Stormbreaker (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Stormbreaker |
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United States film poster
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| Directed by | Geoffrey Sax |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by | Anthony Horowitz |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Alan Parker |
| Cinematography | Chris Seager |
| Editing by | Andrew MacRitchie |
| Studio |
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| Distributed by | United Kingdom Entertainment Film Distributors United States The Weinstein Company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | 21 July 2006 |
| Running time | 93 minutes |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $40 million |
| Money made | $20.7–23.9 million |
Stormbreaker is an exciting action and spy movie from 2006. In the United States, it was called Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker. The film was directed by Geoffrey Sax. It is based on the 2000 book Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz. This book is the first in the popular Alex Rider series.
The movie stars Alex Pettyfer as the main character, Alex Rider. Other famous actors like Mickey Rourke, Bill Nighy, and Ewan McGregor also appear. Stormbreaker was made by companies from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany working together.
The story is about a teenage boy who becomes a spy for MI6. This happens after his uncle, who was a secret agent, dies. Alex is sent on a mission to Cornwall in England. He needs to find out more about a special computer system called Stormbreaker. This system is being given to schools all over Britain by a rich man named Darrius Sayle.
The filmmakers hoped Stormbreaker would be the first of many Alex Rider movies. However, the movie did not earn enough money to cover its costs. It made about $20.7 to $23.9 million, but it cost $40 million to make. Many people also thought the movie was not very original. Because of this, plans for more Alex Rider films were stopped. Later, a new TV show called Alex Rider was made. It started streaming on Amazon Prime Video in 2020.
Contents
The Story of Alex Rider
Alex Rider is a 14-year-old schoolboy. He lives with his uncle, Ian, and their housekeeper, Jack Starbright. Alex thinks his uncle is a bank manager who travels a lot. One day, Alex learns that his uncle has died in a car crash. But Alex soon finds out the truth: his uncle was actually a spy for MI6, and he was murdered.
Alex Becomes a Spy
Alex is then asked to join his uncle's old spy team. Alan Blunt and Mrs. Jones from MI6 explain that Ian had been secretly training Alex to be a spy. At first, Alex does not want to help. But they tell him that if he refuses, Jack's visa will not be renewed, and she will have to leave the country. So, Alex agrees to become a spy.
Alex is sent to a military training camp. This camp is in the Brecon Beacons in Wales, where the Special Air Service trains. The other trainees are older and do not think much of Alex at first. But Alex quickly shows how capable he is and earns their respect.
The Stormbreaker Mission
Alex gets his first mission and some cool gadgets from Smithers, the MI6 gadget expert. A very rich man named Darrius Sayle is giving away free, powerful computer systems called Stormbreaker to every school in the United Kingdom. MI6 thinks Sayle might have a secret plan. They send Alex undercover to investigate. Alex pretends to be a competition winner.
At Sayle's high-tech building, Alex meets Sayle and his helpers, Mr. Grin and Nadia Vole. He sees the Stormbreaker computer in action. Later, while Alex is having dinner, Nadia Vole steals his phone. She tracks the phone's SIM card to Alex's home in Chelsea. Nadia goes there and finds out Alex's real identity. She fights with Jack, but Jack wins with the help of a blowfish. Nadia then runs away. That night, Alex sneaks out to watch mysterious containers being delivered to Sayle's secret base.
Danger and Discovery
The next day, Alex's cover is blown, meaning his secret identity is discovered. He tries to escape but is caught. Sayle then tells Alex his evil plan. Each Stormbreaker computer contains a special type of smallpox virus. When the computers are turned on, the virus will be released and kill all the schoolchildren in the country. Sayle leaves Alex tied up and heads to the London Science Museum.
Nadia Vole tries to kill Alex by dropping him into a water tank with a giant Portuguese man o' war. But Alex uses a special spot cream from Smithers that can dissolve metal. He escapes, and Nadia is knocked out by the jellyfish, which breaks the tank. Alex then hitches a ride on a helicopter flown by Mr. Grin. He uses a special arrow to make Mr. Grin obey him.
Stopping the Plan
Alex parachutes out of the helicopter. He lands just as the Prime Minister is about to press the button that will activate the dangerous computers. Alex uses a rifle to shoot the podium, destroying the button and stopping Sayle's plan.
Sayle is furious and leaves to start his backup plan. Alex, with help from his school friend Sabina Pleasure, chases Sayle through the streets of London. They reach one of Sayle's tall skyscrapers. Alex reaches Sayle and unplugs his backup transmitter. Sayle chases Alex onto the roof and pushes both Alex and Sabina off. They are left hanging by a broken cable.
Suddenly, Yassen Gregorovich arrives in a helicopter. He shoots Sayle, just like he shot Alex's uncle Ian. Yassen then rescues Alex. He tells Alex that Sayle had become a problem for his own bosses. Yassen tells Alex to forget about him, but Alex refuses. He says that because Yassen killed his uncle, they are still enemies.
Alex goes back to school. He and Sabina talk about everything that happened. Alex thinks it's all over, but the movie ends with someone watching Alex from a distance. Alex notices this and realizes his spy adventures are not finished.
Meet the Cast
- Alex Pettyfer as Alex Rider
- Mickey Rourke as Darrius Sayle
- Alicia Silverstone as Jack Starbright
- Bill Nighy as Alan Blunt
- Sophie Okonedo as Mrs. Jones
- Damian Lewis as Yassen Gregorovich
- Missi Pyle as Nadia Vole
- Stephen Fry as Smithers
- Sarah Bolger as Sabina Pleasure
- Andy Serkis as Mr. Grin
- Ashley Walters as Wolf
- Ewan McGregor as Ian Rider
- Robbie Coltrane as the Prime Minister
- Jimmy Carr as John Crawford
What Happened Next?
No More Movies
Before or after Stormbreaker was released, Anthony Horowitz wrote a script for a movie based on the second book, Point Blanc. However, because Stormbreaker did not do well at the box office, Horowitz said it was "fairly slim" that more Alex Rider movies would be made. The Weinstein Company decided not to make a sequel. Horowitz later said that the books "do not translate well to the big screen."
The TV Show
A new television series was made, starting with the second book, Point Blanc. This show was produced by Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television. The series was released on Amazon Prime Video and TVNZ On Demand in early June 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker para niños
