WISE Score
Avg. Tomatometer
The movie that made Steve McQueen the King of Cool and defined the modern car chase.
98%
98%View →Bullitt is the ultimate 'vibe' movie. If your kid is into cars, cinematography, or classic cool, this is a must-watch. Just be prepared for the fact that it moves at a 1968 speed, not a 2026 speed.
You're here for the Mustang vs. Charger showdown, which remains one of the greatest things ever put on film. The rest of the movie is a solid, if somewhat dated, crime thriller that rewards patience but might require a 'phone away' policy to get through the slower scenes.
Best for 13 and up. Younger kids will be bored to tears by the police bureaucracy, but teens who appreciate cars or film history will find the vibe and the stunts legendary.
Frank Bullitt is a stoic, professional lead who doesn't compromise his ethics, but the world he inhabits is cynical, gritty, and filled with mob-related betrayal.
It's a grounded procedural. The imagination here is technical—innovating how action and car chases are captured on film rather than world-building.
It's a 1968 PG. There is gun violence and some blood, but it's stylized and lacks the visceral gore of modern R-rated thrillers. No major sexual content or modern trigger warnings.
A masterclass in visual storytelling and 'cool' as a cinematic language. It’s an essential piece of film history for any kid interested in cinematography or stunt work.
To understand Bullitt, you have to understand Steve McQueen. He wasn't just an actor; he was a guy who actually raced cars and bikes, and that authenticity bleeds through the screen. When you see him behind the wheel of that Highland Green Mustang GT, he isn't faking the gear shifts. That matters because it gives the film a weight that modern action movies lack.
Most modern car chases are a mess of quick cuts and green screens. Bullitt does the opposite. Director Peter Yates keeps the camera low to the asphalt and uses long takes so you can actually see the physics of the cars jumping over the San Francisco hills. There is no music during the chase—just the roar of the engines and the screech of the tires. It’s a masterclass in tension that every aspiring filmmaker should study.
If you're watching this with a teenager, they're going to ask when the action starts. The movie is a 'slow burn' in the truest sense. It’s interested in the process of police work—the waiting, the phone calls, the hospital corridors. It’s not a superhero movie where the hero is always three steps ahead. Bullitt is just a guy doing his job while being squeezed by a greasy politician played by Robert Vaughn. It’s a great entry point for talking about integrity and the difference between 'doing your job' and 'doing the right thing.'
"That's where it is, Chalmers. You work your side of the street and I'll work mine."
If your kid liked the driving in Baby Driver or the stoicism of the John Wick series, show them where it all started. Just don't be surprised if they want a vintage Mustang for their first car.
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