Kon-Tiki

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Kon-Tiki

PG-13

2013

1h 58m

Adventure

Drama

History

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Popcornmeter

83%

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80 Reviews

77%

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10,000+ Ratings

Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl (Pål Sverre Hagen) suspects that the South Sea Islands were originally colonized by South Americans. In 1947 despite his fear of water and inability to swim, Heyerdahl decides to prove his theory. He and five companions set sail from Peru on a balsa-wood raft built from an ancient design. Their only modern equipment is a radio, and they must navigate using the stars and ocean currents. After three exhausting months at sea, they achieve their goal.

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Critics Consensus

A well-crafted retelling of an epic true story, Kon Tiki is a throwback to old-school adventure filmmaking that's exciting and entertaining in spite of its by-the-book plotting.

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Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

03/25/2020

Although the film is replete with suspense, it's often at its best when playing the characters on the raft off one another.

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Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

12/21/2014

4/5

Considering we all know the outcome, the levels of tension remain impressive, while an atmosphere of melancholy tempers even the most triumphant moments.

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Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

12/19/2014

3/5

It is beautifully shot and has the same fierce intelligence about it that you find in its producer's other epic "quest" movies.

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Joe Lipsett

Murder Made Fiction Podcast - Bloody Disgusting

07/08/2025

3.5/5

The historical recreation of the infamous 101 day Kon-Tiki journey wisely jettisons the racism that inspired the original trip, focusing instead on the sense of adventure and isolation among the six men crossing the ocean on an open raft.

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Cory Woodroof

Nashville Scene

09/09/2021

Somewhat akin to the similarly sea-bound Life of Pi, Kon-Tiki's visual splendor stems from the film's painterly art direction and lush cinematography.

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

04/22/2020

3/5

This polite, stony-faced dramatisation of the voyage is pretty much Life of Pi without the stowaway tiger or the groovy 3D visuals, but with the same amount of sharks and storms.

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Just R

@RT64387742 Jul 6

Visually striking. Narratively pathetic! The script has a lot of fabricated drama, going as far as to jump-scare the unwitting audience with inexistant shark attacks and the fake threat of the raft falling apart (which was never an issue, one of the primary discoveries and the whole point of the 1947 expedition). The human drama is also banal and boring, with Thor's wife Liv absent or unsupportive at every turn. The expeditioners are all selfish and defeatist, working together only when forced by the circumstances. The whole movie has nothing in the way of adventure, nothing uplifting or motivational to this momentous enterprise; it's more of a trudge for the cast as well as for the viewer. If you have read and enjoyed the Kon-Tiki book, avoid this movie as you will definitely not enjoy its broken spirit and historically inaccurate events. The film feels more like a posthumous hit piece on Heyerdahl than an adventure movie. Worth forgetting.

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Max W

@MaxthorWoo Dec 15

The true story of Kon-Tiki is far more astonishing than depicted in the film.

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BJ M

@HotMovieStar Dec 8

Epic adventure film. Exciting to watch. I appreciated the history included.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 07/27/2025

Success in 1 hour and 58 minutes!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for A Disturbing Violent Sequence!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $1,500,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Javier G

@RT27132062 06/21/2025

Inspiring adventure, with a historical touch. Loved it

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Sam T

@RT49250355 01/13/2025

Amazing movie about survival and never giving up on your beliefs. great acting, Great cinematography, great story Everything outstanding!!!!

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Joachim Rønning

Director

Espen Sandberg

Director

Pål Sverre Hagen

Thor Heyerdahl

Anders Baasmo Christiansen

Herman Watzinger

Tobias Santelmann

Knut Haugland

Gustaf Skarsgård

Bengt Danielsson

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Synopsis

Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl (Pål Sverre Hagen) suspects that the South Sea Islands were originally colonized by South Americans. In 1947 despite his fear of water and inability to swim, Heyerdahl decides to prove his theory. He and five companions set sail from Peru on a balsa-wood raft built from an ancient design. Their only modern equipment is a radio, and they must navigate using the stars and ocean currents. After three exhausting months at sea, they achieve their goal.

Director: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Producer: Aage Aaberge, Jeremy Thomas
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Production Co: Recorded Picture Company (RPC), Film i Väst, DCM Productions, Nordisk Film
Rating: PG-13 (A Disturbing Violent Sequence)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, History
Original Language: Norwegian
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 26, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 14, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.5M
Runtime: 1h 58m