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Christian Slater, Steven Bauer, Min Luong, Art Chudabala, Le Tuan ... see more see more... , Richard Herd , Kieu Chinh , Charles Cyphers , Joe Gosha , Tommy Guerrero , Tony Hawk , Christian Jacobs , Natas Kaupas , Peter Kwong , Ed Lauter , Chi-Muoi Lo , Micole Mercurio , Angela Moya , F. William Parker , Max Perlich , Jack Riley , Rita Rudner , J. Jay Saunders , Arsenio "Sonny" Trinidad , Buddy Joe Hooker , Eric Dressen , Mike McGill , Andy Nguyen , Joshua Ravetch , Vien Hong

Gleaming the Cube does for skateboarding what Over the Top did for arm wrestling -- i.e. not a hell of a lot. Christian Slater is the skateboarding star, playing Brian Kelly, a sneering and laconic te... read more read more...en outcast. He feels left out and envious of his adopted Vietnamese brother Vinh's (Art Chudabala) success as an honor roll student and as the center of attention in his family. When Vinh commits suicide, Brian is suspicious and rolls away on his skateboard to find out what really happened -- and ultimately to avenge his murder. Brian's investigation is aided and abetted by a sardonic detective named Al Lucero (Steven Bauer), a collection of skateboard aficionados, and an incredibly attractive Vietnamese girl, Tina (Min Luong). ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

64% liked it

8,461 ratings

Critics

29% liked it

7 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 42 min.

Directed by: Graeme Clifford

Release Date: January 13, 1989

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DVD Release Date: June 1, 1999

Stats: 498 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (498)


  • April 10, 2011
    A very exciting thriller with the best skateboarding chase scenes I've ever seen. Slater is fantastic in this movie, and so cute. I loved it.
  • May 23, 2007
    Dumb action thriller that tries to combine crime drama with skateboarding. Lacking in humour, and other than the preposterous title, completely forgettable.
  • November 20, 2006
    This skateboarding teen action picture has Christian Slater riding out - that sucks.
  • April 2, 2011
    This was an instant cult classic due to the cameo appearances of the most famous skaters in the world. As a film, it really doesn't stand on it's own. It's a great 80's nostalgia flick though.
  • November 30, 2011
    After his adoptive Vietnamese brother is found hung dead in a motel room, a skateboarding teen goes on the hunt for answers to prove his brother's death wasn't a suicide. Christian Slater puts on a believable performance as the teen outcast, but that's pretty much the only thing ... read morethe film has going for it; aside from some nice skateboarding sequences from the characters in the film. All of Slater's skating stunts are performed by Rodney Mullen and we also have a few guest appearances from other skateboarding greats; for instance, a young Tony Hawk. Other than that, the acting is amatuer in presentation and the storyline is your basic watered-down crime drama, just your typical Made-for-TV film.
  • February 20, 2011
    A very good, VERY underrated, movie that takes an interesting look at racism from an apathetic and a "don't know what you've got till it's gone" point of view.
  • March 23, 2010
    A mystery/action movie involving skateboarding and Christian Slater! How can you go wrong? I loved this movie, it's exciting and has some cool skateboarding scenes. Check it out.
  • August 27, 2009
    Stupid movie, but good ol' school sk8'in. Lots of ol'shool ledgends Hawk,Hosoi,McGill,Kaupas,Guerro.







    Movie was lame as s#$t, but good cast. Mike McGill did great ol'school sk8in.
  • March 30, 2008
    Slater is a skateboard punk caught up in mystery and entrail. It does have a cameo by Tony Hawk among other famous riders of the time. If you like skateboarding, give it a whirl. If not, then, rent Ghoulies.
  • November 25, 2007
    Love Christian Slater as a skater boy. And, Tony Hawk is the bomb in this movie. This is a cult classic of mine.

Critic Reviews


Clint Morris
June 11, 2005
Clint Morris, Film Threat

A Cool blast from the past that encompasses as many sensational skating sequences as it does cinematic suspense Full Review

Alex Sandell
May 9, 2005
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum

Sucked then, sucks now.

Scott Weinberg
July 27, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Consider the cube duly gleamed.

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Janet Maslin
August 30, 2004
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

January 10, 2004
Chicago Reader

Click to read the article Full Review

Richard Harrington
January 1, 2000
Richard Harrington, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 9, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Robin Clifford
March 9, 2004
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews

No review available.

Brian J. Arthurs
December 6, 2002
Brian J. Arthurs, Beach Reporter (Southern California)

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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

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Gleaming the Cube : Watch Free on TV


Gleaming the Cube Trivia


  • He acts in Broken Arrow, Gleaming the Cube and True Romance... Who is he?  Answer »
  • I feature in all the following movies. Who am I? Gleaming The Cube Stand By Me Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade  Answer »
  • What actor/actress has starred in all of these movies: Gleaming The Cube, Young Guns II, Heathers, And FernGully: The Last Rain Forrest?  Answer »
  • In what movie did pro skateboarder Tony Hawk play a Pizza Hut delivery driver?  Answer »

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