Tombstone poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Robert John Burke ... see more see more... , Dana Delany , Sam Elliott , Terry O'Quinn , Bill Paxton , Jason Priestley , Michael Rooker , Jon Tenney , Dana Wheeler-Nicholson , Billy Zane , Buck Taylor , Harry Carey Jr. , Pedro Armendariz Jr. , Charlton Heston , Tomas Arana , Paul Ben-Victor , Gary Clark , Don Collier , John Corbett , Christopher Mitchum , Robert Mitchum , Hugh O'Brian , Joanna Pacula , John Philbin , Charles Schneider , Peter Sherayko , Billy Bob Thornton , Frank Stallone , Grant James , Shane McCabe , Lora Kennedy , Thomas Haden Church , Pat Brady , Cecil Hoffmann , Stephen Lang , Lisa Collins , Sandy Gibbons

A high-energy action adventure based on legend rather than historical fact finds Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) desiring to retire from law enforcement. With brothers Virgil (Sam Elliot) and Morgan (Bill P... read more read more...axton), he arrives in Tombstone, Arizona intending to build his fortune. He discovers that long-time friend Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) is there and that the town is run by a group of brutal outlaws called the Cowboys. Earp, frustrated with his laudanum-addicted wife, begins a romance with traveling stage actress Josephine Marcus (Dana Delany). Meanwhile, the Cowboys terrorize the citizens of Tombstone unchecked. When the town marshal is killed by a Cowboy, Earp steps in to prevent a lynching by an angry mob. He also refuses to hand the killer over to his fellows, beginning the enmity between the Cowboys and the Earp brothers. Virgil, overcome with guilt at doing nothing to help the Tombstone citizens, accepts the position of town marshal. With Wyatt and Morgan as his deputies, and the help of Doc, Virgil attempts to arrest several Cowboys, resulting in the famous OK Corral shoot-out. The Cowboys take revenge by ambushing two of the brothers and injuring Virgil and killing Morgan. The Earps leave town, apparently cowed. Wyatt returns, wearing the badge of a U.S. marshal, vowing to destroy every last Cowboy. He hunts them mercilessly, until the leader, Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) challenges Wyatt to a duel. While not regarded as an artistic masterpiece, "Tombstone" is considered the best of director George P. Cosmatos' prolific films. The all-star cast (including Thomas Haden Church and Billy Bob Thornton in small roles) delivers solid performances. Both William A. Fraker's cinematography and Bruce Broughton's stirring musical score are expertly designed for dramatic effect. Blood is shown liberally in several key scenes, but seems intended to show that there is nothing glorious in Wyatt Earp's actions, only necessity. He and his deputies take on the symbolism of the horsemen of the apocalypse -- dispensing judgement, and the Biblical references form a symmetry at the beginning and end of the film. ~ Lucinda Ramsey, Rovi

Flixster Users

93% liked it

172,458 ratings

Critics

73% liked it

44 critics

R, 2 hr. 15 min.

Directed by: George P. Cosmatos

Release Date: December 25, 1993

Keywords: action, western, cowboy

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: December 2, 1997

Get It:

Stats: 12,466 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Tombstone Val Kilmer Tombstone Wyatt Earp is my friend Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone You gonna do something or just stand there and bleed? Doc's death Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone Tombstone
Upload a Photo | View All Tombstone Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (12,466)

  • garyX
    April 10, 2012
    garyX
    Hollywood once again retells the story of the legendary lawman, this time in the guise of Kurt Russell. Add Val Kilmer, Sam Neill, and Bill Paxton into the mix and what you get doesn't exactly scream "A list" but what you do have is an ensemble cast that gels particularly well; t... read morehis is one of those films that manages to be more than the sum of its parts. The bond of brotherhood and friendship between the Earps and Doc Holliday feels genuine and Kilmer clearly relishes the scene stealing part of sickly gentleman adrenaline junkie Holliday. Powers Booth and Michael Biehn also make charismatic villains, the scenes between Biehn and Kilmer being particularly sharp and the Peckinpahesque shoot outs extremely well staged. In fact the shoot out at the OK corral is one of the best versions yet filmed. It does occasionally slip into melodrama (Morgan's death being the prime example) and the climax is a little montage happy and feels a little rushed as a result, but it's a great slice of old school popular entertainment that's a lot more engaging than Kevin Costner's pompous yawnfest released the same year.
  • fb729949618
    August 9, 2011
    fb729949618
    The acting and cinematography is great. An awesome western!
  • LoughnerWasLucid
    March 7, 2011
    LoughnerWasLucid
    much credit to the title. everytime i watch it i have to run to walmart or wherever the hell they sell frozen pizzas and get me a big ol' tasty pepperoni tombstone. im sorry, but the movie just looks stale, under-cooked, and half-baked... WHEN COMPARED TO THE PEPPERONI-ISH GOODNE... read moreSS OF TOMBSTONE PIZZAS!

    (copyright. walmart frozen food section/ tombstone four cheese@ walmart.com)
  • moonrivers
    March 5, 2011
    moonrivers
    The movie is based on a novel entirely meant to mythologize Wyatt Earp...and this work agrees. From the first reel to the last we see more monument than man, and that's okay. Unlike the westerns of Sergio Leone wherein everything is dusty and dirty this is the suburban West and... read more even the dirt is clean here. Val Kilmer's Doc Holiday is the wild card and he steals every scene he's in.
  • skactopus
    January 23, 2011
    skactopus
    Congratulations to George P. Cosmatos because Tombstone is one fine Western.

