Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Bwana Devil

Play trailer Poster for Bwana Devil 1952 1h 19m Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
Tomatometer 5 Reviews 13% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Big-game hunters are called in when two man-eating lions disrupt the construction of an African railroad.

Critics Reviews

View More
Kate Cameron New York Daily News Feb 24, 2016
3/4
In the case of Oboler's film, the story is, for once, not the most important thing about it. Rather, the manner in which it is presented becomes of prime interest. Go to Full Review
Michael Barrett PopMatters Aug 31, 2024
While Bwana Devil was his most technically ambitious, it doesn't compare in atmosphere and drama to the others. However, like them, it's about angst-ridden, doom-laden characters. Go to Full Review
Rosalie Kicks MovieJawn Aug 6, 2024
C-
BWANA DEVIL is truly a delight and there is nothing more delightful than viewing Robert Stack’s long legs in Natural Vision! Go to Full Review
Nell Dodson Russell Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder Dec 16, 2021
Bwana Devil is a grade B type motion picture about the attempt to complete a railroad in Africa against the threat of man eating lions. The lions are the most unferocious and mangy you'll see. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Aug 10, 2014
C+
It will be remembered as the first full-length film in 3-D, otherwise deserves to be forgotten. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Apr 2, 2017 Although it is the first 3-dimensional movie, I expected much more. It lacks passable directing; and takes no advantages of the 3D. See more Aug 2, 2016 I gave the movie a good rating for even attempting to tell this fantastic true story and for keeping a few elements of the original; story in...unlike the Ghost and the Darkness which is a joke as to historical accuracy.. 1952 was a different cinematic time, but today, the movie itself is no more than a dull absurdity. (Really missing Hedy Lamarr or even here.) No one seems to have a clue as to how to tell this story...or write a script, act, edit. Having found and read the book this movie is very loosely based on, the true story is a magnificent saga that is best left unaltered, however this era of Hollywood was rather careless with any story, and to alter even one sentence of Patterson's great work is criminal. My words would be useless to convey the true magnitude of the ACTUAL event as told by the person who was there, namely Patterson, The lions who killed around 40 people before they were killed by Patterson, were like supernatural monsters from a Hollywood Horror flick in their ability to prey on the railroad workers, natives, and others. Imagine the most horrific predatory monster you have ever seen in a movie and I guarantee it will not come close to the real story. Maybe Michael Cimino could have pulled it off...but I'm feeling Kevin Costner...oh well. Read JH Patterson "The Man-Eaters of Tsavo". It's awe inspiring... As if anyone still reads books anymore. See more Oct 18, 2015 the first pic made in 3D See more Jun 6, 2013 52% Like the other dude said, watch THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS instead. See more Jul 17, 2012 Largely the first exposure to 3D for mainstream audiences & like the film the 3D just falls a little short. Based on a true story of 2 man eating lions that held up a railway construction in Kenya. The plot is a to the film but it gets stagnant quickly, and the 3D is a little gimmicky. A rather dated, safari film with average acting , historically significant as one of the key first 3D Films in history. See more Jun 20, 2012 Later remade as the superior "The Ghost and the Darkness". This has the distinction of being the 1st color film released in 3D. See more Read all reviews
Bwana Devil

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Movie Info

Synopsis Big-game hunters are called in when two man-eating lions disrupt the construction of an African railroad.
Director
Arch Oboler
Producer
Arch Oboler
Screenwriter
Arch Oboler
Production Co
Oboler, Gulu Productions
Genre
Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 19m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings