The Aviator

Play trailer

3:03

The Aviator

PG-13

2004

2h 46m

Biography

History

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

227 Reviews

79%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Billionaire and aviation tycoon Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a successful public figure: a director of big-budget Hollywood films such as "Hell's Angels," a passionate lover of Hollywood leading ladies Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale), and an aviation pioneer who helps build TWA into a major airline. But in private, Hughes remains tormented, suffering from paralyzing phobias and depression. The higher he rises, the farther has to fall.

Critics Consensus

With a rich sense of period detail, The Aviator succeeds thanks to typically assured direction from Martin Scorsese and a strong performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, who charts Howard Hughes' descent from eccentric billionaire to reclusive madman.

Read Critics Reviews

Namrata Joshi

Outlook

01/08/2019

2/4

The Aviator does make for a rather fascinating and compelling stand-alone story about an industrious, fastidious, obsessive man...

Go to Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/28/2010

3/5

Good but not great, and not for younger kids.

Go to Full Review

Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

02/03/2010

This handsome movie is an oddly well-behaved one to come from the preternaturally energetic Scorsese.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 22

3.5/4

At its best, the movie is a stirring tale about a man whose inner drive allowed him to climb ever higher, grazing the heavens before his inner demons seized the controls and forced the inevitable, dreary descent.

Go to Full Review

Dave Giannini

InSession Film

02/20/2024

Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett respectively light up the screen when they are together.

Go to Full Review

KT Mahe

For Your Reference Podcast

02/15/2024

3/5

The Aviator is an adequate biopic lead by capable performers but the exhilaration sped to puberty level sensuality and hollow thrills.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Jerod S

@jeroduptown 1d

Scorsese captures the time and the madness of Hughes. You travel with the man from billions to bonkers.

See more

Matt W

@Matt09 6d

This film is Brilliant, anyone can watch this anytime it will still be good in 2100 lol

See more

Findley S

@findleygsmith Apr 6

An excellent film by Scorsese! Historical attention to detail, soundtrack mastery, incredible colors and visuals. The vibe of this movie is carried strongly throughout, especially thanks to Leonardo DiCaprio’s awe-inspiring performance as Howard Hughes. The minutiae of his acting is what brings the character to life in a believable way that really honors the man Hughes really was. Highly intelligent, self-aware, charismatic, yet tormented by his own mind. This movie is an artistic masterpiece and despite its lengthy run-time, fast-paced and worth a watch.

See more

Hilarion A

@H0kv5 Apr 2

A powerful portrait of Howard Hughes as a visionary driven to reshape aviation and film, only to be consumed by obsession, control, and the heavy psychological cost of his ambition.

See more

Christian K

@ckacar Mar 19

Just not a huge fan of the production design here. Leo is solid but the movie does lose a lot when Blanchett's Hepburn fades to the background in the 2nd half of the movie.

See more

Leto N.

@letoneto Feb 26

One of the best things that I have watched

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Martin Scorsese

Director

Leonardo DiCaprio

Howard Hughes

Cate Blanchett

Katharine Hepburn

Kate Beckinsale

Ava Gardner

John C. Reilly

Noah Dietrich

Alec Baldwin

Juan Trippe

Hitchcock

59%

60%

Hitchcock

Watchlist

Hotel Rwanda

91%

94%

Hotel Rwanda

Watchlist

The Queen

97%

76%

The Queen

Watchlist

The Iron Lady

51%

51%

The Iron Lady

Watchlist

The Founder

80%

82%

The Founder

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Founder

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

The 10 Best Movies Ever Released on Christmas Day

New on Netflix in August

The Works of Director Martin Scorsese

The Aviator: Trailer 1

3:03

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Billionaire and aviation tycoon Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a successful public figure: a director of big-budget Hollywood films such as "Hell's Angels," a passionate lover of Hollywood leading ladies Katharine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) and Ava Gardner (Kate Beckinsale), and an aviation pioneer who helps build TWA into a major airline. But in private, Hughes remains tormented, suffering from paralyzing phobias and depression. The higher he rises, the farther has to fall.

Director: Martin Scorsese
Producer: Michael Mann, Chris Brigham, Sandy Climan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Charles Evans Jr., Graham King
Screenwriter: John Logan
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Initial Entertainment Group, Warner Brothers, Appian Way, Miramax Films, Forward Pass, Cappa Productions
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Crash Sequence|Nudity|Sexual Content|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Biography, History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $102.6M
Runtime: 2h 46m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Most Popular at Home Now