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It may have an awkward title, but "Romancing the Stone" is a silly, high-spirited chase picture that takes us, as they say, from the canyons of Manhattan to the steaming jungles of South America. The movie's about a New York woman who writes romantic thrillers in which the hungry lips of lovers devour each other as the sun sinks over the dead bodies of their enemies. Then she gets involved in a real-life thriller, which is filled with cliff-hanging predicaments just like the ones she writes about. The writer, played by Kathleen Turner , uses her novels as a form of escape. Throbbing loins may melt together on her pages, but not in her life. Then she gets a desperate message from her sister in South America: Unless she flies to Cartagena with a treasure map showing the location of a priceless green jewel, her sister will be killed.

What follows is an adventure that will remind a lot of people of " Raiders of the Lost Ark ," but it will be a pleasant memory. After all the "Raiders" rip-offs, it's fun to find an adventure film that deserves the comparison, that has the same spirit and sense of humor. Turner lands in Colombia, and almost instantly becomes part of the plans of a whole lineup of desperadoes. There are the local police, the local thugs, the local mountain bandits, and the local hero, a guy named Jack Colton, who is played by Michael Douglas .

Movies like this work best if they have original inspirations about the ways in which the heroes can die. I rather liked the pit full of snarling alligators, for example. They also work well if the villains are colorful, desperate, and easy to tell apart. They are. Danny DeVito , from TV's 'Taxi' plays a Peter Lorre type, complete with a white tropical suit and a hat that keeps getting trampled in the mud. He's a gangster from up north, determined to follow Turner to the jewel.

There's also a suave local paramilitary hero named Zolo (Manuel Ojeda), who wears a French Foreign Legion cap and lusts after not only Turner's treasure map but all of her other treasures. And Alfonso Arau plays a rural bandito who turns out to have memorized all of Turner's thrillers.

Movies like this have a tendency to turn into a long series of scenes where the man grabs the woman by the hand and leads her away from danger at a desperate run. I always hate scenes like that. Why can't the woman run by herself? Don't they both have a better chance if the guy doesn't have to always be dragging her? What we're really seeing is leftover sexism from the days when women were portrayed as hapless victims. "Romancing the Stone" doesn't have too many scenes like that. It begins by being entirely about the woman, and although Douglas takes charge after they meet, that's basically because he knows the local territory. Their relationship is on an equal footing, and so is their love affair. We get the feeling they really care about each other, and so the romance isn't just a distraction from the action.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Romancing the Stone (1984)

105 minutes

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Romancing the stone, common sense media reviewers.

Romantic adventure has thrills, racist stereotypes.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Although some selfish behavior gets in the way, th

Lead characters are definitely flawed -- Jack is a

Joan is a positive female lead, intelligent and em

A couple of stabbings and plenty of gun fights. Th

Breasts visible through a wet cotton top. Sexual i

Plentiful use of words like "God," "bastards," and

Background signage includes Avis car rental, Pepsi

Burning marijuana to keep warm. Jokes about smokin

Parents need to know that Romancing the Stone has violence, profanity, sexual situations, and racist depictions of Colombians in what is otherwise an action-packed adventure movie with a strong female lead. The baddest of the villains has his hand bitten off by a crocodile, which is then completely devoured …

Positive Messages

Although some selfish behavior gets in the way, the movie ultimately has a positive message about loyalty and the power of love.

Positive Role Models

Lead characters are definitely flawed -- Jack is a scoundrel with a shady past, and Joan is idealistic and overly cautious -- but they eventually bring out the best in each other and develop loyalty to each other.

Diverse Representations

Joan is a positive female lead, intelligent and empowered by her career as a world-famous romance novelist. Unfortunately, any gains made by her (and screenwriter Diane Thomas) are lost by the film's overt racism. Colombia is derisively described by Joan's publisher as full of "insects the size of sanitation trucks" and "revolutionaries." In Colombia-set scenes, police are violent and corrupt; others are drug runners. Even children aren't spared: A young boy knocks out Elaine with a set of bolas and steals her car. The only Colombian characters in significant roles include the caricatured villain, Zolo, and affable cartel member Juan. Both are played by Mexican actors -- Manuel Ojeda and Alfonso Arau, respectively -- showing the film's lack of care as it treats Latinos as interchangeable.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

A couple of stabbings and plenty of gun fights. The baddest of the bad guys has his hand bitten off by a crocodile, which is then completely devoured (off-screen) by a pit full of crocodiles. Frequent danger and peril.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Breasts visible through a wet cotton top. Sexual innuendo/scenarios -- like a man's face landing in a woman's lap. The two leads end up together in bed with implied nudity, though sensitive parts are strategically covered. Brief glimpse of Playboy magazine; the cover image has a woman wearing a low-cut shirt, cleavage visible.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Plentiful use of words like "God," "bastards," and "son of a bitch." "A--hole" is said once. The slur "spico" is used by a kidnapper to describe Colombians. The same character derides his brother by calling him a gay slur, "maricon."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Background signage includes Avis car rental, Pepsi. Playboy magazine cover briefly glimpsed; Rolling Stone is read by main character. Verbal references to American Express and a list of drinks -- offered to Joan -- includes Southern Comfort, Michelob, Dos Equis, and more.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Burning marijuana to keep warm. Jokes about smoking pot back in college. Main characters drink liquor straight from the bottle to calm nerves; Joan acts dreamily buzzed before passing out.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Romancing the Stone has violence, profanity, sexual situations, and racist depictions of Colombians in what is otherwise an action-packed adventure movie with a strong female lead. The baddest of the villains has his hand bitten off by a crocodile, which is then completely devoured (off-screen) by a pit full of crocodiles. There's also a fair bit of swearing, a couple of stabbings, and gun fights. Breasts are visible through a wet cotton top, and there's plenty of sexual innuendo. The two leads end up together in bed, though there's no nudity. Colombian men are depicted as violent, corrupt, and dangerous. Language includes expletives like "God," "bastards," and "son of a bitch," and "a--hole" is used once. Slurs like "spico" and "maricon" are glibly used by a kidnapper. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (7)
• Kids say (20)

Based on 7 parent reviews

Enjoyable but with caveats

What's the story.

In ROMANCING THE STONE, Joan Wilder ( Kathleen Turner ) is a famous romance novelist who's starved for adventure and love in her own life. When her sister is kidnapped, Joan heads to Colombia on a rescue mission and meets Jack Colton ( Michael Douglas ), a brash adventurer who helps her escape the corrupt police who want the treasure map sent to her by her dead brother-in-law. As they make their way through the jungle, Jack romances Joan, but his intentions are dubious: He wants the treasure for himself. Meanwhile, a smuggler named Ralph ( Danny Devito ) and police officials, led by Zolo ( Manuel Ojeda ), are hot on their trail.

