Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

45% Tomatometer 103 Reviews 82% Popcornmeter 250+ Verified Ratings

An undercover CIA operative gets stuck in hostile territory in Afghanistan after his mission is exposed. Accompanied by his translator, he must fight enemy combatants as he tries to reach an extraction point in Kandahar.

Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Kandahar

Kandahar

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Gerard Butler remains a sturdy screen presence, but even for hardcore action fans, Kandahar is hardly worth watching.

Read Critics Reviews

Audience Says

If you're looking for lots of action, a story that keeps you guessing, and more of Gerard Butler doing what he does best, Kandahar delivers.

Read Audience Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (103) Critics Reviews
Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Stephen Romei The Australian Their new film is a competent war action thriller that shows us the fate of the people who were not able to leave when the allied forces did. Rated: 2.5/5 Aug 25, 2023 Full Review Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (2) John Nugent Empire Magazine Gerard Butler proves he has more in the tank than just thoughtless action with this Middle East-set thriller, which is unexpectedly interested in the people and politics behind the usual explosions. Rated: 3/5 Aug 10, 2023 Full Review Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Joey Shapiro Chicago Reader If I’m going to watch this man retcon the war on terror to look heroic, it should at the very least be over-the-top enough to be entertaining. Jun 3, 2023 Full Review Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Maxance Vincent InSession Film As far as his collaborations go with Butler, it’s, unfortunately, his weakest, even if he manages to get a great performance out of him. Here’s hoping his next B-grade action film will be significantly better. Rated: C Mar 6, 2024 Full Review Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Lachmi Deb Roy Firstpost Kandahar is a typical Gerald Butler’s mindless, obscenely violent action film without a soul. Oct 25, 2023 Full Review Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Formulaic chase thriller, that's tedious but is at least competently made. Rated: C+ Sep 26, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (162) audience reviews

Jerry surprisingly good action movie.7 out of 10 Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/15/23 Full Review TBotello I enjoyed that the movie was just not about explosions, bombs and gun fights - the conversations and acting in the movie were very real. Although some might say the movie was a little slow at times, I enjoyed the plot and theme of the movie. I am a veteran and some of the scenes brought back memories for me. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/12/23 Full Review Mr. Hollywood Once it gets going it really gets going. Definitely an enjoyable ride, one of Butlers better films. The story, the elements, the danger, what else do you need? Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/12/23 Full Review MollysMomma I really enjoyed the film! It was just good action and a simple plot, no usual Hollyweird messaging - well very little of it anyway. Gerard Butler is great in these types of films. If you enjoyed his movie Plane, youll like this movie too. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/11/23 Full Review Oscar B Great acting, great plot, and great action, what else can you ask for?! Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/11/23 Full Review Sharon L It was full of action. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Kandahar

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Ric Roman Waugh Director Gerard Butler Tom Harris Navid Negahban Mohammad "Mo" Doud Ali Fazal Kahil Nasir Travis Fimmel Roman Chalmers Elnaaz Norouzi Shina Asadi
Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

Movie Clips

View All videos

Kandahar

Kandahar: Exclusive Movie Clip - Hang On Kandahar: Exclusive Movie Clip - Hang On 0:53 View more videos

More Like This

View All Best Movies to Stream at Home

The Contractor 44% 72% The Contractor TRAILER for The Contractor Hunter Killer 38% 67% Hunter Killer TRAILER for Hunter Killer The Bricklayer 48% 26% The Bricklayer TRAILER for The Bricklayer Copshop 82% 74% Copshop TRAILER for Copshop Angel Has Fallen 38% 93% Angel Has Fallen TRAILER for Angel Has Fallen Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All Related Movie News
Weekend Box Office Results: The Little Mermaid Rises to the Top with Solid Holiday Opening

Videos

View All videos

Kandahar

Kandahar: Trailer 1 Kandahar: Trailer 1 2:15 Kandahar: Teaser Trailer Kandahar: Teaser Trailer 1:20 View more videos

Photos

View All Kandahar photos

Kandahar

Kandahar (2023) View more photos

Synopsis An undercover CIA operative gets stuck in hostile territory in Afghanistan after his mission is exposed. Accompanied by his translator, he must fight enemy combatants as he tries to reach an extraction point in Kandahar.

Director
Ric Roman Waugh

Producer
Basil Iwanyk, Brendon Boyea, Erica Lee, Gerard Butler, Alan Siegel, Christian Mercuri, Scott LaStaiti

Screenwriter
Mitchell LaFortune

Distributor
Open Road Films

Production Co
MBC Studios, Thunder Road Pictures, Capstone Studios, G-BASE, Dutch FilmWorks

Rating
R (Violence and Language)

Genre
Action, Mystery & Thriller

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
May 26, 2023, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 15, 2023

Box Office (Gross USA)
$4.2M

Runtime
1h 59m

Aspect Ratio
Digital 2.39:1
Most Popular at Home Now
Kandahar (2023) | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

Will there be a Kandahar 2 movie? ›

Ali was the lead antagonist and will be reprising his role in the sequel. The film will soon start development.” Released in 2023, 'Kandahar' follows a CIA operative and his translator, who flee from special forces in Afghanistan after exposing a covert mission.

