Forbidden Planet

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Forbidden Planet

G

1956

1h 38m

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

92%

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52 Reviews

85%

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10,000+ Ratings

In this sci-fi classic, a spacecraft travels to the distant planet Altair IV to discover the fate of a group of scientists sent there decades earlier. When Commander John J. Adams and his crew arrive, they discover only two people: Dr. Morbius and his daughter, Altaira, who was born on the remote planet. Soon, Adams begins to uncover the mystery of what happened on Altair IV, and why Morbius and Altaira are the sole survivors.

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Critics Consensus

Shakespeare gets the deluxe space treatment in Forbidden Planet, an adaptation of The Tempest with impressive sets and seamless special effects.

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Budd Wilkins

Slant Magazine

Oct 2, 2026

Forbidden Planet is one of the most intellectually ambitious examples of 1950s-era science fiction, and one that pushes against some of the dominant tropes of the genre.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Jul 26, 2011

An engaging 1956 science fiction gloss of Shakespeare's Tempest.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Dec 24, 2010

4/5

Classic '50s sci-fi flick is campy fun.

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Jeff Beck

The Blu Spot

Sep 28, 2026

3.5/5

Forbidden Planet remains an all-time classic of the sci-fi genre thanks to its Oscar-nominated special effects, a fantastic cast, and an intelligent screenplay by Cyril Hume that deals with deeper themes than other films of its type did at the time.

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Douglas Davidson

Elements of Madness

Sep 25, 2026

... not likely to transform any well-established minds, it’s certainly a film that can be used to show younger, less-experienced, budding cinephiles what storytelling can be and how the use of the imagination can be as powerful ...

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Mar 12, 2026

3.5/4

One of the undisputed classics of sci-fi cinema, Forbidden Planet is a far-flung adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, with a smattering of Freud tossed in for good measure.

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Robert P

@Superbad Sep 7, 2026

Forbidden Planet is an old time classic which introduces us the Robbie the Robot

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nick S

@Nick_S Aug 9, 2026

I can appreciate all the effort and SFX that went into this 50s movie. But I struggled to look past the wooden acting and hokey storytelling. I wasn't drawn into the drama at all.

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Pablo B

@PabloBlanco Apr 20, 2026

This movie was well ahead of it's time. I'm always impressed with how well the color and special effects were given that this was 1956.

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Navid S.

@navidshah94 Oct 28, 2025

A stunning sci-fi milestone that feels decades ahead of its time. Forbidden Planet mixes pulp adventure with deep psychology and philosophical weight. The visuals, effects, and eerie electronic score are mesmerizing, but what really lingers is the idea that our own subconscious fears can destroy us when given too much power. It’s both grand and tragic, a film that still feels fresh and unsettling after all these years.

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George M

@Milkyway Oct 24, 2025

Along with THEM! The Day the Earth Stood Still (avoid at all costs that terrible remake), The Thing From Another World and War of the Worlds, this is one of the greatest, and most influential, well-made science fiction movies to come out of the 1950's. It also introduces one of the two greatest robots ever created for the screen; Robby. The other of course is the silent yet dangerous Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still. I've watched this at least two hundred times, own the bluray and never get tired of it.

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Steve M.

@Murfman Oct 19, 2025

Definitely in the Top Ten of all time greatest science fiction movies ever made.

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Fred M. Wilcox

Director

Walter Pidgeon

Dr. Edward Morbius

Anne Francis

Altaira Morbius

Leslie Nielsen

Commander John J. Adams

Warren Stevens

Lt. "Doc" Ostrow

Jack Kelly

Lt. Jerry Farman

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Synopsis

In this sci-fi classic, a spacecraft travels to the distant planet Altair IV to discover the fate of a group of scientists sent there decades earlier. When Commander John J. Adams and his crew arrive, they discover only two people: Dr. Morbius and his daughter, Altaira, who was born on the remote planet. Soon, Adams begins to uncover the mystery of what happened on Altair IV, and why Morbius and Altaira are the sole survivors.

Director: Fred M. Wilcox
Producer: Nicholas Nayfack
Screenwriter: William Shakespeare, Irving Block, Cyril Hume
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Criterion Collection
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Rating: G
Genre: Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 15, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 25, 2008
Runtime: 1h 38m

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