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Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker Review

Release Date: Oct 13, 2006
Rated: sequences of action violence and some peril
Runtime: 1 hr. 32 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure
Director:Geoffrey Sax
Cast:Sarah Bolger, Alex Pettyfer, Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fry, Damian Lewis. Full cast + crew

Movies.com Critics

2.0

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… boring and lifeless. Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

3.0

42

out of 100

Metascore^®
Mixed or average reviews
based on a weighted average of all
critic review scores.
30

out of 100

Variety Derek Elley
A shake 'n' bake Brit teen-spy actioner, without a smidgeon of originality, humor or involving characterization, Stormbreaker is a high-profile bust.

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40

out of 100

Los Angeles Times
The film is forever trying to balance between being for younger teenagers and keeping their parents occupied as well, and never quite gets it right.

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40

out of 100

The Hollywood Reporter Ray Bennett
A lame and disappointing affair.

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50

out of 100

Entertainment Weekly
Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker is "Agent Cody Banks" played British and kinda straight -- that is, as straight as you can when your villain, who dispatches foes with a giant jellyfish, is played by a toothpick-chomping Mickey Rourke in purple eye shadow.

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50

out of 100

The New York Times Nathan Lee
Mr. Pettyfer is no Sean Connery, no Roger Moore, no Pierce Brosnan, no Timothy Dalton and no George Lazenby even, but the director, Geoffrey Sax, compensates for his zero of a hero by indulging the exceedingly amused and amusing supporting cast.

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63

out of 100

USA Today Staff [Not Credited]
Though the film is not terribly original (and features a jarringly miscast Alicia Silverstone as Alex's nanny), the action scenes are diverting, the veteran cast is amusing and the engaging Pettyfer makes a solid debut.

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See all Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 11+

Teen spy hero makes leap from book to screen.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie is fine for tweens overall (despite lots of violent material) and will appeal to kids who've read the popular book series it's based on. It's fairly tame when it comes to sex and language, but the violence is pretty intense for a PG-rated film. There are guns, shooting, and explosions throughout, as well as scenes of peril and action (involving airplanes, motorcycles, horses, cars, and boats). No blood is shown.

Families can talk about whether a 14-year-old would really have the guts and gumption to be a spy. Why does he put himself in dangerous and life-threatening situations? Did he have any other options, or was he forced into being a spy? Parents can ask kids who've read the books to compare them to the big screen version -- which do they like better? Why? Who would they have cast in all of the roles?

The good stuff

Messages: A main character depends on violence to solve problems. The MI6 people aren't exactly warm and cuddly, and they force Alex into service. A character is senselessly killed.

What to watch for

Violence: Guns, shooting, fighting, and explosions throughout. A man with two guns (pointed into the camera) assassinates a character, although we don't see the impact. A character is killed for making a simple mistake. Many scenes of peril, including car and motorcycle chases, skydiving, and careening off buildings, although no blood is shown.
Sex: Mild flirting between teens.
Language: A couple of "hecks."
Consumerism: Nintendo, BMW, Mini-Cooper, zit cream, a fountain pen that shoots sodium pentathol, reference to Hogwarts.
Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some drinking among adult characters.

Common Sense Media

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 2.956

Read all reviews Write a review at Fandango

Awesome by Movi3Lov4@
Operation Stormbreaker is full of action and drama, and of course, a little funny. It was really strange that Sabina Pleasure in this movie but not in the Stormbreaker book. Too bad that Alex and Sabina didn't kiss in this movie. I hope that Anthony will screenwrite the Alex Rider: Operation Point Blanc. I tell ya!!!! It was great!

stormbreaker by baskt2311

it is the best movie

by deathbyflowers

by universeeye

by littleeagle10152003

by silver_sunshine

Read all Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker reviews at Fandango