SummaryA small-town sheriff in the American West enlists the help of a cripple, a drunk, and a young gunfighter in his efforts to hold in jail the brother of the local bad guy.
Directed By:Howard Hawks
Written By:Jules Furthman, Leigh Brackett, B.H. McCampbell
Rio Bravo
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
93
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
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Top Cast
Metascore
Universal Acclaim
94% Positive
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
6% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
Another great 1950s John Wayne Western from Warner Bros. [25 May 2007, p.4E]
100
Faultless, freewheeling-and very funny.
User score
Universal Acclaim
84% Positive
47 Ratings
47 Ratings
14% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
2% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Jul 19, 2020
10
One of the best westerns ever made. with great performance of john wayne dean martin and Ricky Nelson. howard hawks in rio bravo used Art for entertainment
Aug 31, 2025
8
Greetings from Lithuania.
"Rio Bravo" (1954) is a very good western film starring legendary John Wayne. I first time saw it in 2025 and this film surprised me in a good way. At its running time 2 h 20 min this movie did not drag for a minute and i was involved into its story. The story here is simple yet good. Its not just about shoot-em- up type of story, this one involves some themes about alcoholism and more important what leads to it. But don't expect deep analysis of it nor character exploration - at the end of day this is a John Wayne western movie, and a really good one. Acting was good by everyone involved, while Wayne himself is basically playing same character he is always did. Cinematography was good as well directing. Overall, "Rio Bravo" is a good old fashion western starring John Wayne - a one that they don't make anymore. Its old, but its really good and with newly remastered 4K UHD version i was surprised of how much good this film is. Recommended.
100
Rio Bravo is an excellent film featuring strong, proud, but very human characters who fight against their various handicaps and pull together to do a job and do it right.
100
It's American filmmaking at its finest—clean, clear, and direct—and it's also the most optimistic masterpiece on film, valiantly shoring fragments against human ruin.
90
Beautifully acted, wonderfully observed, and scripted with enormous wit and generosity, it's the sort of film, in David Thomson's words, which reveals that 'men are more expressive rolling a cigarette than saving the world'.
80
Producer-director Howard Hawks makes handsome use of force in logically unravelling his hard-hitting narrative, creating suspense at times and occasionally inserting lighter moments to give variety.
60
Despite its slickness, virility, occasional humor and, if it may be repeated, authentic professional approach, it is well-made but awfully familiar fare.
Jul 17, 2020
1
Pretty much garbage. I don't know why people once thought John Wayne was a good actor. Unrealistic overly long and brainless.
