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Pocahontas

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 6.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Good animated movie -- lots of talking animals.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 6 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Native Americans are ignorantly referred to as "savages" and "filthy heathens." Overall, though, tolerance prevails.
  • Violence & scariness:

    Two Native Americans are shot, one fatally, in poignant scenes. Pocahontas's father nearly executes John Smith during a climactic scene.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Pocahontas was written by Scott G. Mignola

Perents need to know that this movie has no inappropriate content for kids, but it's not historically accurate. However, the Native Americans are sensitively portrayed, their earthy values respected.Also, parents should know that Pocahontas's decision to stay with her tribe may disappoint young viewers.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about the film's historical inaccuracies. For example, the Union Jack hadn't yet been adopted in the early seventeenth century.
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More on Pocahontas

What’s the Story?

Disney's animated POCAHONTAS centers on the titular daughter of Algonquin chief Powhatan, who isn't happy with her upcoming arranged marriage to Kocoum. British settlers arrive in the area, and Pocahontas (voiced by Irene Bedard) falls for John Smith (Mel Gibson). Meanwhile, greedy Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) is certain the Native Americans have access to gold riches and is determined to get his hands on the treasure. Pocahontas and John Smith meet in secret, and when they're discovered it creates a dangerous tension between the Europeans and the Algonquians. The only hope for preventing war lies with Smith and Pocahontas.

Is It Any Good?

Given the choice, children will gravitate toward The Lion King's menagerie of cute talking animals before embracing this history-based follow-up from Disney, but that doesn't make the latter worth passing up. Sensing a hard sell, the Disney folks dropped in a couple of merchandising lures, a frisky raccoon, and a scene-stealing hummingbird who contribute nothing of import to the story, but succeed in livening up what might otherwise have been a fairly somber tale.

This is a movie less concerned with booing the bad guys as it is with cheering on the heroes. The villain isn't a single entity; Governor Ratcliffe embodies the greed, ignorance, and hostility that still haunts our world four hundred years later. Children will sense that, and learn that peace and tolerance are goals well worth striving for.

Movie Details

Studio: Disney, Director: Mike Gabriel
Run time: 81 minutes
Theatrical release: 6/6/2000, DVD release: 6/6/2000
MPAA Rating: G for all audiences

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    just saw this movie for the first time yesterday and...it was violent? But I liked it except for the end cause that was not accurate historically, but the rest was just the end was shifted a bit to make it sutible for kids. I never really cared for the "disney magic" thing.

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    C'est Fantastique

    Awesome film but historically inaccurate.

  3. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title iffy for age 5 and give it 2.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative message

    This movie is rated G but I don't see how. It has a tremendous amount of violence and fighting, which is really the main plot of the movie. The British want to "kill" the "savages" (american indians)and this concept is discussed and attempted throughout most of the movie. There isn't much more plot than the fighting, except that John Smith and Pocahontas fall in love and make out. If you show this movie to your child be prepared to discuss shotguns (many shots are taken), death, drowing, and what the word savage means (mentioned dozens of times)

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Wonderful classic for a Disney collection.

    Pocahontas is an awesome movie. It has a wonderful soundtrack. It keeps all the dark aspects of the time in history it was based on but of course with Disney they have changed a lot to just for the movie. Some of the scenes doesn't make sense, like how Pocahontas and John Smiths' Language barrier was solved and the one song "Savages" is a bit racy but that's what this time of history was about, two different worlds colliding and heavy racism. So parents, I recommend watching this one with your kids. A great watch for any Walt Disney fan and collector.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    My fav!

    This is my favorite disney movie! It is so amazing! It kida of just says to enjoy the simple things in life.

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 1.0

    Terrible...

    Pocahontas makes an important historical figure look like little more than a magical forest woman. Parents, remember, when you show children historical films, make sure it is historically accurate.

  7. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 2.0

    Too violent!

    Yes, I know it was a violent time but this is a kid's movie, for goodness sake! It would have been sufficient to show 30 seconds of fighting and then move on but no, Disney has to go on and on. I'm sure the fight scenes were only a couple of minutes long but that was long enough for me to turn it off. Definately not for the under 8s and questionable even for older ones.

  8. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    Awesome music, awesome animation, awesome movie!

    This is a Disney movie. Therefore: - the lead female character is beautiful and falls in love - there is a "bad guy" - there is cartoon violence and fighting AND -amazing songs -amazing animation -good story -a good message at the end -thing turn out all happy in the end Every child should be able to watch Disney movies. There is nothing wrong with this one.

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