Thunderbirds

Play trailer

Thunderbirds

PG

2004

1h 27m

Kids & Family

Sci-Fi

Adventure

Action

Fantasy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

19%

Tomatometer

100 Reviews

37%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Former astronaut Jeff Tracy (Bill Paxton) runs International Rescue, a top-secret heroic organization, from his headquarters on Tracy Island. The island also houses the futuristic vehicles created by Ray "Brains" Hackenbacker (Anthony Edwards). But while Jeff is on a mission in space, his nemesis, The Hood (Ben Kingsley), invades Tracy Island. The Hood plots to use the island's technology for evil, and only Jeff's son, Alan (Brady Corbet), can stop him.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Live-action cartoon for kids.

Read Critics Reviews

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 29, 2010

3/5

Fans of the Spy Kids series will enjoy it.

Go to Full Review

Joshua Katzman

Chicago Reader

May 18, 2008

There's enough special effects razzle-dazzle to distract the average ten-year-old, but the script by William Osborne and Michael McCullers is stilted and humorless -- a little camp might have helped.

Go to Full Review

Derek Adams

Time Out

Feb 9, 2006

What impenetrable, overwrought codswallop this one's turned out to be.

Go to Full Review

Paul Dale

The List

Apr 22, 2019

1/5

It's too convoluted and camp for kids and too boring for adults.

Go to Full Review

Mark Steyn

The Spectator

Jan 25, 2018

If they'd taken the spirit of the Penny-Parker scenes and run with it, they might have had a movie. Instead, Tim Bevan and co. took Gerry Anderson's wonderful self-contained universe and cut the strings in every sense.

Go to Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Apr 29, 2009

There's just nothing redeeming about this movie...

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Sir C

@RT56633124 May 31, 2026

The worst Thunderbirds interpretation on the market.

See more

Darth B

@RT28882953 Dec 21, 2025

Complete and utter garbage, it is totally disparaging, to the much beloved and original Tv series, they made too many changes and to both the Thunderbird craft and the characters. This is why fans of the original hate this. The hood played by Ben Kingsley was laughable and Bill Paxton as Jeff Tracy was a complete mismatch, he may as well have been Mr Bean , what a disgraceful mockery and an insult to the original If only they honoured the original show, this could have been a massive success. This is a kick in the teeth to true fans.

See more

Kieran F

@RT51875781 Aug 31, 2025

10/10 pls watch this movie it’s so good, acting is brilliant, music is great and the fight scenes are sooooooooooo realistic, fav bit is definitely the dialogue, lines like: Alan Tracy - ‘So, do you still think that science can explain everything?’ Fermat - ‘Not girls.’ really got me, fav movie I watch it all the time 🤘🤘 (p.s Jeff Tracy can ‘thunderise’ my pu**y any day of the week 😉)

See more

D3Z 1

@RT51637195 Jul 5, 2025

Jonathan Frakes' take on the Thunderbirds unfortunately did not soar as the beloved puppet show created by Gerry Anderson which features the rescue family team and their vehicles needed more than just strings reattached. Despite having the likes of Bill Paxton, Ben Kingsley and Sophia Myles who is probably the only decent casting as Lady Penelope, the other aspects were rather poorly done whether this was from a plot that did not have anything interesting, poorly choreographed fight sequences or even characters that failed to shine from start to end.

See more

Stephen C

@bob25009 May 29, 2025

Awesome in just 1 hour and 27 minutes. A success on home media.

See more

Arturo R

@RT37548645 Dec 7, 2024

TRUE CINEMA!!! My man over cooked with this, and the score by Hans Zimmer is a certified banger, and the end credits song Thunderbirds Are Go by Busted is sensational.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Jonathan Frakes

Director

Bill Paxton

Jeff Tracy

Anthony Edwards

Brains

Sophia Myles

Lady Penelope

Ben Kingsley

The Hood

Brady Corbet

Alan Tracy

Journey to the Center of the Earth

59%

48%

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Journey to the Center of the Earth

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

71%

46%

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl

19%

34%

The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl

Watchlist

Zathura

77%

52%

Zathura

Watchlist

Race to Witch Mountain

42%

44%

Race to Witch Mountain

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Race to Witch Mountain

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

24 Grooviest Adaptations of ’60s TV

Video Exclusive: Sophia Myles talks Hallam Foe with RT

Poster Parade: "Zoom," "Bug" & "Guardian"

View more photos

Synopsis

Former astronaut Jeff Tracy (Bill Paxton) runs International Rescue, a top-secret heroic organization, from his headquarters on Tracy Island. The island also houses the futuristic vehicles created by Ray "Brains" Hackenbacker (Anthony Edwards). But while Jeff is on a mission in space, his nemesis, The Hood (Ben Kingsley), invades Tracy Island. The Hood plots to use the island's technology for evil, and only Jeff's son, Alan (Brady Corbet), can stop him.

Director: Jonathan Frakes
Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Mark Huffam
Screenwriter: Michael McCullers, William Osborne, Peter Hewitt
Distributor: Universal Pictures, Universal Studios Inc.
Production Co: Tracy Films Ltd, Working Title Films
Rating: PG (Language|Intense Action Sequences)
Genre: Kids & Family, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 30, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.8M
Runtime: 1h 27m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings