Rotten Tomatoes
Suggestions will appear as you start typing. Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Quest for Fire

Play trailer Poster for Quest for Fire R 1981 1h 37m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
88% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In the prehistoric world, a Cro-Magnon tribe depends on an ever-burning source of fire, which eventually extinguishes. Lacking the knowledge to start a new fire, the tribe sends three warriors (Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nameer El-Kadi) on a quest for more. With the tribe's future at stake, the warriors make their way across a treacherous landscape full of hostile tribes and monstrous beasts. On their journey, they encounter Ika (Rae Dawn Chong), a woman who has the knowledge they seek.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

Quest for Fire

Quest for Fire

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Its characters can't do much more than grunt, but that doesn't keep Quest for Fire from offering a deeply resonant -- and surprisingly funny -- look at the beginning of the human race.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Dwight Brown Sepia Aug 10, 2022
[An] innovative work. Go to Full Review Bob Thomas Associated Press Oct 22, 2018
Quest for Fire contains a uniqueness rarely seen in the homogenous product of today's film industry. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety Mar 26, 2009
An engaging prehistoric yarn that happily never degenerates into a club and lion skin spinoff of Star Wars and resolutely refuses to bludgeon the viewer with facile or gratuitous effects. Go to Full Review James Berardinelli ReelViews Mar 9, 2024
3/4
If the viewer is able to buy into some of the more ridiculous aspects of the movie and cope with the absence of intelligible dialogue, Quest for Fire emerges as an engaging adventure film. Go to Full Review Phil Edwards Starburst Jul 28, 2022
A movie so rich in entertainment and genuine emotion which seems to race through its hundred minute running time like an express train. Go to Full Review Larry Vitacco Philadelphia Gay News May 27, 2020
4/4
Quest For Fire is thrilling and awesome in its individual and collective achievements. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Peter W @RT12077588 Oct 10, 2026 Quest for Fire presents a fantastic concept centred on fire and the devastating effects of its disappearance on a tribe. The outstanding work in practical effects, makeup, and costume design deserves special recognition, as all are consistently impressive. This is further supported by the three lead performers' high level of commitment. The landscapes and locations used throughout the film are also ideally suited to the story and the world it inhabits. While the film opens strongly and clearly establishes its premise, the quest itself often feels slow-paced. Unfortunately, it is in the third act, particularly during the finale, where the film feels weakest, lacking the impact and strength found in the earlier sections. See more Robert P @Superbad Sep 13, 2026 Quest for fire = a *4* star Movie! See more canoeman1961 T @RT91925226 Apr 21, 2026 Although the film conjectures on interactions of species at that time, recent anthropology has shown that a greater likelihood of such interactions and hominid variants around that time could be closer to the how the film portrayed them. This is refreshing, since I absolutely loved the film and its boldness to try and piece together a society that was so removed from ours. See more Andrew Y @RT62397389 Feb 22, 2024 Think, Bristol - circa 1978…….. See more KUSH 2 @RT35791063 Feb 21, 2024 great movie about pre humans See more Alec B @Alec97 Jan 10, 2024 The plot is actually fairly predictable however you do have to admire the effort that when into this and the bold choice of having no intelligible dialogue for the entire movie. See more Read all reviews
Quest for Fire

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Jean-Jacques Annaud

Director

Everett McGill

Naoh

Rae Dawn Chong

Ika

Ron Perlman

Amoukar

Nicholas Kadi

Gaw

Gary Schwartz

Rouka

More Like This

View All
El Norte 92% 82% El Norte Watchlist Brubaker 74% 74% Brubaker Watchlist Whose Life Is It Anyway? 70% 79% Whose Life Is It Anyway? Watchlist Knightriders 81% 61% Knightriders Watchlist The Star Chamber 77% 43% The Star Chamber Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Quest for Fire

Quest for Fire (1981) Quest for Fire (1981) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In the prehistoric world, a Cro-Magnon tribe depends on an ever-burning source of fire, which eventually extinguishes. Lacking the knowledge to start a new fire, the tribe sends three warriors (Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nameer El-Kadi) on a quest for more. With the tribe's future at stake, the warriors make their way across a treacherous landscape full of hostile tribes and monstrous beasts. On their journey, they encounter Ika (Rae Dawn Chong), a woman who has the knowledge they seek.
Director
Jean-Jacques Annaud
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Belstar Productions, International Cinema Corporation (ICC), Stéphan Films
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 12, 1981, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 1, 2013
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Surround
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings