Leviathan

20th Century Fox | Release Date: March 17, 1989

CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION

51	METASCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

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Critic Reviews

Critic score Publication By date

Dave Kehr

A lively, well-made schlock thriller that will doubtlessly be forgotten in two weeks, but in the meantime should provide a few pleasant evenings for fans of the genre. Read full review

Kevin Thomas

Leviathan is Alien under water. It's not nearly as sophisticated or as terrifying as the Ridley Scott film, but it looks good and moves fast. It's elementary fun with a couple of scary moments along the way. Read full review

EmpireKim Newman

A safe, effectively jumpy transfer of Alien to the depths that restores the fear of Jaws into an environment momentarily softened by The Abyss. Read full review

Janet Maslin

Leviathan compares favorably with the other recent aquatic horror film Deepstar Six but probably not with anything else. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

A mediocre, quasi-diverting B movie. Read full review

Richard Harrington

Because Cosmatos has put together a decent cast and a proficient crew, Leviathan is intermittently interesting, but it's a bad sign that the movie starts losing its punch when the monster shows up. Read full review

TV Guide MagazineStaff (Not Credited)

Scientists in an underwater lab are picked off by a monster of the deep in this cheesy hybrid of Alien, The Thing, and The Abyss. Read full review

Tom Green

As underwater adventure, Leviathan is so much like already forgotten DeepStar Six that they are crusted with the same brine. By the time they come to almost identical conclusions, you'll wish both were swimming with the fishies. [17 Mar 1989, p.4D]

Bill Cosford

A decent cast, led by Peter Weller (as the geologist/hero) and Rambo vet Richard Crenna (as Doc), grapples gamely with the script and hauls down the paychecks. [21 Mar 1989, p.C7]

Staff (Not Credited)

It's a soggy recycling of gruesome monster attacks unleashed upon a crew of macho men and women confined within a far-flung scientific outpost. Read full review

Jay Carr

Leviathan may be mediocre, unoriginal, boring and nauseating, but it probably won't be the worst sci-fi we'll see this year. [17 Mar 1989, p.46]

Harper Barnes

For a while in the middle, as tentacles began snaking through the ship, the shock value is considerable. But director George P. Cosmatos lets the suspense slide away in ridiculous dialogue and confusing action. By the end, the movie is terrible rather than terrifying. [17 Mar 1989, p.3F]