Scott Eastwood’s New World War II Thriller Lucky Strike Debuts To Disappointing Rotten Tomatoes Score

Scott Eastwood’s new World War II thriller has barely landed before taking fire.

Son of Clint Eastwood, Scott started out starring in several of his father’s films – Gran Torino (2008), Invictus (2009), and Trouble with the Curve (2012) – before steadily carving out his own career with Texas Chainsaw (2013), The Longest Ride (2015), Suicide Squad (2016), Snowden (2016), The Fate of the Furious (2017), Pacific Rim Uprising (2018), The Outpost (2020), Wrath of Man (2021), and Fast X (2023). He’s also a familiar face in World War II movies – Flags of Our Fathers (2006), directed by Clint Eastwood, and Fury (2014). However, his latest wartime thriller has opened to a rough reception.

A day before its release, Lucky Strike has debuted to a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score. Directed by Rod Lurie (The Outpost), who co-wrote the script with Mark Frydman, the new World War II movie stars Scott Eastwood as a wounded American soldier trapped behind German enemy lines during the Battle of the Bugle with only a hand radio to evade capture.

Now, a day before its theatrical release on June 25, Lucky Strike has debuted with a 57% score from the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie only has 21 reviews at the time of writing, so its score should fluctuate as more are published. Its audience score will also start to take shape once it releases in theaters.

The cast also includes Colin Hanks (son of Tom Hanks), Oscar nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard), Taylor John Smith, and Elijah Loyd.

In ScreenRant‘s Lucky Strike review, Alex Harrison rated the film three out of 10 stars and writes, “Scott Eastwood’s WW2 actioner is empty, dull imitation… Though it assembles all the things you expect from a Second World War action movie, Lucky Strike is a hollow film, oddly devoid of human stakes.” He continues:

There are set pieces that work in Lucky Strike, or at least do in moments, but the movie has little to offer that you couldn’t find done better elsewhere.

Several critics argue that Lucky Strike never escapes the shadow of better World War II movies. Some praise its respectful intentions, but say the story feels overly familiar, with repetitive action, weak suspense, and narrative gaps that keep the tension from fully taking hold. Others found the emotional impact surprisingly muted, describing the film as competent but generic, with Scott Eastwood’s performance failing to elevate the material.

Still, some reviewers came away impressed. They highlight the film’s earnest tribute to sacrifice, its straightforward approach to history, and an engaging survival story that builds momentum as it goes. Some even call it emotionally immersive, while others praise Eastwood for delivering one of the strongest performances of his career. Even its supporters admit that Lucky Strike isn’t especially groundbreaking, though they find its sincerity and old-school war-movie spirit easy to appreciate.

Release Date

June 26, 2026

Director

Rod Lurie

Writers

Marc Frydman, Rod Lurie

Producers

Les Weldon, Jonathan Yunger, Marc Frydman, Yariv Lerner

Cast

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  Lorne MacFadyen

  Major Barrett