    With a run time just past 2 hours, this film may seem long, but there is enough material in the story to occupy every minute of it. There is great emphasis on the story and characters, while it

    ... read more is obvious that the action takes a back seat to it all. This isn't to say that the film is boring because it isn't. The dialogue is well written and the characters are a blast to watch.

    The Western style gunfights show up at opportune times and they are nicely done, especially the standoff near the end. The sound effects and soundtrack compliment these sequences as well.

    The ensemble cast is rock solid. The likes of Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Sam Elliot, Stephen Lang, Dana Delany, etc. all fit well into this Western setting. Val Kilmer is absolutely fantastic and is a scene stealer throughout the entire picture. Stephen Lang is notable for creating an absolutely unlikable character.

    All that's left to say is that in the Western genre, Tombstone is a must see. "That's a fact."
  • flutieman07
    June 10, 2010
    flutieman07
    The quintessential Western...Kurt Russell is great, but Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday steals it. Who assembled this cast?! Wow..Great movie!
  • ythelastman89
    March 1, 2010
    ythelastman89
    Definitely better than Wyatt Earp, but that doesn't really say much. The acting from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer is basically what this movie has going for it. Michael Biehn was a laughable villain, the only bad guy you can take seriously is Powers Boothe because he's just so nat... read moreurally awesome. In no way does it capture the western genre, but it was a nice try. After all is said and done, it's a fun movie but nothing more.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    January 10, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    Forced to watch it. Not as bad as I thought it would be.
  • middleeasternfilms
    January 1, 2010
    middleeasternfilms
    Take a classic western story, turn it into a love and revenge tale and add an ensemble cast and you've got Tombstone. Val Kilmer was pretty good in this, but for some reason I just couldn't get into Kurt Russell in the lead as Wyatt Earp. Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton were supremel... read morey awesome in this, though, as was Powers Boothe, whom I also loved on Deadwood.
  • ScoopOnline
    December 8, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    Tombstone is one of the very few Movies I hardly remember but I know I have seen it.

View All Tombstone Reviews

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum
May 10, 2012
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

A lot of care and attention were obviously devoted to selecting locations, designing sets, and grooming handlebar mustaches. Much less attention went to making one believe that any of the events took ... Full Review

Emanuel Levy
December 4, 2008
Emanuel Levy, Variety

A tough-talking but soft-hearted tale that is entertaining in a sprawling, old-fashioned manner. Full Review

Stephen Holden
August 30, 2004
Stephen Holden, New York Times

It wants to be at once traditional and morally ambiguous. The two visions don't quite harmonize. Full Review

Richard Harrington
January 1, 2000
Richard Harrington, Washington Post

Highly stylized fashion-wise but awkwardly unfocused in its plotlines, it aims for the western iconography of Sam Peckinpah and Sergio Leone but never gets past its own directorial hurdles. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

It's difficult to assign responsibility for the most serious of this film's shortcomings, but one thing is clear: somewhere along the way, the creative process misfired. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
December 25, 1993
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Plays like a three-hour rough cut that's been trimmed down to a slightly shorter rough cut. Full Review

May 10, 2012
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Too many characters and not enough time in which to deal with them, and action that seems so rushed to get to the end that important scenes are left out. Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
May 20, 2010
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

A spectacular and well acted bit of Western cinema and sadly one in an endangered genre species... Full Review

Peter Canavese
May 17, 2010
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

Sports pretty much everything one would want in a Western, and though it's not always eminently artful, it is rarely anything less than entertaining. [Blu-ray] Full Review

Ryan Cracknell
May 16, 2010
Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views

One of the finest Westerns to come along since the genre decided largely to pack up and ride into the sunset several decades ago. Full Review

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)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • 3:10 to Yuma
    3:10 to Yuma (88%)
  • Wyatt Earp
    Wyatt Earp (87%)
  • Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
    Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (81%)
  • Black Widow
    Black Widow (40%)

More Movies like Tombstone

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Doc Holliday: Why Johnny Ringo. You look like someone just...walked over your grave.
    • Doc Holliday: I have not yet begun to defile myself.
    • Doc Holliday: I have two guns...one for each of ya.
    • Wyatt Earp: You tell him I'm comin'....and Hell's comin' with me!
    • Doc Holliday: It seems poker just ain't your game! I know... How about a spelling contest?
    • Wyatt Earp: Your friends might get me in a rush, but not before I make your head into a canoe, you understand me?
Submit a Fact | View All

Tombstone : Watch Free on TV

Tombstone Trivia

  • What actor/actress played parts in the following movies? Tango & Cash Overboard Dreamer Sky High Miracle Escape from L.A. Tombstone  Answer »
  • Which actor has appeared in all these movies? The Terminator The Abyss Aliens Tombstone  Answer »
  • Who played Doc Holiday in the movie Tombstone?  Answer »
  • Who quoted, "i'm your huckleberry." in the movie "Tombstone".  Answer »
More Tombstone Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Tombstone Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Tombstone to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Tombstone News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

TwinkiePrincess Skin by TwinkiePrincess
252 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins