Skip to content
MovieCove
Walking Tall

Walking Tall

One man will stand up for what's right.

200486 minPG-13Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Director
Kevin Bray
Starring
Dwayne Johnson, Johnny Knoxville, Neal McDonough, Kristen Wilson

A former U.S. soldier returns to his hometown to find it overrun by crime and corruption, which prompts him to clean house.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Walking Tall?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Walking Tall streaming on Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

NewFreeNewFree

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Walking Tall?

Walking Tall earns 10 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is Walking Tall worth watching?

Walking Tall's Midcredits score is the 56th percentile of all films, from 158K ratings across 6 sources. 60% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

56th percentile

Better received than 56% of films

71st percentile among Action53rd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)44th
Approval (how many liked it)66th

60 /100

44th percentile of all films

61st percentile among Action44th percentile among 2000s

Critics 44 · Audience 61

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.9 — solid but not unanimous.

60% liked it

66th percentile of all films

77th percentile among Action63rd percentile among 2000s
60% rated it 7–1040% rated it 1–6

Critics 27% · Audience 59%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 2 noms overall

96th percentile

158K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Action93rd percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 14% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$46M
Opening weekend$16M
Domestic gross$46M
Worldwide gross$57M

Returned 1.2× its budget — 79th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a straightforward, simple action revenge story centered on a charismatic lead.

Fans praised

  • charismatic lead performance
  • fast-paced action sequences
  • satisfying good-vs-evil story

Detractors panned

  • predictable and formulaic plot
  • flat and underdeveloped lead character
  • derivative of better originals

What stands out

ActingDivisive72

The Rock's charisma praised, but some find him one-note

PacingDivisive68

fast-paced and brisk, some say rushed

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

action set-pieces deliver but not groundbreaking

Plot and storyDivisive55

simple revenge plot, predictable but effective

AtmosphereDivisive55

small-town setting feels authentic but flat

TensionDivisive55

decent stakes, but no real suspense

CharactersDivisive45

lead lacks depth, supporting cast mostly stock

Originality30

derivative remake, formulaic action

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 19 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Under-30s

Under-30s scored it 41 points higher than over-30s.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 16 points higher than critics.

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

  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Walking Tall like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you fired up.

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

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrillingTriumphant
Heaviest: middle
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its action-hero premise straight, with earnest conviction in its fight against corruption.
The rideTension builds during the casino infiltration and beatdown, rises during the shootout at the station, and resolves with the final fight.
StructureThe story unfolds in a straightforward, chronological order: Chris returns, faces corruption, becomes sheriff, and takes down the criminals.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

The answer rests on this: Rousing · 10% of filmsFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer feeling inspired by the protagonist's triumph over corruption, blended with the thrill of a straightforward action movie.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

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).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · 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. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeChris Vaughn returns to find his hometown corrupted by a casino owner and a sheriff who enable drug dealing and violence. The story is driven by his fight to dismantle this system, fitting overcoming_the_monster with the oppressive state subtype, and his renewed sense of purpose gives it a secondary rebirth arc.

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 filmsSelfJusticeMorality
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% · 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% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · 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%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film follows a veteran who, after being personally wronged, takes on a corrupt system to restore fairness and pride to his hometown.
StanceThe film celebrates a determined individual taking personal action to restore justice and pride to his town.

The world

ContemporaryRuralInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Graeme Revell
Settinga small Washington town centered around a corrupt casino
MusicSynthesizer and percussion drive the action sequences.

Content guide

Is Walking Tall okay for kids?

PG-13

Walking Tall is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense violence, sexual content, drug material and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (74/100), sexual content at moderate (43/100), language at moderate (51/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (56/100) and frightening material at moderate (59/100). Overall it is heavier than 94% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • Germany16
  • Ireland18
  • JapanR18+
  • Brazil14
  • Czechia15+
  • Hungary16
  • Poland16
  • SK15
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 63% of all filmsHeavier than 94% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 95%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 71%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 94%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 72%

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

The reason to think twice is violence.

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 Walking Tall have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Walking Tall?

Cast

Dwayne Johnson
as Chris Vaughn
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Johnny Knoxville
as Ray Templeton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Neal McDonough
as Jay Hamilton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kristen Wilson
as Michelle Vaughn
Ashley Scott
as Deni
Khleo Thomas
as Pete Vaughn
John Beasley
as Chris Vaughn Sr.
Barbara Tarbuck
as Connie Vaughn
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Michael Bowen
as Sheriff Stan Watkins
Kevin Durand
as Booth

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Walking Tall?

Movies like Walking Tall include Walking Tall (1973), Under Siege (1992) and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995). Of the 12 closest matches, several are martial-arts films, and most are hero-versus-nemesis stories.

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

10 of these 12 share its subject: justice. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Walking Tall?

2.1K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: revenge thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.