The Core

The Core (2003)

  • 41% of critics liked it
    (153 reviews)

  • 41% of users liked it
    (96,631 ratings)

An unlikely band of scientists and soldiers join forces to save the world from certain destruction in this action-drama. As the world is struck with a variety of inexplicable phenomena -- attacks by enormous swarms of birds in London, the explosion of the Colosseum in Rome, a potentially deadly… More

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In Theaters
Mar 28, 2003 Wide
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Ed Park, Village Voice

    Undigestible fusion of worst-case earth science and leaden pacing.

  • Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

    [I]t's not campy enough to be consistently entertaining, and it's certainly not exciting or smart enough to be a first-rate sci-fi epic like a Deep Impact.

  • Claudia Puig, USA Today

    Jules Verne this isn't, but it makes for fairly diverting escapist fare.

  • Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

    There's a marked absence of panic in The Core.

  • Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

    Scientists may shudder, but at least some good actors are getting work.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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

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

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Phil H


    I dunno why but I do like this disaster film :) yes its totally stupid, totally unrealistic and completely along the lines of 'Armageddon under the earth' but to hell with it! its a fun ride. Part of this is down to the likeable cast of science bods for me, Eckhart has… More

  • Jeff "


    The Core is one perfect example of a terrible film that should've never been made. What's stunning about this film is that it has a good cast of talented actor, aside from D.J. Qualis, who was always a terrible actor. I can't believe the amount of really good actors who… More

  • Universal D


    Action/adventure sci-fi about an intrepid team of scientists who must journey to the center of the earth in order to save the world. I wonder what can happen? Summer movie fun.

  • Coxxie M


    i was just waiting for Alan Jacksons "where were you when the world stopped turning" to play over the end-credits.

  • Sophie B


    The only thing that makes this film worthwhile is D.J Qualls. He plays a great and interesting part which holds the film together. The narrative was weak and way too fast moving. One minute they've got no idea what to do and the next they have this massive machine all built and… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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