Swallows and Amazons | Rotten Tomatoes

Swallows and Amazons

Released Jul 14, 2017

1 hr. 37 min.

Adventure

Drama

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List

94%

34 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The Walker children are given permission to camp on an island in the middle of a vast lake. When they get there, they have to battle against a gang of local youths for control of the island.

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Critics Consensus

Swallows and Amazons honors its source material with a beautifully shot drama whose nostalgic glow is enhanced by winning performances and a timeless story.

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John E

A rather weird mixture of details from the original books, a random spy drama, and lots of tension between the kids. None of it really fitted together coherently.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/01/23

Full Review

daniel r

It changes a lot, some probably necessary and some not. Not as charming as the 1970's version but not bad.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

isla s

I enjoyed this film - its a good bit of family friendly escapism. It features some nice shots of the Lake District, where its set and I liked the ocassional drawings showing the area surrounding the island its mostly set on, by the children. The plot pace is a bit slow but it didn't bore me and there were a few aspects of the plot that surprised me. It certainly isn't violent or anything, so as I say its a decent family watch and if your a fan of the Lake District, then I'd happily recommend this.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I loved this show. Great family movie :)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A pale imitation of the book. Not the best film version.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Saw it for the first time on tv yesterday, awful, never want to see it again. Loved the books, loved the 1973 version. A.R. will be spinning in his hammock. Your top critic reviewers must have been paid to say what they did or have no taste or understanding of the original story. Thanks to Mr. Ransome I DID mean to go to sea!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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Philippa Lowthorpe

Director

Rafe Spall

Captain Flint

Andrew Scott

Lazlov

Kelly Macdonald

Mrs. Walker

Dane Hughes

John Walker

Orla Hill

Susan Walker

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Swallows & Amazons: Trailer 1

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Sheri Linden

Los Angeles Times

As clunky as the movie can feel, there's a winning toughness to its unsentimental view of childhood and its nostalgia for a pre-digital age.

Jul 13, 2017

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

Where the film really takes wing is when the Swallows and Amazons are trying to steal each other's boats, making expeditions by moonlight or are planning just what they're going to eat after dropping their provisions in the lake.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 25, 2016

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Despite an incongruous action sequence on the roof of a puttering steam train and a beefed-up espionage plot, the thrills here are reassuringly low-key.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 21, 2016

Full Review

Alison Rowat

The Herald (Scotland)

The pace is slow initially, but stick with it.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 22, 2018

Full Review

Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

The Enid Blyton-esque, picture-book-pretty vibe of the production is irresistible throughout.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 6, 2018

Full Review

Craig Mathieson

The Sunday Age

Parental supervision is little more than a wry nod of approval in this natural light-drenched adventure that comes complete with three old-fashioned cheers for the grumpy housekeeper who nonetheless makes them a cake before they set off.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 29, 2017

Full Review

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Synopsis

The Walker children are given permission to camp on an island in the middle of a vast lake. When they get there, they have to battle against a gang of local youths for control of the island.

Director: Philippa Lowthorpe
Executive Producer: Jenny Borgars, Patrick Fischer, Hugo Heppell, John Jencks, Dan MacRae, Alexa Seligman, Steve Milne, Beth Pattinson, Ian Maiden
Screenwriter: Andrea Gibb
Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Films
Production Co: BBC Films
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Original Language: English (United Kingdom)
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 14, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 14, 2017

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