriam fretting back on dry land. Another problem is the way that the film throws lots of unexplained nautical terminology at viewers—although the story itself is basic enough to allow people to follow along easily enough, the barrage of jargon may throw some for a loop at first. The commanding officer character is also painted in confusing terms—it is never certain whether he is a martinet, an idiot or, as a newcomer to the area, too unfamiliar with the area to understand the dangers he is sending his men into.

Once it gets past these hurdles, “The Finest Hours” turns into an effective rescue drama that does not necessarily reinvent the genre but goes about its business in a smart and generally compelling manner. Director Craig Gillespie , who previously helmed the quirk-fest “ Lars and the Real Girl ” and the surprisingly good remake of “Fright Night,” does a good job of conveying the stories of the Pendleton crew’s struggle for survival and the trials of their would-be rescuers. The performances are also nicely down-to-earth as well—Chris Pine, who has often stuck me as insufferably smug, delivers his most likable work to date as Bernie, while Casey Affleck is equally good as the loner engineer who finds the lives of his fellow sailors suddenly in his hands. Technically, the film is, with the exception of a couple of somewhat dodgy bits, pretty convincing and the sequence in which Bernie struggles to get his tiny ship over the sandbar is a thrilling moment to behold.

And yet, as good as “The Finest Hours” is in its best moments, I am unable to fully recommend seeing it due to the idiotic decision to convert the film into 3-D, presumably as a way of pulling in a few extra bucks at the box office. Under normal circumstances, such a move could just be ignored as a minor nuisance but in this case, it actively goes about ruining the basic experience of watching it. In the case of “The Finest Hours,” a film that takes almost entirely at night and in the middle of a ferocious storm, the 3-D conversion is so murky that there are long stretches where it is almost impossible to discern what is going on up on the screen. If you have the opportunity to see it in 2-D, it is worth a look. But since Disney is clearly pushing the 3-D version, my advice is to skip it and wait for the Blu-ray—sadly, you will not get the full big-screen experience that a film like this cries out for, but at least you will be able to actually see the damn thing.

Peter Sobczynski

A moderately insightful critic, full-on Swiftie and all-around bon vivant , Peter Sobczynski, in addition to his work at this site, is also a contributor to The Spool and can be heard weekly discussing new Blu-Ray releases on the Movie Madness podcast on the Now Playing network.

Eric Bana as Daniel Cluff
Beau Knapp as Mel Gouthro
Rachel Brosnahan as Bea Hansen
John Magaro as Ervin Maske
Keiynan Lonsdale as Eldon Hanan
Ben Foster as Richard Livesey
Graham McTavish as Frank Fateux
Josh Stewart as Tchuda Southerland
Casey Affleck as Ray Sybert
Chris Pine as Bernie Webber
Kyle Gallner as Andy Fitzgerald
Holliday Grainger as Miriam
Carter Burwell

Writer (book "The Finest Hours")

Casey Sherman
Michael J. Tougias
Craig Gillespie
Eric Johnson
Paul Tamasy
Scott Silver

Cinematographer

Javier Aguirresarobe
Tatiana S. Riegel

Now playing.

We Live in Time

Look Into My Eyes

The Front Room

Matt and Mara

The Thicket

The Mother of All Lies

The Paragon

My First Film

Don’t Turn Out the Lights

I’ll Be Right There

The Greatest of All Time

TIFF 2024: Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, Sharp Corner, The Quiet Ones

TIFF 2024: Dahomey, Bird, Oh Canada

TIFF 2024: The Cut, The Luckiest Man in America, Nutcrackers

The Telluride Tea: My Diary of the 2024 Telluride Film Festival

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.

Subscriptions

Grab a Seat at the Captain’s Table

Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.

Join our crew and become one of the 108,407 members that receive our newsletter.

Movie Review – The Finest Hours, Greatest Small Boat Rescue in History

Share this article.

On February 18, 1952, the T2 tanker SS Pendleton broke in half in a Nor’easter, in 60-foot seas and 70-knot winds off Cape Cod. The US Coast Guard Chatham Lifeboat Station dispatched BM1 Bernie Webber with a crew of three in a wooden 36-foot-long motorized lifeboat to search for the Pendleton . In almost impossible conditions, Webber and his crew crossed Chatham bar, located the ship and rescued 32 of the Pendleton survivors in a boat designed for 12, including the crew. It is considered to be the greatest small boat rescue in history. The movie, “The Finest Hours,” starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, and Holliday Grainger is a dramatization of the rescue, based on a book of the same name by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman.

February 18th was a very bad day for T2 tankers. A few hours after the SS Pendleton broke in half, a second T2 tanker, the SS Fort Mercer , suffered the same fate, in the same storm, in almost the same area. Unlike the Pendleton, the Fort Mercer managed to send out a distress call shortly before the ship broke in two. The Coast Guard mobilized as many boats and cutters as it could manage to rescue the survivors of the Fort Mercer , leaving literally only four guys and a wooden lifeboat available to rescue the men on the Pendleton when it was sighted from shore eight hours later. Chris Pine plays the coxswain Bernie Weber who was put in command of a very small boat facing a very large and angry ocean.

Remarkably, the engine room in the stern of the Pendleton remained relatively intact after the ship broke apart. Chief Engineer Ray Sybert organized the 33 surviving crew. Casey Affleck plays Ray Sybert as a taciturn, unflappable and more than a bit curmudgeonly chief engineer, who succeeds in holding both the crew and what remains of the broken ship together. His performance reminded me of several chief engineers I have known.

The movie tells the story of the rescue, cutting between the Chatham Lifeboat Station, Webber’s lifeboat, and the engine room and deckhouse of the Pendleton . I found the scenes on the Pendleton to be especially effective. The engine room looks and sounds like a steam turbine powered ship. I swear that I could almost smell the hot oil and steam.

The events aboard the ship are largely fictionalized. There were also several technical anachronisms which I suspect were dreamed up to facilitate telling the story. To my eyes, at least, they weren’t enough to be overly distracting. And, given that I have never actually been in the engine room of a T2, it is possible that I have got the details wrong, as well. It is also possible that there are larger issues that I missed. Despite the obvious dramatization of events on the wrecked ship, however, the underlying historical basis for the story is unchanged. Chief Sybert kept the crew working together and the plant on-line, which is an accomplishment worth noting.

Before Bernie Webber and his crew can get to the Pendleton , they first have to cross Chatham bar, which in the winter Nor’easter is a nightmare of breaking waves capable of tossing or rolling the small lifeboat with ease. The scenes in the movie give the viewer an up close and personal view of what it must have been like to make the seemingly impossible passage across the bar. Fortunately, the computer animation mixed with footage shot of the lifeboat in the wave tank doesn’t overwhelm the scene.

Even with these scenes working well, the movie almost sinks in the first 15 minutes when it seems to be primarily a retro-1950s love story. An even larger problem is that the main character, Bernie Webber, is portrayed as a self-effacing, wholly unself-aware, and uncertain Coast Guard coxswain, whose perky and beautiful girlfriend, at least initially, frightens him. In the first scene, Webber needs to be goaded out of the car to meet the young woman. He is worried whether she will like him, inspite of the actor’s movie star good looks. For too much of the movie, Webber has the look of a deer caught in headlights.

There are also far too many exclamations of, “But that is a suicide mission,” or “they will never make it over the bar” which telegraphs to the audience that they will indeed make it through. A subplot about an earlier failed rescue has potential but goes basically nowhere.

Despite the movie’s shortcomings, I found myself wholly engaged as Webber and his crew maneuvered back and forth in storm swells, dragging the crew of the Pendleton from the roiling waves into the tiny lifeboat. Overall, “The Finest Hours” is a movie worth seeing and a rescue well worth remembering.

To learn more about how and where the story of the Pendelton rescue was and was not fictionalized see – History vs Hollywood : The Finest Hours or just head over to amazon to purchase the book .

Movie Trailer

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Be the First to Know

Join the 108,407 members that receive our newsletter.

Have a news tip? Let us know.

Stay Ahead with Our Weekly ‘Dispatch’ Email

Dive into a sea of curated content with our weekly ‘Dispatch’ email. Your personal maritime briefing awaits!

Congressional Report Details New Delays and Cost Overruns for Coast Guard Icebreaker

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – The bad news for the U.S. Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter program keeps on coming. A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report details further cost...

China Deploys Three Icebreakers to Arctic as U.S. Presence Suffers After ‘Healy’ Fire

By Malte Humpert (gCaptain) – China continues to push ahead with the rapid expansion of its Arctic-capable fleet. For the first time it has dispatched three icebreaking vessels into the...

Sailing - Women's Kite Final. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

Olympics-Sailing-Drones Deliver Bird’s Eye View For Kite Jury

By Alexander Smith MARSEILLE, France, Aug 9 (Reuters) – In a darkened room below the ship-like “bridge” where race officials look out at the Mediterranean overseeing the Olympic sailing, a team of...

Why Join the gCaptain Club?

Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.

OUT AT SEA?

We’ve got you covered with trusted maritime and offshore news from wherever you are.

JOIN OUR CREW

Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 108,407 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.

Your Gateway to the Maritime World!

Join our crew.

Privacy Overview

Is The Guardian Based on a True Story?

Andrew Davis is known for rearing taut and gripping action thrillers like ‘The Fugitive’ and ‘Holes.’ ‘The Guardian’ is a 2006 action-adventure drama film replete with lofty notes and larger-than-life heroes. Within a runtime of 139 minutes, the movie invokes the myth of the titular guardian of the seas. The director takes the audience to the ice-cold waters off the Alaskan coast to tell the story of a mentor and a mentee. Kevin Costner acts as Ben Randall, the legendary rescuer in the United States Coast Guard, who trains a group of airmen in the Aviation Survival Technician (AST) program.

As a character torn between family and work, Ben only remembers the statistics of people he could not save in his prolific career. When one of his students fails a rescue mission, he must put his life at stake to attain the mythical grandeur. Ashton Kutcher and Melissa Sagemiller assist Kevin Costner in the cast ensemble. Although the movie uses many hackneyed military movie tropes, it is certainly one of the best out there in the niche genre of Coast Guard movies. However, you may wonder whether the myth of the movie has some historical basis. In that case, let us dig in and find out if any of it has roots in reality.

Is The Guardian a True Story?

‘The Guardian’ is partially based on a true story. The movie readily blends fact with fiction to deliver its tried and tested genre fiction. Director Andrew Davis created the movie from a script penned by Ron L. Brinkerhoff, who based the story on the 2004 Japanese action movie ‘Umizaru.’ The Japanese film was itself modeled upon the titular manga written by Yōichi Komori and illustrated by Shūhō Satō. Although David Dobkin of ‘Shanghai Knights’ fame was initially slated to direct the movie, Andrew Davis finally became tied to the production.

The early scenes take the audience to the middle of a rescue mission, where Ben Randall loses one of his best friends, Chief Petty Officer Carl Billings. The tragic event instills survivor guilt in Ben, who is reaching the end of his fabled career. On the surface, Ben comes off as arrogant, with a flair for antics. But breaking the hard shell reveals a kind-hearted person and a diligent professional. The rescue mission scene with Carl is reportedly based on a real-life event that took place in August 1981.

In the nascent days of Coast Guard Communications Station in Kodiak, Alaska, the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) Kodiak received information about a distress call from a fishing vessel. A crew of four took off on the aircraft, HH-3F Pelican, to carry out the rescue mission. But after an hour, communication broke down between the helicopter and mission control, possibly due to the rough weather.

After a lot of effort, the owner of the fishing vessel ultimately survived the ordeal, but the rescue team paid with their lives. The bodies of Lt. Ernest Rivas and AT3 John Snyder Jr. were eventually located on Montague Island, which was followed by the retrieval of Scott Finfrock’s mortal remains. But the body of Lt. Joseph Spoja was not found.

A painting by Arden Von Dewitz, named ‘So Others May Live,’ commemorates the incident and still hangs at the Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak. In the movie, although the HH-3F Pelican was replaced by HH-60J Jayhawk, the particular narrative about Ben and his friend, Carl, somewhat rings true to the real-life tragedy. Interestingly, the movie cast and crew feature actual helicopter pilots, rescue swimmers, and the U.S. Coast Guard ground staff. The clips played during the training sessions in the film are actual video clips provided to Walt Disney by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Moreover, the cast and crew experienced the effects of a disaster up close when Hurricane Katrina forced the production to relocate to Shreveport, Louisiana. The Louisiana State University, which serves as one of the filming locations, was repurposed as an evacuee shelter accommodating around 1000 people while filming was still underway. In fact, the director ended up hiring around 200 evacuees to be a part of the film. Therefore, although the film contains familiar tropes and fictional characters, the storyline is inspired by historical accounts and ground reports.

Read More: Where Was The Guardian Filmed?

The Guardian | Full Movie | Movies Anywhere

See Retailers

Rotten Tomatoes® Score

A simple, predictable, and formulaic action flick.

The Guardian is ultimately a by the numbers movie that failed to hit big at the box office, seemingly lost to time. Various elements seem dated or unintentionally hilarious.

