Pearl Harbor (2001)
Kernel Score: 75% · 6,901 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: War, Romance, History, Action
Released: 2001-05-21
Runtime: 183 minutes
Is Pearl Harbor worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A big, glossy and very long war romance that gets its attack scene right and its love triangle only partly. It works as spectacle, but historians and story-lovers will find it uneven.
Watch it if you
- like large-scale war spectacle
- enjoy old-fashioned romance mixed with battle
- want a long, emotional epic
Skip it if you
- want historical accuracy
- dislike melodrama or a 3-hour length
Best for: Long weekend watch
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Pearl Harbor
- Stream: Netflix
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
The lifelong friendship between Rafe McCawley and Danny Walker is put to the ultimate test when the two ace fighter pilots become entangled in a love triangle with beautiful Naval nurse Evelyn Johnson. But the rivalry between the friends-turned-foes is immediately put on hold when they find themselves at the center of Japan's devastating attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
Pearl Harbor parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that Pearl Harbor is a wartime drama depicting the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor along with a wartime love triangle.
- Violence & scariness: Strong — Depicts intense World War II combat including the bombing of Pearl Harbor with graphic injury and death.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Some — Includes a romantic relationship and a love triangle with some suggestive scenes.
- Language: Some — Wartime dialogue includes some mild-to-moderate profanity.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: A little — Some period-appropriate social drinking is shown.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Pearl Harbor
If you liked Pearl Harbor, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) — 80%: More factual take on the same attack, from both sides.
- From Here to Eternity (1953) — 83%: Classic drama with romance and the shadow of the same attack.
- Midway (2019) — 78%: Another Pacific war film built on big battles.
- Unbroken (2014) — 83%: Pacific war survival drama based on a true story.
- Black Hawk Down (2001) — 84%: Intense, large-scale military action.
- Top Gun: Maverick (2022) — 96%: Flying drama with big aerial action.
Director
Cast
- Ben Affleck as Rafe McCawley
- Kate Beckinsale as Evelyn Johnson
- Josh Hartnett as Danny Walker
- Cuba Gooding Jr. as Doris Miller
- Jon Voight as Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Tom Sizemore as Earl Sistern
- Alec Baldwin as James Doolittle
- Ewen Bremner as Red Winkle
- William Lee Scott as Billy Thompson
- Greg Zola as Anthony Fusco
Pearl Harbor FAQ
Is Pearl Harbor worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A big, glossy and very long war romance that gets its attack scene right and its love triangle only partly. It works as spectacle, but historians and story-lovers will find it uneven.
Where can I watch Pearl Harbor?
In the US you can stream Pearl Harbor on Netflix and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is Pearl Harbor OK for kids?
Pearl Harbor is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that Pearl Harbor is a wartime drama depicting the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor along with a wartime love triangle.
What movies are like Pearl Harbor?
If you liked Pearl Harbor, try Tora! Tora! Tora!, From Here to Eternity, Midway and Unbroken.