The Watch

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The Watch

R

2012

1h 41m

Comedy

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

16%

Tomatometer

166 Reviews

39%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In Glenview, Ohio, four pals, Evan, Bob, Franklin and Jamarcus, form a neighborhood watch group. Armed with flashlights, walkie-talkies and spiffy new jackets, the guys try to take their mission seriously, even if they spend a little time goofing off now and then. But when they discover aliens living among them and no one believes their story, they learn that they have to kick things up a notch to save the world from annihilation.

Critics Consensus

The Watch uneasily mixes sci-fi elements with gross-out gags and strands its talented cast with a script that favors vulgarity over wit at nearly every turn.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

09/01/2018

This wants to be (I think) Invasion of the Body Snatchers via Ghostbusters and Attack the Block but succeeds in being nothing but its own dreadful, pitiful, tedious self.

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Tim Grierson

Deadspin

02/12/2013

"The Watch" is a Dream Team in which no one's drawn up any plays and nobody passes the ball. Everybody just shoots and hopes for the best.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

08/24/2012

1/5

There's nothing particularly offensive about the piece. But its intergalactic badness does take the breath away.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 3

1.5/4

It's been suggested this this flop was the victim of horrible timing, but it would have tanked at any time because it’s frequently terrible.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

10/03/2022

1/4

It might’ve been funny if it wasn’t trying so hard to be funny.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

03/08/2022

1/5

If you're going to give guys as funny as these four stars a story, you need to be more creative than cheesy aliens.

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alan G

@agenser Apr 25

One of the worst films ever made. A mish mash of Ghostbusters,Aliens,Invasion of the body snatchers and others and worse than any of them. With Ben Stillborn, Vince Vain, and Jonah CompostHill what do you expect. Beam me anywhere but here.

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Ded D.

@dead.dweller Feb 25

Wow, I never knew how horribly rated this film was. I’ve watched this film several times throughout the years and it never failed to amuse me and make me laugh. People are over exaggerating and taking this film too seriously

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Mariana R

@Bigballz333 Jan 27

Dude holy fuck!how have is it 2026 and ive just seen this movie, I usually follow rotten tomatoe scores but this was one way off, such a funny dumb movie classic 2000 comedy vibe with out it being overly cheesy or stupid, must watch ⌚️ 👏

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Jeepers C

@RT12312147 Jan 24

Critics got another one wrong. We can't get comedies like these in 2026, and I miss them. Funny scfi comedy that doesn't disappoint.

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Downriver R

@Downriver Jan 5

I thought this was one of Ben's best comedy. The cast is great acting great and it's pretty funny and overall good film and storyline

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Ed R

@JustcallmeER Jul 18

The Watch uneasily mixes sci-fi elements with gross-out gags and strands its talented cast with a script that favors vulgarity over wit at nearly every turn.

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Akiva Schaffer

Director

Ben Stiller

Evan Troutwig

Vince Vaughn

Bob

Jonah Hill

Franklin

Richard Ayoade

Jamarcus

Rosemarie DeWitt

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Synopsis

In Glenview, Ohio, four pals, Evan, Bob, Franklin and Jamarcus, form a neighborhood watch group. Armed with flashlights, walkie-talkies and spiffy new jackets, the guys try to take their mission seriously, even if they spend a little time goofing off now and then. But when they discover aliens living among them and no one believes their story, they learn that they have to kick things up a notch to save the world from annihilation.

Director: Akiva Schaffer
Producer: Shawn Levy
Screenwriter: Jared Stern, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 21 Laps Entertainment
Rating: R (Sexual References|Pervasive Language|Some Strong Sexual Content|Violent Images)
Genre: Comedy, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.4M
Runtime: 1h 41m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby