Critical Response
The film received generally favourable reviews, many liking the film for realism and historical accuracy as well as being an entertaining film. It has received a 81% 'fresh' rating from 16 critical reviews on film aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. Roger Ebert gave the film a very impressive review, stating, "this Bounty is not only a wonderful movie, high-spirited and intelligent, but something of a production triumph as well."
However, others were disappointed with the film, especially given its distinguished cast. Many critics singled out Gibson's performance as bland, particularly when compared to the performances given by Clark Gable and Marlon Brando in the two earlier MGM versions. Vincent Canby of the New York Times stated, "Both Bligh and Christian are unfinished characters in a screenplay that may or may not have been tampered with...The movie seems to have been planned, written, acted, shot and edited by people who were constantly being overruled by other people. It's totally lifeless.
The film was entered into the 1984 Cannes Film Festival.
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