The Blue Lagoon (1980)

12% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
54% of users liked it
(54,013 ratings)

This 1980 version of the oft-filmed Henry Devere Stackpoole novel The Blue Lagoon was the first to be stamped with an "R" rating. The basic story remains unchanged. Two very small children, a boy and a girl, are shipwrecked on a lush tropical island. They are cared for by fellow castaway Leo McKern.… More This 1980 version of the oft-filmed Henry Devere Stackpoole novel The Blue Lagoon was the first to be stamped with an "R" rating. The basic story remains unchanged. Two very small children, a boy and a girl, are shipwrecked on a lush tropical island. They are cared for by fellow castaway Leo McKern. When he dies, the kids, played with a minimum of clothing by Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins, have no one but each other. When they grow into teen-hood, they also fall madly in love. Heavily reshaped and reedited before its release, The Blue Lagoon's principal attribute is the lush photography by Nestor Almendros. In 1990, a sequel was made, Return to the Blue Lagoon. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 45 min.
Directed By: Randal Kleiser
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Jun 20, 1980 Wide
On DVD: Oct 5, 1999

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Their romance is enhanced by Nestor Almendros' exquisite photography (and Basil Poledouris' score), as is the stunning beauty of the Fiji island where it was filmed.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The Blue Lagoon is the dumbest movie of the year.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
[It] has a nonsensical glaze that contributes to the inadvertent merriment.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Witless.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
At a little over 100 minutes, the film feels as if huge chunks of it were edited out for pace; however, the wrong chunks have been cut.
, Time Out
The only thing blue about the movie is the sea, and the way you'll feel after wasting your time on this dose of 'tasteful', TV commercial-style, nudity.
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum
Ugh! Ah! Make it stop!!!
Rob Vaux, Flipside Movie Emporium
It's pornography for people who like to go to book burnings; a sex fantasy as chaste as your 3rd grade piano teacher.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
You can focus on the gorgeous locales or the underage skin. Or you could just watch a much better movie.

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

This movie is cute and sweet for the most part, but has a bunch of holes in the story. For one thing, there's a group of native islanders on the other side of the island they're marooned on and they never even notice the two kids? Also, they have a boat, why don't… More
This movie is cute and sweet for the most part, but has a bunch of holes in the story. For one thing, there's a group of native islanders on the other side of the island they're marooned on and they never even notice the two kids? Also, they have a boat, why don't they just fill it with food and stuff and try to make it back to civilization? Plus, I hated the end. The movie is okay, and Atkins is cute, so it's not too bad, but it's not a good movie either.
♥Robyn

Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins star as two children shipwrecked alone on a tropical island..
Wahida K

Great Classic with Brooke Shields. I use to adore her.
Jason O

After things don't go like they should, a boy and a girl get stranded on an island in the South Seas. The two children are forced to stay together for years on the island with no other place to go. As you might imagine, once these two reach their teenage years, they might begin… More
After things don't go like they should, a boy and a girl get stranded on an island in the South Seas. The two children are forced to stay together for years on the island with no other place to go. As you might imagine, once these two reach their teenage years, they might begin to feel a little differently about each other. I was born the year this movie was made and I grew up watching it a lot of times. When I was a teenager, I never really paid much attention to the movie itself because I was head over heels for Brooke Shields. Now that I'm grown, I decided to watch it again and see if it was really as terrible of a movie as I've always heard it was. Sure, the movie is somewhat controversial and it's not all that deep plot-wise, but to be honest, I still like this movie a lot. In my opinion, "The Blue Lagoon" had and still has a lot going for it. For one, I don't see why everybody cuts down Brooke Shields for her horrible acting. Granted she's not the best actress in the world, but I don't think she did that bad of a job. Another thing, I saw that the movie doesn't concentrate hardly at all on how the couple actually survives for years on the island, it's mainly just a movie about two teens who fall in love on a seemingly deserted island. But that's all the makers intended for this movie to be about, it's not supposed to be much of a story of survival. It kept me interested the entire two hours and I never got bored at all. Finally, I've always heard about "The Blue Lagoon" winning the 1980 award for best cinematography, and I can see why. Throughout the movie, there are several captivating underwater sequences along with the views of the island itself and the ocean. Equally as impressive is the film's musical score. The music couldn't have been any better for the parts of the movie that it signifies. If you like great movies and if you can tolerate watching a classic romance/drama film, do yourself a favor and purchase "The Blue Lagoon." I really don't see why many people throughout the years have bashed it flatter than a slice of cheese because it's a great movie, and in my book, it's a classic! NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001.
Cassie H

