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Brainstorm

Brainstorm

The door to the mind is open.

1983106 minPGMidcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Director
Douglas Trumbull
Starring
Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood, Louise Fletcher, Cliff Robertson

Two brilliant research scientists have invented a device capable of recording and playing back sensory experiences only to have devastating results when one of them records their own death.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Brainstorm?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Brainstorm streaming on Howdy via The Roku Channel.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Brainstorm?

Brainstorm earns 7 badges, led by Top 10% in Sci-Fi and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Brainstorm worth watching?

Brainstorm's Midcredits score is the 58th percentile of all films, from 24K ratings across 6 sources. 53% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

58th percentile

Better received than 58% of films

93rd percentile among Sci-Fi61st percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)59th
Approval (how many liked it)56th

64 /100

59th percentile of all films

92nd percentile among Sci-Fi63rd percentile among 1980s

Critics 57 · Audience 65

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

53% liked it

56th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Sci-Fi59th percentile among 1980s
53% rated it 7–1047% rated it 1–6

Critics 57% · Audience 56%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 5 noms overall

87th percentile

24K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Sci-Fi85th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 34% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$15M
Opening weekend$1.2M
Domestic gross$10M
Worldwide gross$10M

Returned 0.7× its budget — 83rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film's ambitious concept and visual flair are striking, but the narrative execution is messy and the human drama underdeveloped.

Fans praised

  • grounded, thought-provoking premise
  • stunning visual effects and use of shifting aspect ratios
  • strong performances, particularly Louise Fletcher and Christopher Walken

Detractors panned

  • muddled, disjointed story with uneven tone
  • flat characterizations and wooden dialogue
  • clichéd military subplot and unsatisfying climax

What stands out

Effects and spectacleDivisive80

impressive practical effects and 70mm sequences; dated by modern standards

OriginalityDivisive78

prophetic VR concept and exploration of recorded experience

CinematographyDivisive77

innovative aspect ratio shifts; some flat lighting criticized

ActingDivisive72

Louise Fletcher and Christopher Walken praised; Natalie Wood's last performance deemed competent but limited

Plot and storyDivisive50

interesting high concept derailed by disjointed storytelling and clichéd military interference

CharactersDivisive45

underwritten, unengaging; Lillian Reynolds stands out but others feel flat

Pacing45

slow start, uneven rhythm; climax feels rushed and slapstick

EndingDivisive45

afterlife vision is visually ambitious but feels incomplete and divisive

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 12 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Brainstorm like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something serious.

It leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseWarmContemplative
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.WarmAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material straight and earnest, treating the technology and emotional stakes with seriousness and warmth, despite occasional moments of dark humour.
The rideThe mood shifts from scientific wonder and marital tension to a tense military standoff and finally to a contemplative, solemn conclusion surrounding the death recording.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional linear order: development of the device, military interference, death of a researcher, and the protagonist's quest to use the recording.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you contemplating the nature of consciousness and death, while also feeling the melancholy of loss and the possibility of closure.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Quest underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe scientists resist a military takeover of their sensory-recording device, and Michael becomes obsessed with accessing his partner's death recording, combining resistance against a state oppressor with a personal quest.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% (this title) · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% (this title) · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5% (this title): Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1% (this title)

Ideas

Technology · 1% of filmsPower · 2% of filmsRedemption · 6% of films: Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the potential and danger of a brain-recording device, who controls it, and how it can heal a broken relationship.
StanceThe film questions the ethical use of powerful technology and who should control it, while also examining personal redemption through empathy.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalUrbanScience fiction
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · James Horner
Settinga research laboratory developing a brain-recording device
MusicJames Horner's score underscores both the technological wonder and the emotional gravity, particularly in the death sequence.

Content guide

Is Brainstorm okay for kids?

PG

Brainstorm is rated PG. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at moderate (51/100), language at moderate (42/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (42/100) and frightening material at intense (61/100). Its violence, language and drug and alcohol content have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 3 other countries
  • Germany12
  • JapanG
  • Greece13
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 94%
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 90%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (68 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Brainstorm have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Brainstorm?

Cast

Christopher Walken
as Michael Brace
Natalie Wood
as Karen Brace
Louise Fletcher
as Lillian Reynolds
Cliff Robertson
as Alex Terson
Jordan Christopher
as Gordy Forbes
Donald Hotton
as Landan Marks
Alan Fudge
as Robert Jenkins
Joe Dorsey
as Hal Abramson
Bill Morey
as James Zimbach
Jason Lively
as Chris Brace

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Brainstorm?

Movies like Brainstorm include Transcendence (2014), Surrogates (2009) and Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989). Of the 12 closest matches, several are conspiracy thrillers, and several are films about corporate life.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its subject: technology. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Brainstorm?

980 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: conspiracy thriller. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.