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The Wave (1981) — Where to Stream · CriticCrunch

The Wave backdrop

The Wave

Movie1981·44 min

The Wave

Directed by Alexander Grasshoff

Drama Thriller TV Movie

A drama thriller film directed by Alexander Grasshoff.

◈ CrunchScore

Top 44%

of all movies · weighted by audience size & source agreement

★ TMDB Audience Rating

6.9/10

113 ratings

About The Wave

A teacher conducts an experiment in an American high school where students learn how easy it is to be seduced by the same social forces which led to the horrors of Nazi Germany.

Pacing: Measured (4 of 9)
Tone: Dark (2 of 9)
Intensity: Intense (7 of 9)
Complexity: Layered (6 of 9)
Humor: Serious (1 of 9)
Scale: Personal (4 of 9)
Spirit: Haunting (3 of 9)
Texture: Tense, Unsettling
Story Tags: freedom rebellion, corruption power, social injustice, late 20th century, historical event, high school campus, mentor student, everyman, ensemble, fish out of water, slow burn reveal

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Where to Watch The Wave

Availability not yet checked for this title.

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Details

Director: Alexander Grasshoff
Language: English

Cast

Bruce Davison, Lori Lethin, John Putch

⬡Explore cast & crew→

How The Wave Ranks

All movies

Top 44%

1980s movies

Top 46%

Drama movies

Top 46%

Top 44% All movies.

the vibe

The Wave Vibe

What it feels like

measureddarkintenselayeredseriouspersonalhauntingtenseunsettling

What it's about

pacing

measured 4/9measured 4/9

tone

texture

tensetense

fish out of water

slow-burn reveal

freedom rebellion

corruption power

social injustice

everyman

ensemble

mentor student

historical event

high school

late 20th century

dark 2/9dark 2/9

intensity

intense 7/9intense 7/9

complexity

layered 6/9layered 6/9

humor

serious 1/9serious 1/9

scale

personal 4/9personal 4/9

spirit

haunting 3/9haunting 3/9