Howard the Duck

Play trailer

Howard the Duck

PG

1986

1h 51m

Sci-Fi

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

13%

Tomatometer

86 Reviews

38%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In this film based on the comic book character, Howard the Duck is suddenly beamed from Duckworld, a planet of intelligent ducks with arms and legs, to Earth, where he lands in Cleveland. There he saves rocker Beverly from thugs and forms a friendship with her. She introduces him to Phil, who works at a lab with scientist Dr. Jenning. When the doctor attempts to return Howard to his world, Jenning instead transfers an evil spirit into his own body.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

While it has its moments, Howard the Duck suffers from an uneven tone and mediocre performances.

Read Critics Reviews

David Stratton

Sydney Morning Herald

12/15/2020

There are a few good jokes along the way, but the final effect is that we've been here rather too many times before.

Go to Full Review

Michael Shmith

The Age (Australia)

12/15/2020

This creature with a mobile bill, scrawny body, and with a voice like Humphrey Bogart proves irritating beyond belief. Also, Howard has the glassy eyes of a doll and an artificiality that even his brusque, wise-quacking manner cannot quite conceal.

Go to Full Review

David Robinson

The Times (UK)

12/15/2020

There must have been a terrible moment, many millions of collars into the production of Howard, when everyone realised it was not going to work either as comedy or thriller, as kid's stuff or sophisticated fore.

Go to Full Review

Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 12

Mostly this is a noisy, abrasive, and supremely tasteless regression to the worst aspects of infantalism-as-big-business.

Go to Full Review

James Berardinelli

ReelViews

05/06/2024

1/4

This was a bad movie when it was released. It is a bad movie today. And it will continue to be a bad movie long after this planet ceases to exist.

Go to Full Review

Avaryl Halley

Movie Bitches

04/24/2024

6/10

I like this better than the Prequels. The choices are strong and wrong…I mean they storyboarded duck tits!!

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Bruce M

@BruceMc 2d

A truly awful movie, poor direction, awful script, terrible effects. Gets an extra star, though, for the lithesome and fetching Lea Thompson; "Howard the Duck" is otherwise unwatchable. Who honestly thought this was a good idea?

See more

Purnja K

@Man1212121212 Mar 9

Horrible movie i gave up around 50 minutes in its so bad that i just feel like i wasted my life

See more

Blake B.

@Marvelfan67 Mar 3

Just was not a good movie the story was whack and the villain was a weird concept. And we don’t need duck nips at all you could have left that part out

See more

TheMovieSearch R

@TheMovieSearch Jan 21

Howard the Duck is undeniably trash cinema, and that’s exactly why it’s so entertaining. This pre-MCU Marvel oddity is loud, crude, bizarre, and completely unhinged in ways modern studio films would never dare attempt. The idea of a foul-mouthed, chain-smoking, hard-drinking duck navigating human life is ridiculous on every level, and the film fully leans into that chaos without apology. The screenplay is objectively awful, filled with tonal whiplash, strange sexual humor, and moments that make you question how this ever got made. Yet somehow, that mess becomes its greatest strength. It’s the kind of movie that’s so bad it circles back around to being weirdly lovable. You’re not watching it for quality filmmaking, you’re watching it for the absurdity. The practical costume may look fake, but it has more personality than the modern CGI version ever did. Howard the Duck is unforgettable, deeply flawed, and strangely charming in its failure.

See more

Nikolas A.

@NikyJay Jan 11

Howard the Duck is a vulgar cartoony mess. I read that this movie was originally written to be an animated feature, it made so much more sense. This is a George Lucas production so it’s no surprise that the best aspects of the movie are the practical and visual effects! While I did enjoy the movie's crude humor, I found it to be very conflicting with its kid friendly tone. I didn't hate myself watching it, but I did question myself.

See more

Brandon S

@Brandoom Nov 12

Hmm...say something positive, positive... It's arguably shot and written better than Lucas' prequels

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Willard Huyck

Director

Lea Thompson

Beverly Switzler

Jeffrey Jones

Dr. Walter Jenning

Tim Robbins

Phil Blumburtt

Paul Guilfoyle

Lieutenant Welker

Liz Sagal

Ronette

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - The Dark Overlord

3:02

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - Taking Flight

1:37

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - Howard's Wallet

2:30

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - Intense Animal Magnetism

2:32

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - A Brewski at Beverly's

2:15

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - Howard Saves the Day

3:00

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - No More Mr. Nice Duck

2:21

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - I'm a Freak

1:48

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - Me Phil, You Howard

1:45

Howard the Duck: Official Clip - Smog Inspection

1:35

View more videos

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

83%

94%

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

93%

97%

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

94%

96%

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

16%

16%

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Superman III

31%

23%

Superman III

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Superman III

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

15 Boundary-Pushing Movies That Broke Sexual Taboos

Marvel Movie Madness! Part 21: Howard the Duck

Total Recall: Our Favorite Talking Animals

View more photos

Synopsis

In this film based on the comic book character, Howard the Duck is suddenly beamed from Duckworld, a planet of intelligent ducks with arms and legs, to Earth, where he lands in Cleveland. There he saves rocker Beverly from thugs and forms a friendship with her. She introduces him to Phil, who works at a lab with scientist Dr. Jenning. When the doctor attempts to return Howard to his world, Jenning instead transfers an evil spirit into his own body.

Director: Willard Huyck
Producer: Gloria Katz, Robert Latham Brown
Screenwriter: Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz
Production Co: Lucasfilm Ltd., Universal Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.0M
Runtime: 1h 51m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

Most Popular at Home Now