Is It Any Good?

Robert Zemeckis ' action-packed adventure movie is laced with a sharp sense of humor. Romancing the Stone features jungle-vine swinging and mudslides down mountainsides, its rough-and-tumble story recalling the spirit of the Indiana Jones movies -- including, unfortunately, much of the racism that also marred otherwise-thrilling tales like Raiders of the Lost Ark . On the upside, Turner and Douglas generate plenty of sparks, as screenwriter Diane Thomas infuses her script with a delicious tongue-in-cheek quality. And the film's saxophone-heavy score evokes a 1980s Miami Vice -type swagger that keeps the mood energetic and fun.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the stereotypes in Romancing the Stone . Why are Colombian men stereotyped as violent and dangerous in this movie? What effect do you think this stereotyping has on how you might perceive Colombian men in real life?

Is Joan a strong female lead? Does she fall into the trap of being a damsel in distress, or is she empowered to take care of herself and others? Or does she do both?

The vast majority of spoken Spanish in the film is left unsubtitled. How much of it did you understand? Why do you think filmmakers chose not to subtitle Colombians' conversations? And had their dialogue been subtitled, would it have changed your perception of the characters who were talking?

If you were in Joan's shoes, would you have felt betrayed by Jack's actions? Would it have been as easy for you to forgive him by the movie's end?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 30, 1984
• On DVD or streaming : May 25, 1999
• Cast : Danny DeVito , Kathleen Turner , Michael Douglas
• Director : Robert Zemeckis
• Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Adventures
• Run time : 106 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• Last updated : June 1, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Romancing the Stone Reviews

Filmmaker Zemeckis, armed with a screenplay by Diane Thomas, does a terrific job of instantly luring the viewer into the proceedings...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 6, 2024

Romancing the Stone has a lighter touch than Raiders but it is just as romantic and jam packed full of unexpected twists and turns.

Full Review | Aug 2, 2022

the standard for a romantic adventure

Full Review | Apr 7, 2022

Romancing the Stone is no searing example of feminist film theory, but it perhaps warrants re-examining in the context of how Zemeckis approaches male and female hero stereotypes.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 24, 2022

It may be the sub-standard cousin of better adventure movies, but it is still a rollicking good time.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Mar 10, 2021

Adventure first and foremost, followed by an engaging tale and enough good-natured comedy to ensure that no event appears too sinister or serious.

Full Review | Original Score: 9/10 | Sep 7, 2020

...a hybrid of Indiana Jones and classic screwball romances.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 4, 2020

It disappoints because of the clumsy script. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Feb 11, 2020

The set-up in "Romancing the Stone" is poorly contrived to sustain a chase thriller.

Full Review | Jan 29, 2019

There are enough pleasant moments and the protagonists fulfill their function of carrying the story without any special development. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Jun 27, 2017

The filmmakers have devised some clever twists on the earlier films they recall, and they reserve a good share of the derring-do for their heroine, who's a refreshingly far cry from the helpless ladies-in-distress of old.

Full Review | Apr 4, 2014

Turner is terrific, Douglas is fine and the action is slam-bang. Add lots of laughs and it all works out just right.

In this cracking jungle-set treasure hunt, director Robert Zemeckis spices up a deliberately old-fashioned matinée adventure with tongue-in-cheek gags, unpredictably clever touches and top-of-the-range action.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 4, 2014

This may be a lark, but grown-ups need those too and the lack of pandering to teenage sensibilities helps it stand apart from other adventure films of the era.

Full Review | Original Score: A | Mar 31, 2014

Action, romance, sharp dialog; best for teens.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Jan 2, 2011

Between Michael Douglas' mullet, a synthesizer heavy score, and Kathleen Turner shining in her blink and you missed it prime, Zemeckis' movie is truly time capsule worthy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 14, 2010

A grand example of the rarest combination of adventure, humor, and sexual chemistry which all crackle along with abandon.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Jun 29, 2010

Douglas and Turner make a great double act in this exuberantly directed adventure movie with a great start turn from the always enjoyable De Vito. Good stuff.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 6, 2008

All very tongue-in-cheek (typified by the opening sequence, lifted straight from one of Joan's pulp novels) and great fun.

Full Review | May 6, 2008

Turner is like a lot of unwitting screen heroines ahead of her, guaranteed that her drab existence is about to be transformed -- probably by a man, preferably handsome and adventurous.

Full Review | Feb 6, 2008

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‘romancing the stone’: thr’s 1984 review.

On March 30, 1984, 20th Century-Fox unveiled Robert Zemeckis' adventure film in theaters.

By Arthur Knight

Arthur Knight

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On March 30, 1984, 20th Century-Fox unveiled Robert Zemeckis’ adventure film Romancing the Stone in theaters. The film, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito, went on to gross $75 million-plus during its theatrical run. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:

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You can tell you’re in for a good time when, as the credits are still being unfurled, we watch what appears to be a parody of a western movie. We soon discover that these are the final pages of a new romantic novel written by our heroine, an eminently successful pulp authoress (Kathleen Turner). We also learn that the lady’s love life has been confined to the printed page, her lusty heroines being merely projections of her own dreams and longings. But having established this immediately, screenwriter Diane Thomas plunges her into an adventure of her own. Her sister has been kidnapped and is being held in Cartagena; the ransom is the treasure map which Turner must bring at once to Colombia — or else. … Even before she leaves her New York apartment, it’s evident that there are other ruthless killers after the same map.

Director Robert Zemeckis ( Used Cars ) not only has a total affinity for this sort of nonsense, but delights in adding to it. Romancing the Stone is Zemeckis’ first crack at the big time, but it certainly won’t be his last.

Topping the cast, Michael Douglas works with a comic bravado that reveals a range well beyond the intense roles we have come to expect from him and Danny DeVito, as the hood from Brooklyn, is given his first chance on the big screen to deliver in depth his special blend of swagger and frustration. But the real revelation is Kathleen Turner, the sultry, duplicitous siren of Body Heat and Steve Martin’s hilariously sexy wife in The Man With Two Brains . Here she changes from a timid, reclusive New York career woman into a daring, resourceful and dauntlessly independent spirit.

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Romancing The Stone Review

01 Jan 1984

105 minutes

Romancing The Stone

Looking like an Indy knock-off, Robert Zemeckis' RTS turned out to be a lively action adventure.

