Plot
Post-apocalyptic America. What begins as a con game becomes one man's quest to rebuild civilization by resuming postal service.

Release Year: 1997

Rating: 5.6/10 (31,244 voted)

Critic's Score: 29/100

Director: Kevin Costner

Stars: Kevin Costner, Will Patton, Larenz Tate

Storyline
In the year 2013 civilization has all but destroyed itself. After a war that decimated the government and most of the population of the United States (possibly the world) people struggle to survive against starvation and rogue groups of armed men. One such group is called the Holnists. This group is bigger than any other and their leader, General Bethlehem, has delusions of ruling the country. A drifter is captured by the group and forced to join. He escapes at the first chance and happens on a mail jeep with a skeleton in it. The skeleton is wearing a postal uniform and the drifter takes it to keep him warm. He also finds a mailbag and starts conning people with old letters. The hope he sees in the people he delivers to changes his plans and he decides that he must help bring the Holnists down.

Writers: David Brin, Eric Roth

Cast:
Kevin Costner - The Postman
Will Patton - General Bethlehem
Larenz Tate - Ford Lincoln Mercury
Olivia Williams - Abby
James Russo - Idaho
Daniel von Bargen - Pineview Sheriff Briscoe
Tom Petty - Bridge City Mayor
Scott Bairstow - Luke
Giovanni Ribisi - Bandit 20
Roberta Maxwell - Irene March
Joe Santos - Colonel Getty
Ron McLarty - Old George
Peggy Lipton - Ellen March
Brian Anthony Wilson - Woody
Todd Allen - Gibbs

Taglines: The year is 2013. One man walked in off the horizon and hope came with him.

Official Website: Warner Bros. |

Release Date: 25 December 1997

Filming Locations: Anacortes, Washington, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $80,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $5,260,324 (USA) (28 December 1997) (2207 Screens)

Gross: $17,626,234 (USA)

Runtime: 177 min

Trivia:
The actors did their own stuntwork on the rope bridge scene, and Kevin Costner, a skilled equestrian did his own horse-riding. He also performed the cable cart scene himself, with the cart winched through the air by helicopter.

Goofs:
Continuity: When Ford-Lincoln-Mercury and the postal carrier from California (Clark) are about to be executed, and Ford introduces himself, we flash to a distance shot, in which we see Clark remove his hat. We then flash to a closeup, and Clark removes his hat again.

Quotes:
Postman: I know you. You're... famous.
Tom Petty: I was once... sorta.

See it, then decide

Rating: 9/10

It's a depressing fact that the moviegoing public is being brainwashed by critics to hate everything involving Kevin Costner. When released in 1997 this breathtaking, thought-provoking epic was largely ignored and limped to a box office gross of $14 million, thanks to some vicious reviews.

Lest we forget, Costner made the magnificent Dances With Wolves, but that was in the days when we were told it was okay to like him. His directorial follow up is every bit as good. He knows about directing. He coaxes great performances from his casts. He has real vision and takes chances. Like Michael Cimino, his efforts are belittled and mocked while directors with clearly less talent are applauded.

So to all those people who stayed away in droves and screw their faces up at the mention of this film, I say watch it before you criticise it. Don't rely on some magazine writer to tell you who's good and who's not. Your brain is there for a reason.

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