When I left the theater, it was with not only newfound knowledge and respect for the men and women of our Coast Guard, but with a wave of excitement from the sheer excellence and entertainment of the film.

As tiresome as it is drawn out.

There's nothing particularly wrong with it, it's just very tedious. Originality doesn't seem to be important and maybe it doesn't have to be as The Guardian is dealing with something true but what that something is the filmmakers seem to know.

"The Guardian" is a pro-military propaganda movie from Hollywood that attempts to mask its agenda behind the life-saving rhetoric of Coast Guard rescue swimmers.

There is a breadth of quality about the acting, including a fine performance from Sela Ward as Ben's estranged wife - making a lot more of her role than her meagre scripting suggests.

Overly bloated action drama that is predictable and drawn out.

Additional Info

Genre : Action, Drama
Release Date : September 29, 2006
Languages : English, Spanish
Captions : English, Spanish
Audio Format : 5.1

You Might Also Like...

New Releases

IMAGES

Coast Guard: Mission Critical
The Coast Guard (2002)
The Coast Guard (2002)
The Coast Guard (2002)
Regarder Coast Guards
Best Movies About the Coast Guard, Ranked

VIDEO

47 Meters Down
Preview: A Surprise for May 4th! #starwars
SOS Coast Guard (1937) || 5 The Mystery Ship || Tv-Series || Public Domain Movies

COMMENTS

The Guardian (2006)
The Guardian: Directed by Andrew Davis. With Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Sela Ward, Melissa Sagemiller. A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's "A" School, where legendary rescue swimmer Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice.
Best Movies About the Coast Guard, Ranked
5 The Guardian. Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher star in the riveting 2006 action-adventure drama The Guardian, which follows veteran Coast Guard rescue swimmer Ben Randall as he struggles with ...
The Finest Hours (2016 film)
The Finest Hours is a 2016 American action thriller film [7] [8] directed by Craig Gillespie and produced by Walt Disney Pictures.The screenplay, written by Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, and Paul Tamasy, is based on The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. [9] The film stars Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster ...
The Finest Hours (2016)
The Finest Hours: Directed by Craig Gillespie. With Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana. The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.
The Guardian (2006)
A Coast Guard rescue swimmer (Kevin Costner), who still mourns losing his crew in a fatal accident, copes by dedicating his life to training new recruits, so when he meets swimming champion Jake ...
The Guardian (2006)
This movie is a solid movie- if not a bit cliche. It's Top Gun but with the US Coast Guard. The story is similar but enjoyable and a bit more serious than Top Gun. Kevin Costner gives a believable performance and Ashton Kutcher does a good job playing the smart-ass younger version of Costner's character.
The Guardian (2006 film)
The Guardian is a 2006 American action - adventure drama film directed by Andrew Davis. The film stars Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher. The title of the film refers to a legendary figure within the film which protects people lost at sea: "the Guardian". The film focuses on the United States Coast Guard and their Aviation Survival Technician ...
The Guardian
Correction: Oct. 3, 2006. A film review in Weekend on Friday about "The Guardian" referred imprecisely to the motto "That others may live.". It is the motto of the Coast Guard Rescue ...
The Finest Hours
Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 12/28/23 Full Review Nicolas D A Captivating Tribute to Coast Guard Bravery - True to the Book "The Finest Hours" masterfully brings to life the ...
The Guardian
Movie Review. Senior Chief Ben Randall is way past the prime of his stellar career as a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The missions are no longer smooth sailing for the highly decorated daredevil. And even his personal life is becoming waterlogged as his wife packs up and moves out.
The Guardian Movie Review
Several violent storms at sea; flashbacks show the dangers of Coast Guard rescue-swimming; a rescuer has to punch a hysterical victim; a couple of rescuers die; a helicopter crashes and explodes; a trainer is punched in the nose and bleeds; a couple of barfights with Navy sailors leave Jake (and then Ben) bloodied and bruised; training is hard (in freezing water, holding breath, swimming to ...
‎The Guardian (2006) directed by Andrew Davis • Reviews, film + cast
Loved this film so much. Better than expected. Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher both did good performances. The training part is so damn good. Simple story (looks familiar like Top Gun, GI Jane, An Officer, and a Gentleman) but an impressive film-making, congrats to Andrew Davis. Favorite movie of the month.
The Guardian (2006)
A high school swim champion with a troubled past enrolls in the U.S. Coast Guard's 'A' School, where legendary rescue swimmer, Ben Randall teaches him some hard lessons about loss, love, and self-sacrifice. Andrew Davis. Ron L. Brinkerhoff. Top Billed Cast. Kevin Costner.
The Guardian
Laura's Review: B-. When legendary Coast Guard rescue swimmer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner, "Open Range") survives a disastrous mission which takes the lives of his helicopter crew and best buddy, his commanding office, Capt. William Hadley (Clancy Brown, "Bad Boys"), sends him to train at the "A" school to get over the psychological blow ...
The Finest Hours is a Disney throwback that's finer than it looks
Movie Review; The Finest Hours is a Disney throwback that's finer than it looks Gale force Boston accents. ... The True Story Of The U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue, they frame the ...
The Finest Hours: The True Story Behind the Movie
The new film, which stars Chris Pine and Casey Affleck, is based on the true story of one of the most dangerous and daring rescue attempts in Coast Guard history: Boatswain's Mate First Class ...
The Guardian
Cliches and conventions from several generations of basic-training scenarios are proficiently recycled in "The Guardian." With Kevin Costner as a demanding mentor haunted by past failures, and ...
The Guardian Movie Review for Parents
The Guardian is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of action/peril, brief strong language and some sensuality. The students and teachers at the Coast Guard's school work hard and drink hard, although the lingering effects of alcohol seem to disappear when they respond to a crisis call. During a rescue attempt, a helicopter explodes ...
The Guardian (2006)
Synopsis. The plot follows Senior Chief Petty Officer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) and Airman Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher) at the United States Coast Guard's Aviation Survival Technician (AST) Program. Ben Randall is the top rescue swimmer who continues to work against regulation past the age of 40. Jake Fischer is a hot-shot candidate for AST ...
The Finest Hours movie review (2016)
Though the Pendleton was unable to send out a distress signal, its existence was miraculously discovered and the commander of a Massachusetts Coast Guard outpost sends out a four-man crew consisting ofsailor-with-a-troubled-past Bernie Webber and volunteers RichardLivesey (), Andy Fitzgerald (Kyle Gallner) and Ervin Maske (John Magaro)on a 36-foot motorized lifeboat in search of survivors.
Movie Review
The US Coast Guard Chatham Lifeboat Station dispatched BM1 Bernie Webber with a crew of three in a wooden 36-foot-long motorized lifeboat to search for the Pendleton. In almost impossible ...
Is The Guardian Based on a True Story?
September 6, 2021. Andrew Davis is known for rearing taut and gripping action thrillers like 'The Fugitive' and 'Holes.' 'The Guardian' is a 2006 action-adventure drama film replete with lofty notes and larger-than-life heroes. Within a runtime of 139 minutes, the movie invokes the myth of the titular guardian of the seas.
The Guardian
Purchase The Guardian on digital and stream instantly or download offline. Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher star in THE GUARDIAN, the powerful, action-packed drama that takes you inside the never-before-seen world of the elite Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers. Reeling with grief in the wake of a mission gone tragically wrong, legendary Rescue Swimmer Ben Randall (Costner) is given a mission he ...
Facebook
Connect with friends and the world around you on Facebook. Log In. Forgot password?

