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The Edge

The Edge

They were fighting over a woman when the plane went down. Now, their only chance for survival is each other.

1997117 minRMidcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Director
Lee Tamahori
Starring
Anthony Hopkins, Alec Baldwin, Elle Macpherson, Harold Perrineau

The plane carrying wealthy Charles Morse crashes down in the Alaskan wilderness. Together with the two other passengers, photographer Robert and assistant Stephen, Charles devises a plan to help them reach civilization. However, his biggest obstacle might not be the elements, or even the Kodiak bear stalking them -- it could be Robert, whom Charles suspects is having an affair with his wife and would not mind seeing him dead.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Edge?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Edge streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Edge?

The Edge earns 6 badges, led by Visual feast and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Edge worth watching?

The Edge's Midcredits score is the 80th percentile of all films, from 131K ratings across 6 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

80th percentile

Better received than 80% of films

89th percentile among Action82nd percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)78th
Approval (how many liked it)80th

69 /100

78th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Action81st percentile among 1990s

Critics 66 · Audience 70

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

87th percentile among Action81st percentile among 1990s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 63% · Audience 70%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

95th percentile

131K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Action93rd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 25% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$7.7M
Domestic gross$28M
Worldwide gross$43M

Returned 1.4× its budget — 76th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A well-acted survival thriller set in stunning wilderness, but its realism is strained and the story relies on genre conventions.

Fans praised

  • breathtaking Alaskan wilderness cinematography
  • gripping man-vs-bear tension with real Kodiak bear
  • Anthony Hopkins' restrained, intellectual survivalist performance

Detractors panned

  • implausible survival details and convenience-driven plot
  • shallow character development and wooden supporting cast
  • tedious pacing and anticlimactic resolution after bear climax

What stands out

Cinematography85

Stunning widescreen landscapes and immersive wilderness photography

AtmosphereDivisive80

Cold, isolated wilderness palpable; sense of dread effectively built

ActingDivisive78

Hopkins praised for calm intelligence; Baldwin's performance polarizes

TensionDivisive72

Bear stalking and psychological duel create intermittent suspense

Effects and spectacleDivisive72

Real bear attack sequences praised as intense and convincing

DialogueDivisive68

Mamet's sharp, witty exchanges lauded but sometimes overly stylized

CharactersDivisive58

Underwritten characters; Hopkins' arc resonates, others are thin

Plot and storyDivisive55

Predictable love-triangle survival formula with some twists

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Edge like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDreadHopeful
Heaviest: middle
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsBrooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its survival and human conflict with straight-faced gravity, never winking at the audience.
The rideThe film maintains high tension from the plane crash onward, with peak dread during the bear attacks, and a lighter but still weighty resolution.
StructureConventional linear narrative with a clear set-up, survival ordeal, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

HopefulBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a complex mix of hope for the protagonist's resilience and melancholy over the human cost.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Voyage and return underneath

Why this archetypeA plane crash strands a billionaire and his wife's photographer in the Alaskan wilderness, where they must survive a predatory bear and the tension between them.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalBetrayal · 5% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film is primarily about the struggle to survive in the wilderness, with the added tension of betrayal and the redefinition of self that emerges under extreme pressure.
StanceThe film interrogates the nature of survival and betrayal, focusing on the personal conflict between Charles and Bob rather than broader stakes.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessRuralRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Jerry Goldsmith
SettingRemote Alaskan wilderness with a luxury lodge and surrounding forest, rivers, and mountains.
MusicGoldsmith's score blends sweeping orchestral themes with tense, percussive cues for the bear sequences.

Content guide

Is The Edge okay for kids?

R

The Edge is rated R: “Rated R for language and some adventure gore/violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (73/100), sexual content at mild (16/100), language at intense (74/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (36/100) and frightening material at intense (69/100). Overall it is heavier than 50% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Argentina+13
  • Denmark15
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoA
  • Norway15
  • PortugalM/12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 70% of all filmsHeavier than 50% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 55%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 10%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 63%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 37%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 63%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, violence, and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Edge have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Edge?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Anthony Hopkins
as Charles Morse
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alec Baldwin
as Robert Green
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Elle Macpherson
as Mickey Morse
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Harold Perrineau
as Stephen
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
L.Q. Jones
as Styles
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Kathleen Wilhoite
as Ginny
Mark Kiely
as Mechanic
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Eli Gabay
as Jet Pilot
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Larry Musser
as Amphibian Pilot
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bart the Bear
as The Bear

Crew

Directed by

Lee Tamahori

Written by

David Mamet

Cinematography

Donald McAlpine

Edited by

Neil Travis

Music by

Jerry Goldsmith

Produced by

Art LinsonLloyd Phillips

More like this

What are movies like The Edge?

Movies like The Edge include The Contract (2006), Shoot to Kill (1988) and Daughter of the Wolf (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, most are survival stories, and most are films set in the Pacific Northwest.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its world: wilderness. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Edge?

578 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.