Clint Eastwood as Tom Highway looking straight ahead in Heartbreak RidgeImage via Warner Bros.
By
Lade Omotade
Published 21 minutes ago
Lade Omotade is a News Author at Collider with a passion for exploring the ever-evolving world of the Film & TV industry. Her work centers on covering the latest news, from casting announcements and franchise scoops to streaming updates and behind-the-scenes shifts that shape the way stories are told. Omotade approaches storytelling with both professional insight and unapologetic fandom; digging into what makes a franchise successful, spotlighting rising voices in Hollywood, and asking the questions fans are already buzzing about. Her writing reflects that mix: part industry analysis, part fan excitement, and always grounded in a love for the craft of storytelling.
Sign in to your Collider account follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recapIn December 1986, the Clint Eastwood-starring war dramaHeartbreak Ridge premiered in US theaters and soon became a box-office hit. The film takes place years after the Second World War, with its title drawn from the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge in the Korean War, which spanned three years from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. Since the film's release, it has been available to stream on several platforms worldwide, quickly garnering attention from subscribers who are now flocking to check it out once more, thereby reviving its popularity.
Heartbreak Ridge has resurfaced on HBO Max's charts, where it is the sixth-most-watched movie on the streamer globally as of November 26, 2025. Several international territories also list the war film among their top five most popular movies on the platform, including Paraguay, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, among others. Besides leading the pic, Eastwood directed and produced, while James Carabatsos wrote the screenplay. Marsha Mason, Everett McGill, and Mario Van Peebles also starred.
While the post-WWII classic was a commercial success, it received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Eastwood's performance but found the plot unimpressive. On Rotten Tomatoes, Heartbreak Ridge has a 66% critics' rating based on 29 reviews, while the audience seems to have found it more appealing, as it holds a 74% Popcornmeter score. As for its box office run, the film opened second during its opening weekend, right behind Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Produced on a reported budget of $15 million, it ultimately grossed $121.7 million worldwide, ranking 18th at the 1986 box office.
'Heartbreak Ridge' Is An Underrated Post-WWII Military Classic
In Heartbreak Ridge, Eastwood portrays Marine Sergeant Thomas Highway, a decorated veteran of two wars. On his last posting before retirement, he is surrounded by officers with no combat experience who view him as an odd, even dangerous, holdover. Highway is assigned to train a group of undisciplined recruits, including Corporal Stitch Jones (Peebles), a slick hustler who has previously crossed paths with Highway. As the old soldier prepares his men for a war they don't believe will come, the US invades Grenada.
Heartbreak Ridge is streaming internationally on HBO Max. Stay tuned to Collider for more information.
Heartbreak Ridge
Like Follow Followed R War Drama Release Date December 5, 1986 Runtime 130 minutes Director Clint EastwoodCast
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Clint Eastwood
Gunnery Sgt. Tom 'Gunny' Highway
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Marsha Mason
Aggie
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Everett McGill
Major Malcolm A. Powers
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Moses Gunn
Staff Sergeant Webster
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Heartbreak Ridge
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Clint Eastwood
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