Is the movie Kandahar based on a true story? ›

In the aviation drama IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, a plane with more than 175 passengers is taken over by armed men. The series, based on a true story, follows the pilot, passengers, and politicians involved in what became an international diplomatic crisis — and the longest plane hijacking in Indian history.

What movie has 100% Rotten Tomatoes? ›

To date, Leave No Trace holds the site's record, with a rating of 100% and 252 positive reviews.

Where was Kandahar 2023 filmed? ›

In June 2020, it was announced Gerard Butler would produce and star in the film, which had been retitled Kandahar, reteaming with Angel Has Fallen and Greenland director Ric Roman Waugh. Ali Fazal and Navid Negahban joined the cast in December 2021. Majority of filming commenced on December 2, 2021 in Saudi Arabia.

What happened to the reporter at the end of Kandahar? ›

The British journalist is released. Tom is reunited with his daughter. Mo is reunited with his wife and son.

Who is the Pakistani in Kandahar movie? ›

Kandahar is a 2023 action thriller film directed by Ric Roman Waugh and starring Gerard Butler as Tom Harris, an undercover CIA operative who must escape from Afghanistan with his translator Kahil (Ali Fazal) after his identity and mission are exposed by an intelligence leak.

Why is it called Kandahar? ›

A folk etymology offered is that the word "kand" or "qand" in Persian and Pashto (the local languages) is the origin of the word "candy". The name "Candahar" or "Kandahar" in this form probably translates to candy area.

How did Kandahar fall? ›

The city fell after several weeks of fighting to a force of local militia under Pashtun military commanders and their American advisers. The fall of Kandahar signaled the end of organized Taliban control of Afghanistan.

What is the name of the air base in Kandahar? ›

Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport, also referred to as Kandahar International Airport (Pashto: د کندهار نړيوال هوايي ډګر), and by some military officials as Kandahar Airfield, KAF) (IATA: KDH, ICAO: OAKN), is located in the Daman District of Kandahar Province in Afghanistan, about 9 NM (17 km; 10 mi) southeast from ...

What is the #1 movie of all time? ›

Although the nominal earnings chart is dominated by films adapted from pre-existing properties and sequels, it is headed by Avatar, which is an original work.

Is there a movie with 0 Rotten Tomatoes? ›

On the film review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, films that every surveyed critic considered bad have a 0% rating. As of 2023, only 40 films with more than 20 reviews have received this rating.

What is considered the best movie of all time? ›

Citizen Kane (1941) stood at number 1 for five consecutive polls, with 22 votes in 1962, 32 votes in 1972, 45 votes in 1982, 43 votes in 1992, and 46 votes in 2002. It also topped the first two directors' polls, with 30 votes in 1992 and 42 votes in 2002.

Is Kandahar 2023 film worth watching? ›

Gerard Butler remains a sturdy screen presence, but even for hardcore action fans, Kandahar is hardly worth watching. If you're looking for lots of action, a story that keeps you guessing, and more of Gerard Butler doing what he does best, Kandahar delivers.

Why is Kandahar rated R? ›

Kandahar SEX/NUDITY 3

– A man and a woman lie in a bed (presumably nude; we see her bare back and part of the side of her breast and his bare chest and abdomen) and sex is implied. ► A man uses a dating app on his phone while in a meeting.

Who is the Indian actor in Kandahar movie? ›

Ali Fazal makes history as the first Indian actor in the international action franchise 'Kandahar' | Hindi Movie News - Times of India.

Is there a follow-up to Kandahar? ›

I spy a sequel

It is heard that Ric Roman Waugh, who helmed Kandahar (2023) featuring Gerard Butler and Fazal, is contemplating a sequel to the espionage action thriller. If things work out, Fazal will apparently be the first Indian actor to have a recurring part in a successful Hollywood film franchise.

How much did Kandahar cost to make? ›

On the big screen it just looks beautiful and I'm happy with the way it turned out." A major Hollywood production made on an estimated budget of $70 million, the film stars Gerard Butler, Travis Fimmel, Ali Fazal, Tom Rhye Harries, Farhad Bageri, Olivia-Mai Barret and Navid Nagahban.

What is the meaning of Kandahar? ›

The name "Candahar" or "Kandahar" in this form probably translates to candy area. This probably has to do with the location being fertile and historically known for producing fine grapes, pomegranates, apricots, melons and other sweet fruits.

Where was Kandahar break filmed? ›

The British film crew were then evacuated from Pakistan, and the film was completed in Tunisia.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Last Updated:

Views: 5628

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Birthday: 1998-02-19

Address: 64841 Delmar Isle, North Wiley, OR 74073

Phone: +17844167847676

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: LARPing, Kitesurfing, Sewing, Digital arts, Sand art, Gardening, Dance

Introduction: My name is Amb. Frankie Simonis, I am a hilarious, enchanting, energetic, cooperative, innocent, cute, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.