1952·Drama·1h 2m
5.4
★
After their airplane crashes behind enemy lines, four soldiers must survive and try to find a way back to their battalion. However, when they come across a local peasant girl the horrors of war quickly become apparent.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)
airplane
soldier
war
Rank
#21 in 1952·#8303 overall
Trailer
Where to Watch
Cast
Frank Silvera
Mac
Paul Mazursky
Sidney
Virginia Leith
The Girl
Crew
Stanley Kubrick
Director
Howard Sackler
Writer
Gerald Fried
Original Music Composer
Stanley Kubrick
Editor
Stanley Kubrick
Director of Photography
Stanley Kubrick
Producer
Popular Reviews
650 reviews
Chiara Tamborini
4.0★ · 12/29/25
I feel bad that Kubrick absolutely hated this movie and tried to destroy every copy of this movie but it was a kind of shit movie…
I feel bad that Kubrick absolutely hated this movie and tried to destroy every copy of this movie but it was a kind of shit movie…
4
Jeremi
after working on my short film (which also had a very frustrating and difficult production) i wanted to finally watch kubrick’s first ever film
there is a comfort in seeing how boring and flat this film is, even arguably the best director of all time had to start somewhere, he literally nearly killed his crew lmao
this film won’t get a rating coz it’s literally just a long student film, but it was a weirdly comforting watch (other than the very very strange plot)
there is a comfort in seeing how boring and flat this film is, even arguably the best director of all time had to start somewhere, he literally nearly killed his crew lmao
this film won’t get a rating coz it’s literally just a long student film, but it was a weirdly comforting watch (other than the very very strange plot)
after working on my short film (which also had a very frustrating and difficult production) i wanted to finally watch kubrick’s first ever film
there is a comfort in seeing how boring and flat this film is, even arguably the best director of all time had to start somewhere, he literally nearly killed his crew lmao
this film won’t get a rating coz it’s literally just a long student film, but it was a weirdly comforting watch (other than the very very strange plot)
there is a comfort in seeing how boring and flat this film is, even arguably the best director of all time had to start somewhere, he literally nearly killed his crew lmao
this film won’t get a rating coz it’s literally just a long student film, but it was a weirdly comforting watch (other than the very very strange plot)
2
Lewis
2.0★ · 05/31/25
I completely get that Kubrick was very young when he made this, with a very low budget and not much experience in the industry, but this is just shite. My biggest issue is that it feels like the longest hour you’ll ever experience, which is strange considering I usually feel Kubrick’s later films are very well paced. Basically, it feels nothing like the films that he’d go on to make and is really just quite bad. One of the worst debuts for such a highly regarded director that I’ve ever seen.
I completely get that Kubrick was very young when he made this, with a very low budget and not much experience in the industry, but this is just shite. My biggest issue is that it feels like the longest hour you’ll ever experience, which is strange considering I usually feel Kubrick’s later films are very well paced. Basically, it feels nothing like the films that he’d go on to make and is really just quite bad. One of the worst debuts for such a highly regarded director that I’ve ever seen.
2
kaiden
2.0★ · 06/09/26
fear and desire
clearing my watchlist: movie no.2
just want to start by saying that kubrick tried very very hard to completely make all footage of this film disappear which i think sums up this movie well.
*
fear and desire* is often discussed because it was the feature film debut of stanley kubrick, but judged on its own merits, it’s a frustrating and largely unsuccessful film. while i can appreciate the ambition behind its philosophical approach to war and human nature, the execution falls far short of its aspirations.
the biggest issue is the screenplay, which tries very hard to sound profound but mostly comes across as vague and self important. characters deliver long, abstract monologues about identity, fear, and violence, yet they never develop into believable people. instead of drawing the viewer into their predicament, the film keeps them at arms length with dialogue that feels more like a collection of unfinished ideas than genuine human interaction.
the pacing is another major problem. at just over an hour long’s the film somehow feels much longer. scenes drag on without building tension, and the narrative lacks a strong sense of momentum. the central survival story should be gripping, but the film struggles to create suspense of emotional investment. as a result, many sequences feel repetitive and aimless.
the performances are equally uneven. most of the cast deliver stiff, theatrical performances that make it difficult to connect with the characters. combined with the films low budget production values, this gives the entire project an amateurish quality that undermines its more serious themes.
visually, there are occasional hints of the talent that kubrick would later display in films like paths of glory and 2001: a space odyssey. a few shots show creativity and technical skill, but these moments are too rare to save the overall experience. the cinematography occasionally impresses, yet it cannot compensate for the weak script, poor characterisation, and lack of dramatic impact.
overall, fear and desire feels less like a compelling film and more like a rough student project made by a future master who has not yet found his voice. it’s historical significance may interest devoted kubrick fans and film buffs, but as a standalone movie, it’s tedious, pretentious, and emotionally hollow. there are countless better war films and kubrick films, like full metal jacket, for example to spend your time on. 1/5 ⭐️
clearing my watchlist: movie no.2
just want to start by saying that kubrick tried very very hard to completely make all footage of this film disappear which i think sums up this movie well.