A younbg woman from Chicago who writes Romantic novels is sent a package from Colombia by her sister with a note saying that it must be returned as ransom for her kidnapping. Our heroine sets off on a foolhardy mission to the jungle where she is rescued, and then teams up, with a seemingly low life American fortune hunter.

Basically, it's a quest for a precious rock enlivened by romantic sparring from Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, cracking set-pieces, exuberant direction and Danny DeVito on top form. Lewis Teague's sequel retreads the same licks without the zest.

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Metacritic reviews

Romancing the stone.

• 90 The Telegraph The Telegraph A classic adventure story that brilliantly transcends its fairly average formula (buttoned-up city gal is softened by devil-may-care chancer while outwitting baddies in foreign lands) through a mixture of perfect casting, lashings of chemistry between the stars and a clever script.
• 80 Empire William Thomas Empire William Thomas Douglas and Turner make a great double act in this exuberantly directed adventure movie with a great start turn from the always enjoyable De Vito. Good stuff.
• 75 Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert A silly, high-spirited chase picture that takes us, as they say, from the canyons of Manhattan to the steaming jungles of South America. After all the Raiders rip-offs, it's fun to find an adventure film that deserves the comparison, that has the same spirit and sense of humor.
• 75 Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt The filmmakers have devised some clever twists on the earlier films they recall - Raiders of the Lost Ark and Peter Pan among them - and they reserve a good share of the derring-do for their heroine, who's a refreshingly far cry from the helpless ladies-in-distress of old. Under the direction of Robert Zemeckis, the action goes limp and perfunctory at a few key moments, weakening the picture's wallop. But it still packs a healthy amount of self-deflating fun.
• 70 IGN IGN Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are wonderful together. They look great when they're in bed together and they look even better when they're fighting. Throw Danny DeVito into the mix and you've got a very enjoyable, watchable trio of heroes.
• 60 Time Out London Time Out London The script is sharp and funny, the direction sure-footed on both the comedy and action fronts, and the whole thing adds up to rather more concerted fun than Indiana Jones' flab-ridden escapade in the Temple of Doom.
• 50 The New York Times Vincent Canby The New York Times Vincent Canby An elaborately produced, mostly charmless adventure-comedy that intends to make fun of a kind of romantic fiction that's one step removed from what the movie is all about.
• 50 Slant Magazine Slant Magazine Directed by an unimaginative Robert Zemeckis three years after Raiders of the Lost Ark, it uses Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones franchise as the template through which to bolster Douglas’s public machismo.
• 50 Chicago Reader Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Dave Kehr Director Robert Zemeckis displays such dazzling cinematic know-how that it's genuinely depressing when this film falls off into the usual self-ridicule.
• 50 Variety Variety Heading for the jungles in her high heels, Turner is like a lot of unwitting screen heroines ahead of her, guaranteed that her drab existence is about to be transformed – probably by a man, preferably handsome and adventurous. Sure enough, Michael Douglas pops out of the jungle. The expected complications are supplied by the kidnappers, Danny DeVito and Zack Norman.
• See all 17 reviews on Metacritic.com
• See all external reviews for Romancing the Stone

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Romancing the Stone Reviews

• 63   Metascore
• 1 hr 45 mins
• Family, Comedy, Action & Adventure
• Watchlist Where to Watch

A romance writer finds a real-life hero and novel escapades while tracing her kidnapped sister.

A rousing, old-fashioned romantic adventure about Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner), an author of lusty, best-selling bodice-rippers whose own life is a colorless bore. The picture opens as a tearful Joan is completing her latest literary fantasy. She's snapped out of her reverie by the arrival of a strange package that contains some sort of treasure map pointing the way to a fabulous gemstone. Then follows a frantic phone call from her sister, who is being held captive by an evil art dealer, Ira (Zack Norman), and his snarling cousin, Ralph (Danny DeVito). Her sister's husband has disappeared in Colombia, and it was he who sent Joan the map. Ira and Ralph threaten to kill Joan's sister unless the treasure map is turned over to Ralph in Colombia. So timid Joan takes off for the jungles of South America only to discover that Zolo (Manuel Ojeda), a corrupt military official, is also after the map. Luckily, she is rescued by a handsome, American soldier-of-fortune, Jack Colton (Michael Douglas), and together they go after the treasure. ROMANCING THE STONE moves like lightning through its 105-minute running time, barely giving viewers a chance to catch their breath. Although comparisons with Steven Spielberg's RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK are inevitable, it is the interplay between Turner and Douglas that gives the film its real charm. Norman and DeVito score strongly in roles that would have been played by Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre 30 years ago, and the whole film has the feel of an old Warner Bros. thriller with broadly comic overtones. An inferior sequel, THE JEWEL OF THE NILE, was released the following year.

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Romancing the Stone

Time out says.

Treasure maps, crocodiles, romantic novelists and psychotic Latins, this slings them all together, along with a hefty slug of wish-fulfilment, to engaging effect. Stuck with her miniatures and cat called Romeo in New York, Turner pines for schmaltz to turn into life as she churns out Mills and Boonies. Then sister Elaine (Trainor) gets kidnapped by the splendid Zack Norman and his cackling sidekick down in Columbia, and it's eyes down for galloping caper thrills. The script is sharp and funny, the direction sure-footed on both the comedy and action fronts, and the whole thing adds up to rather more concerted fun than Indiana Jones' flab-ridden escapade in the Temple of Doom. There's also the added bonus of Ms Turner, at the sight of whom this dispassionate arbiter of public taste came perilously close to self-combustion.

Release Details

• Duration: 106 mins

Cast and crew

• Director: Robert Zemeckis
• Screenwriter: Diane Thomas
• Michael Douglas
• Kathleen Turner
• Danny DeVito
• Zack Norman
• Alfonso Arau
• Manuel Ojeda
• Holland Taylor
• Mary Ellen Trainor

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Romancing the Stone

April 6, 2024 David Nusair R , Review 0

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Romancing the Stone follows a romance novelist (Kathleen Turner’s Joan Wilder) as she and a brash American (Michael Douglas’ Jack T. Colton) attempt to rescue her kidnapped sister (Mary Ellen Trainor’s Elaine) in Colombia. Filmmaker Zemeckis, armed with a screenplay by Diane Thomas, does a terrific job of instantly luring the viewer into the proceedings, as the movie opens with a fun sequence that effectively establishes the old-school adventure vibe – with the promising atmosphere heightened by the engaging, charismatic efforts of both Turner and Douglas. And while the movie’s midsection is perhaps not quite as engrossing or captivating as one might’ve hoped, with the inclusion of a few puzzling attributes compounding the far-from-flawless feel, Romancing the Stone , which has been punctuated with several agreeably larger-than-life set-pieces, builds towards a satisfying third act that ensures it concludes on a memorable, positive note – thus confirming the film’s place as a mostly watchable throwback that benefits from its above-average performances.

