Rolling Thunder

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Rolling Thunder

R,

1977,

1h 39m,

Action/

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

81%

16 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

1,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

16 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

A Vietnam veteran who returns home after years in a POW camp, Maj. Charles Rane is treated as a hero, but his family proves to be distant. When thugs invade his home to steal silver coins that Rane received for his service, they mangle his hand and leave him, his wife and son for dead. Rane survives and becomes obsessed with getting revenge. Aided by his loyal friend Johnny Vohden, Rane, now wielding a hook for a hand, sets out on his mission of vengeance.

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

Dec 21, 2015

Flynn's crisp, laconic direction and evocative use of Southern Texas locations transorm Rolling Thunder, now at area theaters, into a more distinctive exploitation movie than it deserves to be.

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Nick Pinkerton

Village Voice

Aug 1, 2012

Performances are made crystalline through a sixth sense for camera placement and curt cutting from director John Flynn, whose 2007 passing was little noted, though his no-BS way of laying down a story is a rare commodity in any era.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Mar 26, 2009

In sum, it neither rolls nor thunders.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 28, 2025

3/5

Devane holds your attention and convinces you of his strong intensity during every opportunity within "Rolling Thunder."

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Feb 12, 2025

3.5/5

The movie is just as much a character study as it is a revenge thriller. Its themes are straightforward but insightful, plowing deep into the post-Vietnam alienation felt by many veterans. At the same time, there’s no denying its exploitation inspiration.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Apr 23, 2024

2.5/4

Basically an inferior version of Death Wish, with a thudding simplicity that makes the Charles Bronson hit look as complex as All the President’s Men by comparison.

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Leia R

Oct 13, 2018

What a great movie, no need for hollywood idiots to remake this one starring Vin Diesel or the Rock

Albus G

Sep 25, 2017

I came to my current love of this one via a rather circuitous route, in that I rented it ages ago based on Quentin Tarantino mentioning it in an interview, and I recall friends and I sorta making excuses for it being okay, but low budget, etc. Now in my middle age and much more open to the world of cinema, warts and all, this stands above a lot of other fare of the time for sheer energy and creativity. Well worth a look if you haven't had the chance. Recommended.

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Finn W

Jul 2, 2017

Slow burning revenge movie with some stark violence and an unsympathetic viewpoint. One of Tarrantino's faves and worth tracking down

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Rey S

Jun 16, 2017

Takes FOREVER to get going. Decent but unspectacular.

Harry R

Apr 29, 2017

Rolling Thunder is an amazing film. It is about Major Charles Rane comes back from the war and is given a hero's welcome. William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones give excellent performances. The screenplay is well written. John Flynn did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the action and drama.

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Luke S

Mar 14, 2017

"Rolling Thunder" could have been more. The build-up is long, Tommy Lee Jones appears a lot less than expected and the final shoot-out takes place in the last ten minutes - ten sweet, sweet minutes. Moments of elementary tense brilliance abound - that's what happens if your hero has a fuckin' hook for a hand - and, to the makers' credit, the film doesn't settle for easy, "and-now-everything's-just-fine" type of solutions, but does things its own way. It does roll but is just not that thunderous.

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John Flynn

Director

William Devane

Major Charles Rane

Tommy Lee Jones

Johnny Vohden

Linda Haynes

Linda Forchet

James Best

Texan

Dabney Coleman

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Synopsis

A Vietnam veteran who returns home after years in a POW camp, Maj. Charles Rane is treated as a hero, but his family proves to be distant. When thugs invade his home to steal silver coins that Rane received for his service, they mangle his hand and leave him, his wife and son for dead. Rane survives and becomes obsessed with getting revenge. Aided by his loyal friend Johnny Vohden, Rane, now wielding a hook for a hand, sets out on his mission of vengeance.

Director: John Flynn
Producer: Norman T. Herman
Screenwriter: Paul Schrader, Heywood Gould
Production Co: Lawrence Gordon Productions, TBC Filmproduktion, American International Pictures (AIP)
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 39m

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