*
fear and desire* is often discussed because it was the feature film debut of stanley kubrick, but judged on its own merits, it’s a frustrating and largely unsuccessful film. while i can appreciate the ambition behind its philosophical approach to war and human nature, the execution falls far short of its aspirations.
the biggest issue is the screenplay, which tries very hard to sound profound but mostly comes across as vague and self important. characters deliver long, abstract monologues about identity, fear, and violence, yet they never develop into believable people. instead of drawing the viewer into their predicament, the film keeps them at arms length with dialogue that feels more like a collection of unfinished ideas than genuine human interaction.
the pacing is another major problem. at just over an hour long’s the film somehow feels much longer. scenes drag on without building tension, and the narrative lacks a strong sense of momentum. the central survival story should be gripping, but the film struggles to create suspense of emotional investment. as a result, many sequences feel repetitive and aimless.
the performances are equally uneven. most of the cast deliver stiff, theatrical performances that make it difficult to connect with the characters. combined with the films low budget production values, this gives the entire project an amateurish quality that undermines its more serious themes.
visually, there are occasional hints of the talent that kubrick would later display in films like paths of glory and 2001: a space odyssey. a few shots show creativity and technical skill, but these moments are too rare to save the overall experience. the cinematography occasionally impresses, yet it cannot compensate for the weak script, poor characterisation, and lack of dramatic impact.
overall, fear and desire feels less like a compelling film and more like a rough student project made by a future master who has not yet found his voice. it’s historical significance may interest devoted kubrick fans and film buffs, but as a standalone movie, it’s tedious, pretentious, and emotionally hollow. there are countless better war films and kubrick films, like full metal jacket, for example to spend your time on. 1/5 ⭐️
fear and desire
clearing my watchlist: movie no.2
just want to start by saying that kubrick tried very very hard to completely make all footage of this film disappear which i think sums up this movie well.
*
fear and desire* is often discussed because it was the feature film debut of stanley kubrick, but judged on its own merits, it’s a frustrating and largely unsuccessful film. while i can appreciate the ambition behind its philosophical approach to war and human nature, the execution falls far short of its aspirations.
the biggest issue is the screenplay, which tries very hard to sound profound but mostly comes across as vague and self important. characters deliver long, abstract monologues about identity, fear, and violence, yet they never develop into believable people. instead of drawing the viewer into their predicament, the film keeps them at arms length with dialogue that feels more like a collection of unfinished ideas than genuine human interaction.
the pacing is another major problem. at just over an hour long’s the film somehow feels much longer. scenes drag on without building tension, and the narrative lacks a strong sense of momentum. the central survival story should be gripping, but the film struggles to create suspense of emotional investment. as a result, many sequences feel repetitive and aimless.
the performances are equally uneven. most of the cast deliver stiff, theatrical performances that make it difficult to connect with the characters. combined with the films low budget production values, this gives the entire project an amateurish quality that undermines its more serious themes.
visually, there are occasional hints of the talent that kubrick would later display in films like paths of glory and 2001: a space odyssey. a few shots show creativity and technical skill, but these moments are too rare to save the overall experience. the cinematography occasionally impresses, yet it cannot compensate for the weak script, poor characterisation, and lack of dramatic impact.
overall, fear and desire feels less like a compelling film and more like a rough student project made by a future master who has not yet found his voice. it’s historical significance may interest devoted kubrick fans and film buffs, but as a standalone movie, it’s tedious, pretentious, and emotionally hollow. there are countless better war films and kubrick films, like full metal jacket, for example to spend your time on. 1/5 ⭐️
clearing my watchlist: movie no.2
just want to start by saying that kubrick tried very very hard to completely make all footage of this film disappear which i think sums up this movie well.
*
fear and desire* is often discussed because it was the feature film debut of stanley kubrick, but judged on its own merits, it’s a frustrating and largely unsuccessful film. while i can appreciate the ambition behind its philosophical approach to war and human nature, the execution falls far short of its aspirations.
the biggest issue is the screenplay, which tries very hard to sound profound but mostly comes across as vague and self important. characters deliver long, abstract monologues about identity, fear, and violence, yet they never develop into believable people. instead of drawing the viewer into their predicament, the film keeps them at arms length with dialogue that feels more like a collection of unfinished ideas than genuine human interaction.
the pacing is another major problem. at just over an hour long’s the film somehow feels much longer. scenes drag on without building tension, and the narrative lacks a strong sense of momentum. the central survival story should be gripping, but the film struggles to create suspense of emotional investment. as a result, many sequences feel repetitive and aimless.
the performances are equally uneven. most of the cast deliver stiff, theatrical performances that make it difficult to connect with the characters. combined with the films low budget production values, this gives the entire project an amateurish quality that undermines its more serious themes.
visually, there are occasional hints of the talent that kubrick would later display in films like paths of glory and 2001: a space odyssey. a few shots show creativity and technical skill, but these moments are too rare to save the overall experience. the cinematography occasionally impresses, yet it cannot compensate for the weak script, poor characterisation, and lack of dramatic impact.
overall, fear and desire feels less like a compelling film and more like a rough student project made by a future master who has not yet found his voice. it’s historical significance may interest devoted kubrick fans and film buffs, but as a standalone movie, it’s tedious, pretentious, and emotionally hollow. there are countless better war films and kubrick films, like full metal jacket, for example to spend your time on. 1/5 ⭐️
1
mratteoPRO
6.3★ · 05/14/26
sinceramente non capisco tutte le recensioni negative che leggo riguardo al film, apparte la scelta di utilizzare due attori per quattro personaggi e alcune scene che sono totalmente evitabili non ci vedo nulla di male (probabilmente è stato anche carryato dal doppiaggio in italiano visto che, leggendo le recensioni, tutti si lamentavano della capacità degli attori)
(prima recensione seria, kinda nervous)
(prima recensione seria, kinda nervous)
sinceramente non capisco tutte le recensioni negative che leggo riguardo al film, apparte la scelta di utilizzare due attori per quattro personaggi e alcune scene che sono totalmente evitabili non ci vedo nulla di male (probabilmente è stato anche carryato dal doppiaggio in italiano visto che, leggendo le recensioni, tutti si lamentavano della capacità degli attori)
(prima recensione seria, kinda nervous)
(prima recensione seria, kinda nervous)
1