Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Under the Volcano

Play trailer Poster for Under the Volcano R 1984 1h 49m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
74% Tomatometer 19 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Geoffrey Firmin is a heavy-drinking British diplomat living in a Mexican town. As the local Day of the Dead celebration gets underway, Geoffrey drowns himself in the bottle, having cut himself off from his family, friends and job. When Geoffrey goes missing, his wife Yvonne convinces his half-brother Hugh to conduct a last-ditch search for the drunk, hoping that Hugh might be able to rescue her self-destructing husband.
Watch on HBO Max Stream Now

Where to Watch

Under the Volcano

Critics Reviews

View More
Variety Staff Variety Oct 23, 2007
Although this voyage into self-destruction won't be to the taste of many, there will be few unmoved by Finney's towering performance as the tragic Britisher. Go to Full Review Time Out Jun 24, 2006
Not for the purists, maybe, but the last half-hour, as Firmin plunges ever deeper into his self-created hell, leaves one shell-shocked. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Oct 23, 2004
4/4
The movie belongs to Finney, but mention must be made of Jacqueline Bisset as his wife and Anthony Andrews as his half-brother. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Jul 15, 2023
3.5/4
Malcolm Lowry’s cult novel had long been deemed “unfilmable,” yet that didn’t stop director John Huston from filming it anyway. Go to Full Review Joe Baltake Philadelphia Daily News May 3, 2022
Finney, on screen at all times, plays what amounts to a prolonged drunk scene. It Is a very studied, tightly drawn performance, full of self-revulsion. Go to Full Review David Elliott Copley News Service Jan 30, 2019
There are nips of beauty and terror, but the movie starts small and then shrinks. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Robert P @Superbad 2 days ago Under The Volcano = a 3.5 star Movie! See more Brian M @Ciano Feb 7, 2026 William Levy Stick with the Hallmark movies, because you can’t act, this movies was really bad, couldn’t wait for the end. See more mark g @Mark_Alan_G. Sep 24, 2025 Two things, the finest photography ever done, visually beautiful beyond belief. Second, Albert Finney! See more Daniel B @observor Mar 18, 2025 Doesn't really do justice to the book, just a bare smattering of what the book encompasses, they eliminate a major character that is in the book for the movie. Could be done much better, though Mexican scenery was pretty good. Now this is a movie that should be remade. See more Russ G @RT78760655 Sep 29, 2024 I try to catch every movie that Huston did. I couldn't get past the 15 minute mark on this one, and that time span includes the opening credits. Finney may or may not be doing a great job of portraying a total lush, and maybe Mr. Huston is directing him perfectly, but I just can't watch this train wreck. See more Alec B @Alec97 Feb 21, 2024 Somewhat undercooked but Finney gives one of the all time great drunk performances. See more Read all reviews
Under the Volcano

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

John Huston

Director

Albert Finney

Geoffrey Firmin

Jacqueline Bisset

Yvonne Firmin

Anthony Andrews

Hugh Firmin

Ignacio López Tarso

Dr. Vigil

Katy Jurado

Senora Gregoria

More Like This

View All
Paris, Texas 95% 93% Paris, Texas Watchlist Shoot the Moon 86% 74% Shoot the Moon Watchlist Dance With a Stranger 91% 69% Dance With a Stranger Watchlist Crimes of Passion 54% 60% Crimes of Passion Watchlist Breathless 61% 49% Breathless Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Under the Volcano

Under the Volcano (1984) Under the Volcano (1984) Under the Volcano (1984) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Geoffrey Firmin is a heavy-drinking British diplomat living in a Mexican town. As the local Day of the Dead celebration gets underway, Geoffrey drowns himself in the bottle, having cut himself off from his family, friends and job. When Geoffrey goes missing, his wife Yvonne convinces his half-brother Hugh to conduct a last-ditch search for the drunk, hoping that Hugh might be able to rescue her self-destructing husband.
Director
John Huston
Producer
Moritz Borman, Weiland Schulz-Keil
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 13, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 15, 2020
Runtime
1h 49m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings