Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker - PG

Watch Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker Video Movie Review

Teen spy hero makes leap from book to screen.

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Rating: PG for sequences of action violence and some peril. Studio: Weinstein Co. Directed By: Geoffrey Sax Cast: Ewan McGregor, Alicia Silverstone, Alex Pettyfer Running Time: 93 minutes Release Date: 10/12/2006 Genre: Action/adventure

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that this movie is fine for tweens overall (despite lots of violent material) and will appeal to kids who've read the popular book series it's based on. It's fairly tame when it comes to sex and language, but the violence is pretty intense for a PG-rated film. There are guns, shooting and explosions throughout, as well as scenes of peril and action (involving airplanes, motorcycles, horses, cars, and boats). No blood is shown.

Families can talk about whether a 14-year-old would really have the guts and gumption to be a spy. Why does he put himself in dangerous and life-threatening situations? Did he have any other options, or was he forced into being a spy? Parents can ask kids who've read the books to compare them to the big screen version -- which do they like better? Why? Who would they have cast in all of the roles?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Jane Boursaw

If James Bond had taken up spying as a teen, his adventures probably would have looked a lot like this action-packed movie based on the popular Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz.

Alex Pettyfer stars as 14-year-old Alex Rider, who -- after his parents' tragic deaths -- ends up living in London with his banker uncle, Ian Rider (Ewan McGregor). Disaster strikes again when Ian is killed under mysterious circumstances ... but Alex knows that his uncle was extremely careful and never made stupid mistakes.

Turns out that the seemingly boring Ian led a double life as a secret agent for MI6, Britain's Secret Intelligence Service. What's more, he'd actually been training Alex to become a spy when the time was right, making sure his nephew learned martial arts, scuba diving, and mountain climbing, as well as French, German, and Japanese. Apparently, Alex's "hobbies" were a lot more than he thought they were!

After Ian's death, the head of MI6's Special Operations Division, Alan Blunt (scene-stealer Bill Nighy) decides it's time Alex got into the spy business. Alex isn't too sure about that, but he's intrigued by all of the cool gadgets doled out by Smithers (Stephen Fry), including a hand-held video game that can find listening devices; a fountain pen that shoots sodium pentathol, forcing the target to do exactly as Alex wants; and zit cream that can work its way through up to 6 inches of carbonized steel.

Another incentive is that MI6 will deport Alex's nanny, Jack (Alicia Silverstone), whose visa has expired, if he doesn't cooperate.

So what exactly is Alex being recruited for, anyway? Well, at the time of his death, Ian was investigating Darrius Sayle (a rather uninspired Mickey Rourke), a shady businessman with ties to several dangerous and hostile nations. He's also the creator of Stormbreaker, the most sophisticated computer system of the 21st century.

Sayle announces big plans to donate 70,000 of the revolutionary computers to English schools. But is he as philanthropic as he seems? I think we all know the answer to that. It's up to Alex to finish what his uncle started, enlisting the help of Jack and schoolmate Sabina (Sarah Bolger) to stop Sayle before he completes his nefarious plan.

Fans of Stormbreaker will also enjoy Spy Kids and Agent Cody Banks.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Mild flirting between teens.
Violence Guns, shooting, fighting, and explosions throughout. A man with two guns (pointed into the camera) assassinates a character, although we don't see the impact. A character is killed for making a simple mistake. Many scenes of peril, including car and motorcycle chases, skydiving, and careening off buildings, although no blood is shown.
Language A couple of "hecks."
Message
	Social Behavior A main character depends on violence to solve problems. The MI6 people aren't exactly warm and cuddly, and they force Alex into service. A character is senselessly killed.
	Commercialism Nintendo, BMW, Mini-Cooper, zit cream, a fountain pen that shoots sodium pentathol, reference to Hogwarts.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Some drinking among adult characters.