Best Movies About the Coast Guard, Ranked

Every Disney Animation Movie Releasing After Moana 2

9 Yours, Mine & Ours

8 The Boatniks

7 Border Flight

6 Coast Guard

5 The Guardian

4 Fighting Coast Guard

3 The Lightship

2 The Finest Hours

1 The Perfect Storm

Costner Is Back in the Water, and He’s Stoically Swimming to Save Everybody

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

The Finest Hours

What to Know

Critics Reviews

More Like This

Notice: All forms on this website are temporarily down for maintenance. You will not be able to complete a form to request information or a resource. We apologize for any inconvenience and will reactivate the forms as soon as possible.

The Guardian

Content Caution

In Theaters

Home Release Date

Distributor

Movie Review

Positive Elements

Spiritual Elements

Sexual & Romantic Content

Violent Content

Crude or Profane Language

Drug & Alcohol Content

Other Noteworthy Elements

Latest Reviews

The Front Room

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Weekly Reviews Straight to your Inbox!

Want to stay Plugged In?

Or browse by category:

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Common Sense Selections for Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Common Sense Media Review

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Violence & Scariness

Products & Purchases

Where to Watch

Parent and Kid Reviews

Its okay to let other people in

Is It Any Good?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Suggest an Update

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Add to your films…

Add to lists

Where to watch

How do you decide who lives or who dies?

Director Director