The Skulls | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

9% Tomatometer 87 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings

For Luke McNamara (Joshua Jackson), an invitation to join the prestigious secret college organization, The Skulls, is a dream come true. But he soon comes to realize just how powerful The Skulls organization really is -- and that the truth, like success, comes at a very high price.

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The Skulls

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Critics Consensus

The Skulls is full of nonsense and empty of good script and plot.

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Critics Reviews

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The Skulls | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: B- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review The Skulls | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader Initially tolerable but increasingly stupid. Mar 5, 2007 Full Review The Skulls | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Trevor Johnston Time Out The movie's unintentionally played like a comedy all the way. Feb 9, 2006 Full Review The Skulls | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast The only thing The Skulls does well is put viewers to sleep. There's nothing to recommend in this sad, boring queer-baity "thriller" Apr 3, 2021 Full Review The Skulls | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast Dumb, interminable and (worst of all) boring. Rated: 2/5 Mar 31, 2021 Full Review The Skulls | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Mark Halverson Sacramento News & Review The usually dependable Rob Cohen directs from a ludicrous script. Rated: 1/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jelisije J A nice over the top hollywood film of secret societies that deals with a kid from college that is accepted into the society he always wanted to be a part of and now must work to survive and expose it. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/14/24 Full Review Asecret S "The Skulls,' where every twist and turn feels like a snake shedding its skin to reveal its veins. It's a world where 'if it's secret and elite, it can't be good,' yet somehow, you can't help but be drawn into the intrigue. As the story unfolds, you're reminded that 'our rules supersede those of the outside world,' plunging you deeper into a clandestine realm where anything is possible. My numerous viewings have led me to suspect that the level of cheesiness may be responsible for my lactose intolerance. But hey, that's part of its charm! So grab your popcorn and prepare to be whisked away on a wild ride with 'The Skulls' – because sometimes, embracing the absurd is the only way to truly enjoy a movie. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/04/24 Full Review Delaine H I enjoyed this movie. It did not have the best plot, but the acting was good and it was enjoyable to watch. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/03/23 Full Review Freek V The Skulls was one of the most predictable and bland movies I have seen in a while. My expectations were already quite low but this is bland terrific Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 07/29/23 Full Review Steve D The script is passable but the two stars aren't good enough to make it work. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member Sure, it's set in Yale, but that's Toronto, but otherwise, this is about the Skulls and Bones Society but they're called the Skulls. Far be it from me to say it's disinformation, but writer John Pogue (U.S. Marshalls,Rollerball and the just finished under the radar reimagining ofEraser; he also made Quarantine 2: Terminal andDeep Blue Sea 3) went to Yale, so either he knows something or he just lucked into three movies out of this idea.Lucas John "Luke" McNamara (Joshua Jackson) grew up an orphan on the wrong side of the tracks but he still made into Yale on a rowing scholarship which is totally a thing. His only friends are his girlfriend Chloe (Leslie Bibb) and his friend Will (Hill Harper), yet he's still invited to join one of Yale's secret societies, the titular Skulls, and made a soulmate with Caleb Mandrake (Paul Walker), a legacy whose father Judge Litten Mandrake (Craig T. Nelson) is still very involved in Skulls business, along with Senator Ames Levritt (William Petersen) and provost Martin Lombard (Christopher McDonald, who is, always, Shooter McGavin).As you can imagine, the Skulls are so connected that they run the cops, the courts, the government, pretty much anywhere rich people are. They kill Will when he gets too close to exposing their secrets and is killed, which pits Skull brother against Skull brother, Skull father against Skull son and Skull boyfriend against non-Skull girlfriend.Director Rob Cohen didn't go to Yale, but he did go to Harvard and Amherst. He followed this movie up withThe Fast and the Furious andXXX, so maybe he did have something to do with that whole secret society making its members wealthy thing. Then again, he followed those up withStealthandThe Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, so maybe he wasn't in all that tight.Also, if you ever saw the 1970 TV movieThe Brotherhood of the Bell, you may have already seen this movie. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Rob Cohen Director Joshua Jackson Luke McNamara Paul Walker Caleb Mandrake Hill Harper Will Beckford Leslie Bibb Chloe Christopher McDonald Martin Lombard
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Movie Clips

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The Skulls

The Skulls: Official Clip - Luke's New Friend The Skulls: Official Clip - Luke's New Friend 2:55 The Skulls: Official Clip - Will Is Hanged The Skulls: Official Clip - Will Is Hanged 1:23 The Skulls: Official Clip - Caleb Issues A Warning The Skulls: Official Clip - Caleb Issues A Warning 2:01 The Skulls: Official Clip - Chloe Loves Luke The Skulls: Official Clip - Chloe Loves Luke 1:43 The Skulls: Official Clip - Initiation The Skulls: Official Clip - Initiation 2:57 The Skulls: Official Clip - The Revealing Process The Skulls: Official Clip - The Revealing Process 2:38 The Skulls: Official Clip - Are You Ready To Be Reborn? The Skulls: Official Clip - Are You Ready To Be Reborn? 2:54 The Skulls: Official Clip - The Good Life The Skulls: Official Clip - The Good Life 2:06 The Skulls: Official Clip - Leaving The Skulls The Skulls: Official Clip - Leaving The Skulls 1:15 The Skulls: Official Clip - Challenge to a Duel The Skulls: Official Clip - Challenge to a Duel 1:58 View more videos

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Synopsis For Luke McNamara (Joshua Jackson), an invitation to join the prestigious secret college organization, The Skulls, is a dream come true. But he soon comes to realize just how powerful The Skulls organization really is -- and that the truth, like success, comes at a very high price.

Director
Rob Cohen

Producer
Neal H. Moritz, John Pogue

Screenwriter
John Pogue

Distributor
20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures

Production Co
Original Film, Universal Pictures, Newmarket Capital Group, Cranium Films, Overbrook Entertainment

Rating
PG-13 (Violence|Brief Sexuality)

Genre
Mystery & Thriller

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 31, 2000, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 10, 2015

Box Office (Gross USA)
$35.0M

Runtime
1h 46m

Sound Mix
SDDS, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Surround, DTS, Dolby Stereo
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