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Elijah Wood, Paul Hogan, Chelsea Field, Isaac Hayes, Jonathan Banks ... see more see more... , Jason Fuchs , Luke Halpin , Mal Jones , Louis Seeger Crume , Jessica Wesson , Anne Carey , Allison Bertolino , Mark Casella , Robert Deacon , Mary Jo Faraci , Bill Kelley , Bill Nolan , Lindsay Treco , Ann Carey

In this adventure drama for the family, based on the popular TV series of the mid-'60s, Sandy Ricks (Elijah Wood) is a moody teenager from Chicago who is not dealing well with the recent divorce of hi... read more read more...s parents. In the hope that a change of scenery will do him good, Sandy is sent to spend the summer with his Uncle Porter (Paul Hogan), an aging hippie and fisherman who lives on Coral Key, an island off the coast of Florida. The sun and sand do little to improve Sandy's outlook on life, even after he meets Kim (Jessica Wesson), a pretty girl who lives nearby, but he becomes sunnier when he encounters Flipper, a friendly dolphin, while boating with Porter. When Sandy helps save Flipper from a pack of bloodthirsty charter-boat fishermen, led by the mean-spirited Dirk Moran (Jonathan Banks), the dolphin becomes the boy's loyal companion (at least when Sandy is close to the water). But Sandy soon discovers that Dirk is dumping toxic waste into the waters of Coral Key, and with the help of Cathy (Chelsea Field), a friend of Porter's with a background in marine biology, Sandy and Porter try to gather enough evidence so that Sheriff Buck Cowan (Isaac Hayes) will be able to put Dirk behind bars. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

44% liked it

56,532 ratings

Critics

32% liked it

19 critics

PG, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Alan Shapiro

Release Date: May 17, 1996

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DVD Release Date: January 20, 2004

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Stats: 1,422 reviews

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Luke Halpin "Flipper and the Seal" Flipper movie poster Flipper Flipper Flipper! Flipper (1996) Old Flipper Series Luke Halpin (Flipper) Flipper Flipper Flipper Flipper Luke Halpin in "Flipper" Luke Halpin (Flipper) Luke Halpin (Flipper)
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Flixster Reviews (1,422)

  • 76Majikat
    March 19, 2012
    76Majikat
    An easy watching, feel good, kids film.
  • ajv2688
    July 8, 2011
    ajv2688
    I saw this in theatres when it came out, and now I do not remember it... I'll re-watch it sometime. Based on how forgettable this movie was, I'll give it three stars.
  • ythelastman89
    June 4, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Another childhood favorite and another great update of an old animal character. Much like Lassie, this is the definitive version and deals with the character in ways that were unseen before. Elijah Wood and Paul Hogan make a great unlikely team together and help Flipper cure the ... read moreseas of poachers and Hammerhead sharks. It's fun coming of age story and memorable tale of friendship between Dolphin and man.
  • Chiefilms
    April 19, 2010
    Chiefilms
    Elijah Wood, ridiculously gay. Paul Hogan, stay in the Outback.
  • FilmFanatik
    February 23, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    Eh, not a fan.
  • stormyweather980
    September 10, 2009
    stormyweather980
    I know that "Flipper" is only averaging 3 stars because a lot of poople don't like it much because it's not anything like the Tv show. I grew up watching Flipper the Tv show and it was always one of my favorites, but I still have to say that this movie is a good movie even if it'... read mores not all that much inspired by the Tv show. The main theme between the Tv show and the movie are basically the same, both are mainly about the story of a boy befriended by a dolphin named Flipper. However, there are a few differences. In this movie, there's not a Bud character, there's only Sandy, unlike the show. Also, Flipper won't be saving anything or anybody in this movie.
    In "Flipper" the movie, Sandy (Elijah Wood) has to stay a summer with his uncle, Porter (Paul Hogan), although he doesn't want to and he doesn't even know his uncle. Sandy doesn't exactly get along with his uncle that lives mainly off of Spaghetti O's at first. If it wasn't for Sandy befriending Flipper, there's no telling what would've happened. Flipper befriends Sandy, which leads to Sandy making more friends including Kim (Jessica Wesson), Sandy getting along better with his uncle, and even some adventures and misadventures along the way.

    Even though "Flipper" isn't much like the old Tv classic, I still thought that this was a great movie. It has its drama throughout and it even has a few adventurous parts such as an encounter with a hammerhead shark and busting some criminals. It also has good underwater photography and pretty good acting. I recommend anybody who used to watch Flipper the Tv show or anyone who likes dolphins or just likes good movies to get "Flipper." NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    September 29, 2007
    FiLmCrAzY
    i saw this elijah wood is soo young
    if you are a dolhin lover u will love it even if your not its still a nice warm filling to the animals and wot people do to save them its a nice sweet film
  • gatorgirl13
    August 14, 2007
    gatorgirl13
    Paul Hogan is so funny in this movie.
  • superclerk25
    February 26, 2007
    superclerk25
    Yeah, I like this movie.
  • ceWEBrity
    February 11, 2007
    ceWEBrity
    Feh.

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Critic Reviews

Mike Clark
January 1, 2000
Mike Clark, USA Today

Flipper is inoffensive, but it's also asleep in the deep.

Brian Costello
April 24, 2012
Brian Costello, Common Sense Media

Warmhearted remake of TV classic has some scary moments. Full Review

David Nusair
February 7, 2011
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

...an inoffensive yet utterly forgettable endeavor. Full Review

James Plath
March 6, 2005
James Plath, Movie Metropolis

Formulaic kid-gets-whipped-into-shape by his ne'er-do-well uncle flick with Wood and Hogan offering likable enough performances to offset the charm of that wonderful dolphin.

Scott Weinberg
September 8, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Paul Hogan, Elijah Wood, and a dolphin. There, I just saved you 97 minutes.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
August 26, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Affirms the ties that bind us with animals. Full Review

Joe Leydon
March 16, 2009
Joe Leydon, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

David Kronke
February 14, 2001
David Kronke, Los Angeles Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Peter Stack
January 1, 2000
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
January 1, 2000
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Flipper Trivia

  • What young actor played opposite Paul Hogan in the movie "Flipper"?  Answer »
  • Which stunning actress played Maya on the show Flipper?  Answer »
  • What movie does Frodo hang outwith Crocodile Dundee and a hammerhead named Scar?  Answer »
  • Which actor has been seen playing with dophins in "Flipper" and as a guy obsessed with family relics and the like in "Everything is Illuminated"?  Answer »
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