*** out of ****

Alfonso Arau , Danny DeVito , Holland Taylor , Kathleen Turner , Mary Ellen Trainor , Michael Douglas , Robert Zemeckis

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Movie Review

Romancing the stone.

US Release Date: 03-30-1984

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Starring ▸ ▾

• Michael Douglas ,  as
• Jack T. Colton
• Kathleen Turner ,  as
• Joan Wilder
• Danny DeVito ,  as
• Zack Norman ,  as
• Alfonso Arau ,  as
• Manuel Ojeda ,  as
• Holland Taylor as

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone.

Romancing the Stone is a classic 80's film, but it has a sense of timelessness to it.  Reminiscent of The African Queen by way of Raiders of the Lost Ark , Romancing the Stone is one of the greatest romantic-adventure comedies ever made.  It made stars of its leads, and is one of the few romantic comedies to garner a sequel.

Joan Wilder is a romance novelist who has to deliver a treasure map to some criminals in Columbia, South America, with her sister as ransom. Joan is a city girl without many actual life experiences.  She writes about love and adventure but has never experienced either, until now. 

She is being pursued by a revolutionary, Juan, who also wants the map.  Upon arriving in Columbia, she is to take a bus to a city, but gets on the wrong one and ends up in the jungle.  Jack T. Colton arrives just in time to save her from Juan stealing the map. 

Jack is the hero but he is no saint.  She has to pay him before he agrees to take her to the nearest telephone.  The revolutionary gets his men together and they chase after them.  Jack and Joan get shot at, slide down a mountain in a mudslide and swing on a vine across a river canyon.  Most importantly, they fall in love.  "You're the best time I've ever had." Joan tells Jack. "I've never been anybody's best time," He responds.

They decide to use the map to find the treasure, so as to be,"..holding all the cards," when they confront the kidnappers.  A problem arrives in the form of Danny DeVito.  He is cousins with the kidnappers, and inadvertently stumbles upon Jack and Joan just before they find the treasure and go over a waterfall.  Things do not go as planned and Joan is left wondering if Jack truly loved her or was he just trying to romance the stone out from under her.

Romancing the Stone has it all.  Danny DeVito delivers some funny dialogue as only he can. "Look, bullet head. If they're hiking through the jungle there's nothing I can do about it. I have a car. I am not Tarzan. I have been through every one-horse shit hole for a two-hundred mile radius."    The most humorous moment is when a drug lord recognizes Joan and helps them out.

When this film first came out, Kathleen Turner was known for her sizzling femme fatale in Body Heat (1981).  Michael Douglas was known for his work on the television show The Streets of San Francisco and a supporting role in The China Syndrome (1979).  Turner's career took off and she became the female star of the 1980's in such films as Prizzi's Honor (1985) and Peggy Sue Got Married (1986).  Douglas's career took a bit longer to get going, but in 1987 he made the A list with Wall Street and Fatal Attraction . They, and DeVito, would appear in the sequel, Jewel of the Nile (1985) as well as The War of the Roses (1989). 

Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone .

Robert Zemeckis was certainly on a roll in the 1980s.  Romancing the Stone , which was his first big hit, was followed by the Back to the Future movies and Who Framed Roger Rabbit .  Reportedly he was also hired to direct Cocoon , but studio bosses who saw an early cut of Romancing the Stone , were so sure that it was going to be a flop (deeming it as an inferior Indiana Jones clone), removed him from that project.  It's obvious who had the last laugh on that subject.

While I still enjoyed this movie, I didn't quite love it as much as you seemed to Eric.  While most of it is light and very funny, some of the humor falls a bit flat.  Your favorite scene with the drug lord who is also a fan of Joan Wilder's seemed kind of silly and their escape with him driving his truck while pointing out interesting features of the village while they're being shot at just didn't work for me.  I wish it had taken itself just a bit more seriously.  I don't mean remove the humor, but it's kept so light that there's never a real sense of danger anywhere in the story.

I agree with you about the sense of timelessness, Eric.  At least once Joan gets to Colombia that is.  While she's in New York there's no question of the time period.  I mean, the hair and clothes on the men in the bar she goes to with her publisher is quite hilarious and incredibly dated.  Once she gets off the plane and onto the bus though, the story could be set in almost any period from the 1940s onward.

The best scenes are those with Douglas and Turner alone together.  They make a great pair and share a nice comic, but sexual chemistry.  It truly feels as though these two are falling for each other, which isn't as common as you might think in romantic comedies where too often we're simply told that these two people are in love.

This movie definitely has its charm.  It's fun, funny and very fast paced.  Maybe it didn't quite live up to my memory of it, but it came close enough.  There's rumors of a pointless remake being in the works, which I'm quite sure will fail to live up to the original.

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone .

From the opening sequence with Joan writing the ending for her latest novel in an Old West setting, to the final scene of Joan and Jack on his boat in New York City, Romancing the Stone hits all the right notes. It is breezy, colorful, fast-paced fun from start to finish.

Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas are both perfect. Joan Wilder, the mousy romance novelist who suddenly finds herself in an adventure straight out of one of her books and soldier-of-fortune Jack T. Colton, part hero - part rapscallion, are memorable characters that (as noted above) make a wonderful pair.

I love movies that take you along for the ride on an adventure and Romancing the Stone does just that. It combines thrills, exotic locales, laughs and romance into one tasty confection. Eric, I agree wholeheartedly with your comparison to The African Queen . Both movies feature opposites attracting on a dangerous quest where they fall in love as equals (both Hepburn and Turner take their turn chopping a path through the jungle with a machete). Although Hepburn and Bogie were already legends when they starred together in that movie and this movie provided the launch pad for the careers of Turner and Douglas.

Eric, I agree that the funniest scene is where the drug lord and his men recognize Joan Wilder. It is not only hilarious but it also manages to very cleverly get Joan and Jack out of a scrape. Scott, I laughed when they make their escape while the drug lord points out local attractions as if they are tourists. “The tree on that hill over there was planted by my brother.” It fits with the lighthearted mood of the entire movie.

