Stalker

There's no need to speak. You must only...concentrate and recall all your past life. When a man thinks of the past, he becomes kinder.

1979 • 162 min • Science Fiction · Drama

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Synopsis

Near a gray and unnamed city is the Zone, a place guarded by barbed wire and soldiers, and where the normal laws of physics are victim to frequent anomalies. A stalker guides two men into the Zone, specifically to an area in which deep-seated desires are granted.

Our family guide

Best from age 16

Movie Knight Score

2550 reviews

75 Reviewers · 4 · 60%
81 Audience · 2546 · 40%

Three men journey into a mysterious, forbidden "Zone" where wishes are said to be granted, encountering strange phenomena and grappling with their deepest desires. This slow-paced, atmospheric film explores themes of faith, doubt, and the meaning of happiness.

Violence & peril: 1/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 2/10
Romance & sensuality: 0/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Very slow pacing and long takes
Characters drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes
Existential themes may be complex for younger viewers

What it models well

The nature of desire and happiness
The search for meaning
Hope in a desolate world

Talk about it after

What makes a wish come true?
The meaning of "the Zone" for each character
The difference between faith and certainty

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Stalker. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Andrei Tarkovsky • Crew: Arkadiy Strugatskiy, Andrei Tarkovsky, Boris Strugatskiy

Trailers & clips

Mark Kermode reviews Stalker (1979) | BFI Player

STALKER Trailer [1979]

Janus Films Trailer

Geoff Dyer on STALKER

Reviewer notes

Recommended
**Metaphysical themes explored in Stalker** The three main characters are Archetypes: Writer, Professor (scientist) and Stalker (seeker). One is the Stalker which is the seeker, a man searching for redemption which has faith ( Faith is an unreserved opening of one's mind to whatever the truth turns out to be / opposed to belief which is opening up to the truth as long as it fits with preconceived ideas and wishes).…
CarsonTrent, TMDB Community

Not recommended
**More style than content.** This was my first contact with the cinematographic work of Andrei Tarkovsky, a Soviet filmmaker who would end his career outside his native country when he fell into disgrace for allegedly spending too much money on films that were not worthy of the expense.…
Filipe Manuel Neto, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
This really is the cinematic equivalent of "be careful for you wish for". Two characters - a teacher and a professor, seek out a "stalker" who can lead them through the maze of challenges that culminates in an heavily restricted area know as the zone. Why? Rumour has it, that when in that zone you may make wishes that will immediately come true. What is this place?…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community

Recommended
This movie is like an onion, has multiple layers. To understand it, you have to be very careful and pacient. You have to focus on movie and not doing anything else while you watch it, because if you don't, you won't understand it. http://cinematol.ro/pareri-filme-stalker-calauza-1979/
Infra, TMDB Community