This movie stunk!!! I only saw pieces and all it is is Brooke Shields running around without clothes and Chris rolling around on the beach with her!!! If you don't like watching a crappy movie I definetley don't recommend watching this. You'll be glad you… More
This movie stunk!!! I only saw pieces and all it is is Brooke Shields running around without clothes and Chris rolling around on the beach with her!!! If you don't like watching a crappy movie I definetley don't recommend watching this. You'll be glad you didn't!!!
Jason S

A simple love story that gets a little awkward after a while. It's an interesting concept that people like to see as it is still popular today in movies like Cast Away and the show LOST.
Dean M

The story is like Adam and Eve as a good romantic epic film, focusing on the growing love and sexuality of two children stranded on a South Sea Island.
Candy R

Movie about shipwrecked kids.
Rachel F

This is such a good movie. Its definitely one of my favorites.
Lafe F

Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins are stranded on a desert island and grow up together. Eventually they get rescued. The end. Naw, if only it were that simple. Notorious at the time, people used to joke about this movie. It wasn't so bad or dirty. Does an urated version… More
Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins are stranded on a desert island and grow up together. Eventually they get rescued. The end. Naw, if only it were that simple. Notorious at the time, people used to joke about this movie. It wasn't so bad or dirty. Does an urated version exist? A good date movie I suppose. It was mildly entertaining. As good as 70's "The Island of Dr. Moreau".
xGary X

Pretty locations, but this trite T&A fest is little more than soft-core porn.
danny d

boring but you cant help but be intrigued by where the story was going
Leigh R

Not too shabby.
Dannielle A

Even though it's cheesy and pretty much child pornography, this movie is a guilty pleasure.
Deb S

Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins portray two young adults who were 'cut off' from the rest of the world at a very young age. Upon entering puberty Brooke (Emmeline) begins to become aware of her changing body and is confused without another woman to help educate her.… More
Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins portray two young adults who were 'cut off' from the rest of the world at a very young age. Upon entering puberty Brooke (Emmeline) begins to become aware of her changing body and is confused without another woman to help educate her. Likewise, Chris (Dicky) is becoming a man and Brooke, although the same age in the story is more mature than Chris and becomes sexually attracted to Chris' emerging manhood which is only natural. A young romance blossoms between the two kids who have known nobody else but themselves. This is a touching love story about pure love and gorgeous cinematography that clinches the deal for me.
Marcus W

Don't let anyone try and tell you this is a "coming of age" drama. It's soft-core porn. Take the pregnancy bit: the baby is born with no blood or umbilical cord, and within 24 hours Shields has her "perfect" figure back. The rest of the time they swim… More
Don't let anyone try and tell you this is a "coming of age" drama. It's soft-core porn. Take the pregnancy bit: the baby is born with no blood or umbilical cord, and within 24 hours Shields has her "perfect" figure back. The rest of the time they swim around naked. And at the end they kill themselves. Garbage.
Marion R

It was watchable. overall wasn't invested enough in their story to care.
Lee K

Alright a chick flick that doesnt get shown alot anymore however if you catch it its pretty cool.
Rose G

the place they shot this film at was very beautiful it befits the word paradise.
Chad R

Damn I loved this movie when I was 13, may have been the first boob I had ever seen. Thank you Brook Shields!