As fun as all the adventure stuff is my favorite moment comes when they seek shelter and rest in the old fuselage of a crashed plane. They start a fire using the copious amounts of marijuana onboard and begin to get to know each other. At one point Jack picks up an old Rolling Stone magazine and says, “Dammit man, the Doobie Brothers broke up! Shit! When did that happen?” Joan gives him an incredulous look and asks, “How long have you been down here?” “Forever.” He succinctly replies.

Romancing the Stone lived up to my memories. I loved it in 1984 and I love it today. It is a timeless romantic comedy/adventure that will be as entertaining 50 years from now as it is today.  

Photos © Copyright Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1984)

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Home » Movie News » Romancing the Stone (1984) Revisited: Action Movie Review

Romancing the Stone (1984) Revisited: Action Movie Review

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum are currently raking in cash starring in the well-received action-comedy-romance The Lost City, with many comparing it to Romancing the Stone. With all due respect to Tatum and Bullock, few romantic screen pairings can compare to Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, whose white-hot romantic chemistry lit up the screen. 1984’s Romancing the Stone was a mega-hit, turning Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner into A-List movie stars and putting director Robert Zemeckis on the map in a way that allowed him to direct a little movie called Back to the Future a year later.

The film was such a smashing success it earned itself a sequel ( The Jewel of the Nile ), while co-star Danny DeVito would later re-use Turner and Douglas to great effect in his blackly comic divorce tale, The War of the Roses . But, the road to the big screen was not an easy one, with reshoots galore, bad early buzz and more. So join us as we revisit the great Romancing the Stone !

This episode of Revisited was written by Cody Hamman, narrated by Travis Hopson, edited by Juan Jimenez and produced by Adam Walton. Watch previous episodes below and let us know how you think Romancing the Stone holds up all these years later.

About the Author

Chris Bumbray began his career with JoBlo as the resident film critic (and James Bond expert) way back in 2007, and he has stuck around ever since, being named editor-in-chief in 2021. A voting member of the CCA and a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, you can also catch Chris discussing pop culture regularly on CTV News Channel.

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ROMANCING THE STONE (1984)

ROMANCING THE STONE (1984) Directed by Robert Zemeckis

Successful romantic novelist Joan Wilder travels to Colombia in a bid to save her sister who’s been kidnapped by a group of treasure smugglers. The kidnappers demand she bring a treasure map, which had been sent to her by her murdered brother-in-law, to exchange for her sister’s life. However, when she reaches Colombia, things don’t turn out as planned as it seems the kidnappers aren’t the only ones after the treasure.

Blending action-adventure, comedy and romance, ROMANCING THE STONE is the fourth feature film from Robert Zemeckis, following car sales comedy Used Cars , starring Kurt Russell, and prior to one of his major hit movies that spawned a trilogy, Back To The Future . Brought to life from a screenplay by Diane Thomas, the film is a spirited, rousing escapade which rivals the ones Joan Wilder conjures up in her best-selling novels.

In the film, author Joan Wilder writes these romantic tales where a mysterious, dashing hero comes to the dame’s rescue at just the right moment. Unfortunately, Joan’s own love life couldn’t be any more different, living alone in her apartment with just her cat Romeo for company. However, it seems fate might just bring her together with her knight in shining armour in the shape of Michael Douglas’ smouldering, rough n ready, Jack T. Colton; an exotic bird trader who’s recent good luck is about to change with the arrival of Wilder, who finds herself miles away from her coastal destination of Cartagena. Stuck in the jungles of Colombia with thieves and corrupt military on their back, they have to work together to not only save Joan’s sister but to survive! But with the lure of treasure being within reach, will Colton decide to give up the hunt for the treasure in order to save the damsel in distress?

ROMANCING THE STONE is tremendously good fun with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas bringing sizzling chemistry as the adventurous duo. Their relationship starts off a little lukewarm, with Colton having lost his livelihood and his vehicle as a result of the bus crash which Wilder accidentally helped to cause. This isn’t helped when the duo find themselves being shot at and hounded by the police. However, on the run, the two find themselves getting to know each other a bit better and we see their relationship bloom from stranded strangers to partners in crime. However, does Colton have true intentions to help the desperate author or is he taking advantage of her situation in order to bag the El Corazon treasure himself?

There’s plenty of comedy in the film too, from the visual to the dialogue, with the odd adult joke that will surely raise a smile that will surely go over the heads of the younger audience. One of my favourite moments from the film is when Wilder and Colton arrive in a village filled with armed bandits. They meet a man called Juan, who the intimidating locals say has got a car, but instead they discover Juan has a Little Mule. Cue some fun exchanges and exciting chase sequence between the three and moustached villain, Colonel Zolo, and his men that ramp up the thrill factor as the two come ever-closer to the treasure that’s marked on the map.

Also providing the laughs is Danny DeVito who stars as one of the kidnappers, Ralph. As the cousin of Ira, the crocodile-loving treasure smuggler in charge of the entire operation, he’s sent to go and retrieve Miss Wilder from the airport except when she gets on the wrong bus, he’s forced to set off on a wild goose chase to try and track her down but finds himself in just as much trouble as she does.

Much like one of her novels, ROMANCING THE STONE is a thrilling fantasy for Joan Wilder and it’s so easy to be swept up in its adventure, danger and romance. It’s never sickly sweet and just has the right balance of all three to take you on an entertaining journey, with the exotic location of Colombia providing the breathtaking backdrop.

• Danny DeVito
• Kathleen Turner
• Michael Douglas

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Great film. The end of the mud slide/chute scene is a classic

haha, I did laugh out loud at that! 🙂

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Romancing The Stone (1984)

He’s the best time she’s ever had

Rating: 8/10

The 80s setting means it’s become a tad dated, but this remains a great adventure film that’s well worth revisiting.

Running Time: 101 minutes

UK Certificate: PG

The massive box office success of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in 1981 sparked a mass revival of the rip-roaring adventure movie, most of which were sadly inadequate in their attempts at aping the Indiana Jones formula. But if there was one success amongst that group of flicks it must surely be “Romancing the Stone”, a fantastically enjoyable romp through the jungles of deepest South America.

Kathleen Turner is in scintillating form as Joan Wilder, the hapless writer of cheesy romance novels who gets caught up in a race to uncover a priceless jewel in order to save her kidnapped sister's skin. Just when it's starting to look like she's bitten off more than she can chew, she finds an ally in scruffy gun-toting mercenary Jack Colton (Michael Douglas). Among the all-round baddies tailing our heroes are swarthy moustachioed secret police-type Zolo (Manuel Ojeda) and bungling wise-cracker Ralph (Danny DeVito, playing to type).

