Tears of the Sun (2003): cast, story & where to watch
2003 · Film · ★ 6.9
Released in 2003, Tears of the Sun is an action, drama and war film directed by Antoine Fuqua, running about 121 minutes. “He was trained to follow orders. He became a hero by defying them.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees. When the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is taken over by a ruthless military dictator, Waters, a fiercely loyal and hardened veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve a Doctors Without Borders physician.
Who’s in it. Tears of the Sun stars Bruce Willis as Lieutenant A.K. Waters, Monica Bellucci as Dr. Lena Fiore Kendricks, Cole Hauser as James 'Red' Atkins and Eamonn Walker as Ellis 'Zee' Pettigrew, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, Tears of the Sun has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $86.5M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads and Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Tears of the Sun page.
If you liked it. Fans of Tears of the Sun tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Tears of the Sun (2003)?
- In US, Tears of the Sun is available to stream on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads and Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Tears of the Sun worth watching?
- Tears of the Sun holds an audience score of 6.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action, drama and war. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Tears of the Sun?
- Tears of the Sun stars Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Cole Hauser, Eamonn Walker and Johnny Messner.
- When was Tears of the Sun released?
- Tears of the Sun was released in 2003, with a runtime of about 121 minutes.