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The Quick and the Dead

The Quick and the Dead

Think you're quick enough?

1995108 minRMidcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
Director
Sam Raimi
Starring
Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio

A mysterious woman comes to compete in a quick-draw elimination tournament, in a town taken over by a notorious gunman.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Quick and the Dead?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Quick and the Dead streaming on Pluto TV (free) and Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about The Quick and the Dead?

The Quick and the Dead earns 9 badges, led by Guilty pleasure and Crowd Pleaser.

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

Reception

Is The Quick and the Dead worth watching?

The Quick and the Dead's Midcredits score is the 64th percentile of all films, from 239K ratings across 6 sources. 55% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

64th percentile

Better received than 64% of films

78th percentile among Action66th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)66th
Approval (how many liked it)59th

66 /100

66th percentile of all films

81st percentile among Action71st percentile among 1990s

Critics 49 · Audience 67

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

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

55% liked it

59th percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Action62nd percentile among 1990s
55% rated it 7–1045% rated it 1–6

Critics 62% · Audience 54%

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

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

97th percentile

239K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Action97th percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 124% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$32M
Opening weekend$6.5M
Domestic gross$19M
Worldwide gross$19M

Returned 0.6× its budget — 67th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A stylish, cartoonish, fast-paced spaghetti-western homage driven by a tournament shootout premise and an all-star cast.

Fans praised

  • Raimi's energetic, comic-book visuals and camera tricks
  • Gene Hackman's gleefully evil, scene-chewing villain
  • Entertaining, fast-paced gunfight tournament premise

Detractors panned

  • Sharon Stone's unconvincing, wooden performance as a gunslinger
  • Derivative, cartoonish style that undermines serious western elements
  • Thin, predictable plot with weak character depth

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive78

Stylish camera angles, crash zooms, and inventive shots

AtmosphereDivisive70

Bleached-out desert town with oppressive, staged feel

ActingDivisive68

Hackman and Crowe praised, Stone frequently criticized as miscast

Effects and spectacleDivisive65

Over-the-top blood, bullet holes, and explosions

TensionDivisive60

Clock-timed duels build suspense despite predictability

Characters40

Colorful but shallow archetypes lacking depth

OriginalityDivisive40

Derivative of Leone spaghetti westerns and Unforgiven

Plot and story35

Predictable revenge tournament with thin narrative

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 18 points higher than users.

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

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Quick and the Dead like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Tense and gripping: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something tense that holds you to the end.

It is intense and leaves you satisfied.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Tense and gripping.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
PlayfulAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its western revenge story with a knowing, stylized exaggeration, mixing Sergio Leone homages with Raimi's comic book flair.
The rideThe film maintains tension throughout, with a darker, grimmer mood punctuated by moments of melancholy; the emotional weight peaks in the violent climax.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly from arrival to the final showdown.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Satisfied.

Cathartic · 6% of filmsFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's climax delivers a satisfying revenge payoff while keeping a playful, energetic spirit.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

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).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · 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%: 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. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEllen rides into a town ruled by Herod, enters a gunfighting tournament to exact revenge for her father's death.

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 filmsSelfRevengeMorality
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% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · 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%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Revenge · 4% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film is driven by Ellen's quest for revenge against Herod for her father's death, intertwined with themes of justice and honor in a violent frontier setting.
StanceThe film interrogates the code of violence and revenge, presenting it as both justified and destructive, without fully condemning or celebrating it.

The world

19th centuryRuralUrbanStylized realism
Supportive music · original score
SettingA small frontier town hosting a deadly gunfighting tournament.
MusicThe score by Alan Silvestri blends orchestral western themes with tense, rhythmic motifs.

Content guide

Is The Quick and the Dead okay for kids?

R

The Quick and the Dead is rated R: “Rated R for western violence” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (79/100), sexual content at moderate (49/100), language at moderate (46/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (44/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). Overall it is heavier than 39% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 14 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Czechia12+
  • Greece16
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands16
  • PortugalM/12
  • Spain18
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 63% of all filmsHeavier than 39% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 63%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 52%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 18%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 58%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 38%

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

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

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 The Quick and the Dead have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Quick and the Dead?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sharon Stone
as Ellen
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gene Hackman
as Herod
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Russell Crowe
as Cort
newcomer then · star now
Leonardo DiCaprio
as Kid
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Tobin Bell
as Dog Kelly
newcomer then · star now
Roberts Blossom
as Doc Wallace
Kevin Conway
as Eugene Dred
Keith David
as Sgt. Cantrell
Lance Henriksen
as Ace Hanlon
Pat Hingle
as Horace the Bartender

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Quick and the Dead?

Movies like The Quick and the Dead include Darkman (1990), The Old Way (2023) and Open Range (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, most are stories about gunslingers, and several are shootout stories.

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

9 of these 12 share its praise for cinematography. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Quick and the Dead?

563 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: gunslinger. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.