The chemistry between Turner and Douglas works a treat and, despite the title, Robert Zemeckis' pacy style of direction ensures things don't get slowed down by romance. In keeping with the blueprint laid down by Indiana Jones, the script by Diane Thomas (who sadly died one year after the movie's release) is laced with some great comedy touches. DeVito's clearly intended as the main comic foil, though it's perhaps Alfonso Arau as a well-read Colombian drug runner who does best with the funnies. Look out for that “Little Muel” of his.

Zemeckis – who was laughing all the way to the bank soon after this with “Back to the Future” – seriously hit the big-time with this nicely-executed escapade, but was sorely missed from the following year's below-par sequel “The Jewel of the Nile”.

It's Got: An on-form cast who seem to be enjoying themselves every step of the way – and it rubs off on the movie itself.

It Needs: Not to be taken too seriously – it’s a fun ride.

DVD Extras Just the trailer. DVD Extras Rating:  1/10

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Romancing The Stone at the IMDB

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Romancing the Stone Parent Guide

This madcap adventure story comes with nearly non-stop violence and unnecessary sexual content..

When her sister is kidnapped, Joan heads off to Colombia to pay the ransom - a treasure map sent to Joan by her brother in law. In Colombia, she falls in with Jack, a soldier of fortune, and the two of them have a wild adventure in the jungle.

Release date March 30, 1984

Run Time: 106 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) is a successful romance novelist who celebrates the completion of her latest torrid tale by having a candlelit dinner with Romeo…her cat. Her humdrum existence ends when a treasure map arrives in the mail from her recently deceased (and dismembered) brother-in-law, triggering a train of events that sees Joan racing off to Colombia to ransom her kidnapped sister. Throw in a violent and corrupt government official, bloodthirsty crocodiles, and a trek through the Colombian jungle, and Joan finds herself having adventures even her fervid imagination couldn’t have cooked up. Her luck only turns when she is rescued (for the first time of many) by Jack Colton (Michael Douglas), an American mercenary who traffics in rare birds and packs serious heat.

Romancing the Stone is one of many movies that tried and failed to capitalize on the success of the Indiana Jones franchise. Lacking the magnetism of Harrison Ford’s Indy, Michael Douglas seems to mistake arrogance and self-absorption for charisma. This production doesn’t have a lot of charm either, but it does manage to maintain an almost breathless pace, hurtling from one perilous scene to another. Despite this, the movie feels bloated and would have benefited from ruthless editing. Cutting at least 15 minutes would have left a leaner, tighter story.

As for violence, it’s central to the story. Characters are stabbed, shot at, or threatened throughout the entire movie and there are some moments of gore when crocodiles are used to intimidate people and a man’s hand is bitten off. He screams in pain and the gory stump is shown spurting blood.

There are a few positive messages hidden in this jungle saga, particularly in Joan’s character arc which displays significant growth. She progresses from a tentative woman, prone to motion sickness and afraid of travel, to one who has the confidence to brave real peril, all for love of her sister. Themes of persistence and cooperation also run through the movie.

Romancing the Stone has a misleading title: if you’re looking for a heart-melting, tender romance, there are better options. But if you’re looking for pulse-pounding action tale with all the finesse of a dime store romance novel, you might enjoy this. Just beware the content issues lurking in the jungle.

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Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for romancing the stone.

Romancing the Stone Rating & Content Info

Why is Romancing the Stone rated PG? Romancing the Stone is rated PG by the MPAA

Violence: There is mention of only being able to find part of a dead man’s body. A man is stabbed with a knife. In an imagined scene, an armed man bursts into a cabin and threatens a woman with the firearm. She speaks about rape and murder. There are several scenes where knives are thrown and people are stabbed. There are very frequent scenes where guns are pointed at people, people are threatened with firearms, and guns are fired. A child knocks a woman out with a weapon, throws her in her car, which he steals and drives off with. A bus crashes into a parked car. A man fires a gun out of frustration. Dead bodies are seen. A man kills a snake with a machete. A car goes over a waterfall. A man is hit in the groin. A man tries to hit a woman with a wooden beam. A man cuts a woman’s hand; blood is seen and she is told it will attract crocodiles. A man’s hand is bitten off by a crocodile; the bloody stump is shown spurting blood. A man falls onto an oil lamp and begins to burn. A man falls into a pit of crocodiles and dies. Sexual Content: In an imagined scene, a woman is shown wearing a blouse which is open quite low, allowing views of her cleavage; it is also damp and her nipple is visible. She mentions sexual assault. A man and woman slide down a mountain in a mudslide: when they stop his head is between her knees. A man and woman have sex: he is lying on top of her and his back is visible. The camera then shoots from the side, showing that both are naked but avoiding genital or breast shots. Profanity: A conservative count gives almost twenty terms of deity, just under ten scatological curses, a handful of anatomical terms, crude terms, mild profanities, and at least one ethnic slur for Hispanics. Alcohol / Drug Use: There are several scenes where main characters drink alcohol, alone or with others. Secondary characters smoke cigarettes and cigars. A character avers that she used marijuana in university. Characters stumble across a cache of drugs.

Page last updated April 2, 2020

Romancing the Stone Parents' Guide

Joan is afraid to travel and gets motion sickness, but she still heads off to Colombia to save her sister. Have you ever done something you were afraid of to help someone?

Related home video titles:

Joan and Jack have more exotic adventures in the sequel, The Jewel of the Nile .

For an adventure story with more charm, check out Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark . Who can argue with trying to beat Nazis to a dangerous artifact?

Treasure hunting is more exciting (and way more fun) in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl which introduces Johnny Depp and Captain Jack Sparrow.

National Treasure is a family friendly story of a treasure hunter convinced that the key to a fabulous treasure lies with the Declaration of Independence. But to prove his theory, he’s going to have to steal it.

Treasure hunting movies that can be watched by children include Muppet Treasure Island and the animated Treasure Planet .

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Romancing the Stone | 1984 | PG | – 5.5.4

Romancing the Stone SEX/NUDITY 5

Romancing the stone violence/gore 5, romancing the stone language 4, romancing the stone substance use, romancing the stone discussion topics, romancing the stone message.

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We've gone through several editorial changes since we started covering films in 1992 and older reviews are not as complete & accurate as recent ones; we plan to revisit and correct older reviews as resources and time permits.

Our ratings and reviews are based on the theatrically-released versions of films; on video there are often Unrated , Special , Director's Cut or Extended versions, (usually accurately labelled but sometimes mislabeled) released that contain additional content, which we did not review.

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Zack Norman, Actor Who Juggled Multiple Professions, Dies at 83

Best known for movies like “Romancing the Stone,” he also made a mark as a producer, a real estate developer and the butt of a Generation X-friendly television gag.

By Alex Williams

Zack Norman, who made his mark as an actor in films like “Romancing the Stone” and “Cadillac Man” and with appearances on television shows like “The A-Team” and “The Nanny” — and who, as a producer, also became known for a star-crossed movie that was a running punchline on the show “Mystery Science Theater 3000” — died on April 28 in Burbank, Calif. He was 83.

The cause of his death, at a hospital, was bilateral pneumonia related to the coronavirus, his daughter Lori Zuker Briller said.

While best known for scene-stealing appearances as a supporting player, Mr. Norman was always more than a character actor. He was also a painter, a real estate developer and an art collector who in the 1980s mingled with the likes of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat .

Starting in the early 1970s, Mr. Norman tallied nearly 40 movie and television acting credits. He had a memorably menacing turn as Danny DeVito’s crocodile-tending antiquities-smuggler sidekick in “Romancing the Stone,” Robert Zemeckis’s 1984 adventure comedy starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas.

He was abundantly familiar to fans of the indie director Henry Jaglom, appearing in many of Mr. Jaglom’s films, including “Sitting Ducks” (1980), a comedy in which he was one of two dimwitted hoods who steal from a gambling syndicate, and “Hollywood Dreams” (2006), in which he played a kindly film producer who looks after a fame-obsessed starlet (Tanna Frederick).

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‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’: Eddie Murphy Hearts the Eighties. A Lot

By David Fear

Nostalgia — it AIN’T what it used to be. Right around the halfway mark of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F , a.k.a. the fourth time out for Eddie Murphy ‘s streetwise detective, our man Axel strides to the front desk of a posh L.A. hotel. He’s rockin’ his usual Detroit-plainclothes-chic uniform of varsity jacket, T-shirt, jeans and white sneakers. Seeing Murphy, who looks better at 63 than most of us did at 33, in his old get-up is already enough of a time-machine nudge on its own. Now he’s about to scam his way past yet another gatekeeper to Snootsville, USA, SoCal division.

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Just because he went back to the well a few more times with diminishing returns (even Murphy thinks 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III was a letdown ) and wanted to do the neutron dance again, only this time as an éminence grise victory lap, doesn’t mean Murphy is treating this anything less than seriously. He’s bringing the charm, the screen presence, the spin on a line that makes it pop. He’s propping up this Netflix-sponsored nostalgia-bait as best he can. Every so often, like when he sings a quick bar or two of Mary J. Blige’s “Family Affair” to Paige, you can see the old Murphy magic shine through. But BHC: AF still feels like you’re watching a former big man on campus return to his 40th high school reunion. This is a movie that doesn’t just heart the Eighties. It actually wishes it still were the Eighties, casting a fond glance to a simpler, more star-driven blockbuster era. Two hours later, however, and the thrill of getting this particular banana in your tailpipe feels like the most distant of memories.

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In 'Kinds of Kindness,' the cruelty is the point

Glen Weldon

Bob Mondello

Bedatri D. Choudhury

Rommel Wood

Mike Katzif

Jessica Reedy

Emma Stone in Kinds of Kindness . Yorgos Lanthimos/Searchlight Pictures hide caption

Emma Stone in Kinds of Kindness .

Kinds of Kindness is a weird, dark, and bleak film. It's directed by Yorgos Lanthimos ( Poor Things ) and it re-teams him with Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe, along with Jesse Plemons. Each actor plays different characters in three different stories — which all involve someone going to extreme measures to regain something they've lost.

‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Review: Eddie Murphy Works Hard to Act Game in a Sequel Made to Tickle Your Nostalgia

It's better than "B.H. Cop II" or "III," but its clichés bring the series full circle: the product/schlock of the '80s meets the product/schlock of Netflix.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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What the movie is really out to tap into is that old 1980s “high-powered” life-is-a-blockbuster feeling. The ’80s, at least in popular culture, were the definition of a carefree decade (in terms of movies, it could have been called: How we learned to stop worrying and love the popcorn schlock on steroids). And “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” is engineered to make us feel, for a couple of hours, as carefree now as we did then. That’s why the whole cash-grab tackiness of the movie isn’t necessarily a liability. It’s actually part of the package.

I’ve always thought the story of how the original “Beverly Hills Cop” came to be was significant — that it was conceived as a straight-up police thriller starring Sylvester Stallone, and then, once Eddie Murphy came aboard, it was turned into a comedy. The motormouth effrontery of Murphy’s early-’80s screen personality, back when he still radiated joy in what he was doing, held the movie together, but “Beverly Hills Cop” was always a patchy, catch-as-catch-can hybrid. And now, with “Axel F.,” a parade of watchable clichés (not just retro-cop-thriller clichés but Eddie Murphy clichés) staged by director Mark Molloy in a slovenly utilitarian style, the series comes full circle: the product/schlock of the ’80s meets the product/schlock of Netflix. Welcome to nostalgia minus the soul!

Full disclosure (though it’s one I’ve made before): I’ve never liked the “action comedy” genre. I’m perfectly capable of enjoying a movie like “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” (or, years ago, “The Last Boy Scout,” or “48 HRS.,” which I still think is the “Citizen Kane” of action comedies, and an infinitely better movie than “Beverly Hills Cop”). But I’m sorry, the genre rarely thrills me, because in most cases there’s an annoying contradiction at its center. Watching the “straight” action-crime-movie parts, we’re supposed to feel invested; watching the comedy parts, we’re the opposite of invested — someone like Eddie Murphy mouthing off may crack us up, but he’s also telling us that the whole thing doesn’t matter. So the audience lurches back and forth between “investment” and not giving a damn. When the comedy happens, the plot stops dead (and if the comedy falls flat, that means the whole movie stops dead).

“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” demonstrates how much speed and flair and even surprise can still be applied to action-comedy trash. It’s a far better ride than “Axel F.” But, of course, what we’re here to see is Eddie Murphy, as the sixtysomething but still street-smart Axel, and Murphy, who seemed like a replicant in the last two “B.H. Cop” movies, bestirs himself this time. He’s really trying — to be not just testy but angry, to inject a touch of renegade conviction into the old Axel brashness. But he’s still got a tinge of that eerie late-period Eddie detachment.

