Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- breezy
- cartoonish
- date night
- light weekend viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a loud, poorly edited action-romance whose awkward tonal blend lacks convincing chemistry, humor, and heart.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tuck and FDR apply CIA surveillance and operational skills to monitor and sabotage each other's dates with Lauren.
The central conflict turns on Tuck and FDR's inseparable friendship being tested by their shared relationship with Lauren.
Exploding airplanes, combat skills, surveillance, and broad dating comedy coexist in an intentionally heightened presentation.
Tuck initiates the relationship by posting a profile on a dating site, bringing Lauren into the rivalry.
Films like This Means War, and why
Knight and Day
shares the action-spiked romantic comedy format, love triangle, and competing male leads
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
combines spy intrigue, buddy rivalry, romance, and broad comic set pieces
The Other Woman
features a romantic competition driven by deception, comic sabotage, and heightened celebrity chemistry
Movie Details
- Director
- McG
- Release Date
- 2012-02-14
- Runtime
- 98 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (3685)
Cast
- Reese Witherspoon
- Chris Pine
- Tom Hardy
- Til Schweiger
- Chelsea Handler
- John Paul Ruttan
- Abigail Spencer
- Angela Bassett
- Rosemary Harris
- George Touliatos
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is This Means War about?
- Two CIA best friends turn their high-tech tradecraft against each other when they discover they are dating the same woman.
- What is This Means War like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of This Means War as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is This Means War violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in This Means War as mild.
- What did critics think of This Means War?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a loud, poorly edited action-romance whose awkward tonal blend lacks convincing chemistry, humor, and heart.
- Which films are like This Means War?
- Films with a similar feel include Knight and Day, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and The Other Woman.
- How long is This Means War?
- This Means War runs 98 minutes.
- Where can I watch This Means War?
- In United States, This Means War streams on Starz Apple TV channel.
