Skip to content
MovieCove
Ladyhawke

Ladyhawke

No force in Heaven will release them. No power on Earth can save them.

1985121 minPG-13Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Director
Richard Donner
Starring
Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alfred Molina

Captain Etienne Navarre is a man on whose shoulders lies a cruel curse. Punished for loving each other, Navarre must become a wolf by night whilst his lover, Lady Isabeau, takes the form of a hawk by day. Together, with the thief Philippe Gaston, they must try to overthrow the corrupt Bishop and in doing so break the spell.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ladyhawke?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ladyhawke streaming on The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Subscription

FreeFree

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Ladyhawke?

Ladyhawke earns 9 badges, led by Visual feast and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Ladyhawke worth watching?

Ladyhawke's Midcredits score is the 80th percentile of all films, from 93K ratings across 6 sources. 71% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

80th percentile

Better received than 80% of films

86th percentile among Adventure81st percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)77th
Approval (how many liked it)80th

69 /100

77th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Adventure80th percentile among 1980s

Critics 64 · Audience 69

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.2 — solid but not unanimous.

71% liked it

80th percentile of all films

85th percentile among Adventure81st percentile among 1980s
71% rated it 7–1029% rated it 1–6

Critics 68% · Audience 74%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 7 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Sound

94th percentile

93K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Adventure94th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$20M
Opening weekend$3.5M
Domestic gross$18M
Worldwide gross$18M

Returned 0.9× its budget — 71st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a visually striking, well-acted medieval fantasy fairy tale with a memorable romance, but its 1980s synth score is widely seen as mismatched.

Fans praised

  • Rutger Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer deliver enchanting, charismatic performances
  • Breath-taking cinematography capturing Irish/European scenery with almost no special effects
  • Honest, heartfelt fairy-tale romance with a unique curse premise

Detractors panned

  • Alan Parsons Project's synth score is jarringly anachronistic and ruins immersion
  • Pacing is sluggish, with the film feeling like a dense slog rather than an adventure
  • Tone is inconsistent, never fully committing to drama, comedy, or fantasy

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive85

Stunning European locations and horse cinematography, though not explicitly praised for visual innovation by detractors

ActingDivisive80

Hauer and Pfeiffer are praised as charming and commanding; some find Broderick's comic relief out of place

OriginalityDivisive80

Unique curse premise and fairy-tale feel distinguished from typical sword-and-sorcery fare

AtmosphereDivisive80

Evocative medieval fairy-tale world, though music detracts for some

Plot and storyDivisive75

Respectable, romantic fantasy storyline with a novel curse, but predictable for some

Emotional impactDivisive75

Tragic curse and forbidden love resonate, though some find it undercut by music or pacing

PacingDivisive40

Frequently described as slow or stuporous, though some find it emotionally deliberate

Sound and musicDivisive30

Alan Parsons' synth score is heavily criticized as anachronistic and painful, though a few find it adds a unique edge

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 17 points higher than men.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 17 points higher than under-30s.

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

  • Critics vs users even
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Ladyhawke like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Romantic: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in the mood for a love story.

It leaves you feeling good.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Romantic.

The answer rests on this: Moods
RomanticTenseHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: middle
Register
Romantic · 8% of filmsAdventurous · 11% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlayed straight as a romantic fantasy adventure with earnest emotion and a touch of comic relief from the thief.
The rideThe film sustains a romantic-mythic atmosphere punctuated by scenes of pursuit and danger, with the emotional peak during the middle when the curse seems insurmountable.
StructureTold in a linear, conventional structure from escape through preparation to the climactic showdown.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Feeling good.

Feel-goodHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you with a warm, uplifting feeling as love triumphs over a cruel curse.
How it ends · evidence
Happy 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).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · 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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · 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%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

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

Why this archetypeA cursed knight and his lady, with a thief's help, seek to break a spell and destroy the corrupt bishop who cast it.

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 filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · 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% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% (this title) · 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%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsSacrifice · 4% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeCelebrates the power of love to overcome a magical curse, with the help of unexpected allies.
StanceThe film celebrates the power of love and redemption as it triumphs over oppressive evil.

The world

MedievalRuralInstitutionalFantasy
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Andrew Powell
SettingMedieval France, the cursed world of Aquila and its surrounding countryside
MusicThe sweeping orchestral score enhances the romantic and adventurous tone.

Content guide

Is Ladyhawke okay for kids?

PG-13

Ladyhawke is rated PG-13. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (42/100), sexual content at mild (20/100), language at mild (27/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (26/100) and frightening material at moderate (35/100). Overall it is heavier than 13% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 12 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil12
  • Greece13
  • Netherlands16
  • PortugalM/12
  • SK12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Mild · all five categories
Heavier than 13% of all filmsHeavier than 13% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 44%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 29%
Profanity
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 15%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 28%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 34%

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

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is violence, heavier than 44% of PG-13-rated films.

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 Ladyhawke have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ladyhawke?

Cast

Matthew Broderick
as Gaston
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Rutger Hauer
as Navarre
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michelle Pfeiffer
as Isabeau
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Alfred Molina
as Cezar
newcomer then · star now
John Wood
as Bishop
Leo McKern
as Imperius
Ken Hutchison
as Marquet
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Giancarlo Prete
as Fornac
Loris Loddi
as Jehan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Charles Borromel
as Insane Prisoner
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Ladyhawke?

Movies like Ladyhawke include Timeline (2003), The Thief of Bagdad (1940) and Big Fish & Begonia (2016). Of the 10 closest matches, two are films by Richard Donner, and half are films about royalty and aristocracy.

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

5 of these 10 share its world: medieval. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

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

1.2K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: thief. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.