The movie is built around Axel trying to salvage his relationship with Jane, played by the gifted Taylour Paige with so much standoffish lawyerly efficiency that she really never seems like Axel’s daughter. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in a beard that makes him look like an Oberlin philosophy professor, is Bobby, the homicide detective who used to be involved with Jane, and is therefore Axel’s Oedipal rival; this is what sets up the pair’s buddy-cop hostility. Jane is defending an innocent kid who got framed as a cop killer, and the movie is about unearthing the conspiracy, which involves a drug cartel and Kevin Bacon as an officer too natty and smooth to be on the level.

There are a few funny moments, like when Axel is razzing the difference between his last name and Jane’s, or the scene where he tries to convince a Black parking attendant that they’re both brothers , so can’t he just borrow a car? The scene in a cartel homie bar, with Luis Guzmán as a drug runner singing karaoke, isn’t bad; if you squint, for two minutes you can almost pretend you’re in “48 HRS.” A helicopter escape sequence, with Bobby piloting the chopper along the ground, finds the right fusion of action and yucks. All of this might tickle your nostalgia bone — but, of course, the difference between then and now is that in the 40 years since “Beverly Hills Cop,” there have been 400 action comedies spun out of these same tropes. “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.” is just one more of them.

Reviewed online, July 1, 2024. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 115 MIN.

• Production: A Netflix release of a Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Eddie Murphy Productions production. Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Eddie Murphy, Chad Oman. Executive producers: Ray Angelic, Charisse Hewitt-Webster, Melissa Reid, Lorenzi Di Bonaventura.
• Crew: Director: Mark Molloy. Screenplay: Will Beall, Tom Gormican, Kevin Etten. Camera: Eduard Grau. Editor: Dan Lebental. Music: Lorne Balfe.
• With: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, Kevin Bacon, Luis Guzmán.

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‘Kinds of Kindness’ is all kinds of messed up

Director yorgos lanthimos provokes with this trio of cruel tales featuring an all-star cast headlined by jesse plemons and emma stone.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos and his frequent writing collaborator, Efthimis Filippou, are responsible for divisive movies such as “Dogtooth,” “The Lobster,” and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer.” These films were endurance tests for some audiences, full of emotional provocations and dares.

Now, after directing kinder, gentler fare like 2018′s “The Favourite” and 2023′s “Poor Things” (both written by Tony McNamara), Lanthimos is back on his provocateur tour with “Kinds of Kindness.” Filippou returns to coauthor this nearly three-hour triptych starring the same group of actors in different roles. True to form, the director puts his cast through the wringer in scenes featuring self-mutilation, cannibalism, and cult worship.

And those are some of the nicer plot points testing characters played by Emma Stone, Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, and the film’s primary lead, Jesse Plemons .

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Anthology films always have the same problem: Some stories are better than others. The issue is exacerbated because the pieces are presented together, making the lesser parts look worse. Additionally, there’s usually some element tying the stories together. As its tie that binds, “Kinds of Kindness” offers up the mysterious R.M.F. (Yorgos Stefanakos), who silently appears in every story. Whether he’s the same character in all three is open for interpretation.

You’ll be wasting your time trying to figure anything out. Just accept everything as it is presented, because none of the characters are developed enough to get you to care about their plights. Once you realize you are being trolled, any power wielded by the film evaporates.

This descent into unfeeling boredom is a staple of Lanthimos’s films; they’re like watching the ants in an anthill get fried by a giggling, sadistic kid holding a magnifying glass in the path of the sun.

Though I was far more irritated than disturbed, I should warn there’s some rough material here. In fact, the two women sitting behind me at my screening were so repulsed they audibly complained before walking out.

I admit I was jealous; I wanted to see the sick movie they thought they were watching.

But I digress. If there’s any message to be found in “Kinds of Kindness,” it’s hinted at by the song opening the film: “Sweet Dreams,” by the Eurythmics. Annie Lennox sings that everybody is looking for something. “Some of them want to abuse you,” she croons, “some of them want to be abused.”

Hint or not, it’s still heavy-handed.

The first tale, “The Death of R.M.F.,” is the best. A mustachioed Plemons plays Robert Fletcher, a man whose every move is controlled by a mysterious rich man named Raymond (Willem Dafoe). Every day, Raymond tells Richard what to eat, what to wear, how much he should weigh, and even when he can make love to his wife, Sarah (Chau).

To reward his obedience, Robert and Sarah receive extravagant gifts from Raymond, including a tennis racket John McEnroe once smashed. These items are associated with wrath, one of the seven deadly sins, and Raymond himself is a godlike figure Robert happily worships. (Dafoe played a character named God in “Poor Things.”)

Richard’s idyllic life is disrupted when, like Abraham in the Old Testament, his god tells him to sacrifice someone. Richard can’t do it and, as in another Genesis story, he is cast out of Eden.

Plemons gives a career-best performance in this tale, plumbing the depths of desperation and revealing all the awful things he did to stay in good graces. He impresses with chameleon-like changes in the other two stories, but his performance as Richard is probably what earned him the best actor award at this year’s Cannes.

“Kinds of Kindness” starts falling apart with its second story, “R.M.F. Is Flying,” an underwritten paean to paranoia. Daniel (Plemons) is a cop whose wife, Liz (Stone), has been reported lost at sea. After weeks missing, she returns to her loving husband, who immediately suspects she’s an impostor. For starters, her feet are too big, and she can’t remember intimate details about their marriage.

Not even scenes of group sex and cooked body parts can save this section, though Plemons’s performance switches seamlessly from victim to abuser and Athie is good as Daniel’s concerned best friend.

Plemons takes a supporting role in “R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich,” giving the last tale’s lead to Stone. They’re part of a sex cult run by Dafoe and Chau, where members drink their leaders’ tears and are regularly checked for purity in a way I can’t describe in this paper. Qualley gives this tale’s best performance as twins, one of whom may be a sought-after Messiah who can raise the dead.

Lanthimos ups the discomfort ante here, with graphic scenes of animal cruelty and sexual assault, before ending the film with a predictable — and predictably dark — O. Henry-style punch line.

Fans of Lanthimos’s works outside his Emma Stone movies will find “Kinds of Kindness” worth watching. As for the rest of us: You’ll start out clapping along with “Sweet Dreams,” but by the end, you’ll be singing Peggy Lee’s immortal question, “Is That All There Is?”

KINDS OF KINDNESS

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Written by Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou. Starring Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Hong Chau, Mamoudou Athie, Willem Dafoe, Yorgos Stefanakos. At AMC Boston Common, Landmark Kendall Square, Alamo Drafthouse Seaport, Coolidge Corner Theatre, suburbs. 164 minutes. R (gore, rape, murder, nudity, animal cruelty, profanity)

Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.