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Jurassic Park

(1993, Rated PG-13, Science fiction, Starring Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 11, age appropriate for kids over 13; suggested age 12.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Terrifyingly realistic dinos run amok.

Themes in this movie include:   family relationships, friendship
updated 09.28.09

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 12–13

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Just like Frankenstein there is an underlying message about the dangers of playing God but through teamwork, determination and smarts all of the main characters make it out alive.
  • Role models:

    The two children are intensely likable, smart and brave while the husband and wife dino team protect them and each other at every turn.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    Plenty of people and a few innocent animals are eaten by realistic dinos, but there's little actual blood and gore. Suspenseful scenes of the kids being hunted (but not caught) by dinosaurs are particularly intense.
  • Sex:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    A few mild profanities.
  • Consumerism:

    This is the first part of a series.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Jurassic Park

Parents need to know that kids will see lots of folks -- and a few innocent animals -- being eaten by realistic dinosaurs, but there's little actual blood and gore. In the less intense environment of home, kids as young as 9 may be able to handle the fright factor with an adult at hand, but sensitive kids should skip this one. Kids will hear a few mild profanities.

Read our full review by Randy White

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how movies blur the line between science and science fiction, sometimes dispensing misinformation in the process. Since it's not really possible to clone dinosaurs, why use cloning as a plot device?
  • Does using headline-grabbing scientific concerns make the story more plausible and thus more thrilling?
  • Can you think of other movies that stretch current science to create a plot, for example the possibility of asteroids hitting the earth or a sudden shift in the earth's climate?
  • How can you find out which parts of a story are really based in science and which are made up?

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Our Members Say

Have you seen it? Review It!

  • What did you think about Jurassic Park?
  •  I think this movie is

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  •  Any concerns?

  •  Any highlights?

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  • or to post a review
See all 34 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title off for age 10 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Inappropriate language

    Better for older kids

    A scary and breifley gory classsic about dinosaurs.

  2. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Tennessee
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Just rewatched this "classic" with my teen. My 13 year old heard about this movie and asked to see it. After previewing it, I let her watch it. Concerns? Not many. One "S" bomb when Steve Gutenburg sees an actual pile of dino dung... meant for comic effect. There are some very dangerous and tense situations. Kids in the movie are in constant peril. There are a couple of scenes to be aware of - a man in the beginning of the movie is eaten by a dinosaur in a violent fashion, as is the lawyer eaten off the commode mid-movie (classic scene I'm sure you remember). The latter is violently tossed around before being consumed. Two other adults are killed - presumably - since the movie doesn't show their demise. There is one bloody arm of Samuel L Jackson displayed, but overall there's not much blood at all. Overall, the velociraptors chasing the kids around probably bothered my teen the most. She still talks about how scary it was today, even though they didn't actually catch the kids. Overall, this was a good movie to introduce my 13 year old into "Thrillers" without too much adult content. I'll have to review the sequels to see if they are equally as appropriate.

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 7
    Lives in Oklahoma
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    i like this movie soooo much

    it's really good,but do not watch number 3!!!!!!!!!

  4. I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    this is one of my fave movies i loved the dinos they were so realistic especially for the 1990s but i dont think really little kids can handle this bcuz i saw the beggining when i was five but i got REALLY freaked out so i ran upstairs away from the tv but it depends on the kid this movie is violent and mild gorriness but still good

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 4 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message
    • Negative role models

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Good Job Steven you did it again!

    Another Spieldburg classic, It tells the story of Dinosaurs run amuck on a small island off the coast of Costa Rica. There are good scenes like at the end when Dr. Grant finally understands chaos theory and that life will find a way. Bad role models are Dennis, an overwieght computer managers who, to make some money, attempts to steal dinosaur embrios. Another bad role model is Mr. Arnoald, he is on the good side but every time you see him he has a cigarette in his mouth! There is not much blood, 1 severed limb but thats it. It is only scary because with todays technology (it's 2009) this seems like if we could find an intact strand of Dinosaur D.N.A. than this becomes possible! But that still hasn't happened so this Science-fiction movie gets four out of five prehistoric Stars.

  6. I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Great Movie for Anyone From Second Graders to Eighty Year Olds

    This is a great movie. When I was young, I was obsessed with dinosaurs and I used to watch this movie all the time. There is one scene where the lawyer, Donald Genarro, is killed by the Tyrannosaur is as violent as it gets, and this can be scary to a child. The role models are good, as Doctor Grant shows exemplary skills in dealing with the young children, even though at the beginning, he doesn't like them. The positive messages have to do with the inability to control nature and with the application of chaos theory to the natural world, although these concepts may be over the head of some of the younger viewers.

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Illinois
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Good role models

    good movie

    scary,funny,and at sometimes bloody...jurassic park is a pretty good movie for kids 6 and over

  8. Parent Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use

    Great fun movie, but be warned of lingering gratuitious cigarette smoking close ups

    Even though smoking was more common place in 1992/3 I was shocked to see that every time we see nervous scientist Samuel L Jackson, he is either lighting a cigarette or already has one dangling from his lips. Worst of all is a totally unnesessary lingering extreme close up of a cigarette slow burning, hanging from Samuel Jackson's mouth while he stares at a computer screen for what seems like 20 seconds. I simply can't understand why a film that was billed at the time as a family movie and given a PG certificate has a chain-smoking character.

  9. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0

    Jurassic Park

    Best Movie Ever

  10. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 5.0

    awesome movie

  11. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Kentucky
    I rate this title off for age 12 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    teens are bad people

    i loved it but kids shouldnt watch it

  12. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Not a movie for children under 11!

    Wonderful graphics but REALLY scary

  13. I rate this title iffy for age 11 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language

    i love jurassic park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Awesome movie one of my favorite. The violence was not that bad but that all depends on how old you are and how you handle violence.A lot of people get eaten.But there is not that much blood except for some scratches on some of the main characters.A jeep is puched around by a t rex and that is the most freeky part.That do say a lot of bad words in this movie.But this movie is one of the best movies ever made!!!!

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Kentucky
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    it is a good movie for watching and is enjoyable, i recomend you go see it

  15. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Hawaii
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Excellent not than scary clean movie. Some disturbing images.

  16. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 4 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    Good movie

    It's a good movie for kids who like dinosaurs. Not too scary and I watched when I was like 3 so yeah.

  17. Parent Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 4.0

    Dated, but very realistic.

    Many, many, many young kids love dinosaurs. They will wear dino PJs, and play with dinosaur action figures, and they will definitely want to see a dinosaur movie. This is tough to do. When your kid gets too old for a animated dinosaur movie like "The Land Before Time" they will ask about this movie. This movie is very violent and a small amount of blood, but it is a thrill ride. When it first came out, the theatre came to life. Even in your home, the dinosaurs will give the creeps. Let your kids live it up, but if it's too scary, wait until they are older. This movie can send a shiver down your spine. I would rate this movie: PG-13.

  18. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 5.0

    great movie!

    light language I would say 5+

  19. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Wisconsin
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 1.0

    FUNNY MOVIE

    this movie is sopposed to be scary it isnt i think its funny well i laugh at pain and such but its so cheesy the limbs are fake some of the dinosoars act so dumb thats its funny

  20. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 2.0

    YAWN

    This wasn't the greatest of movies. It became kind of monotonous after an hour of watching dinosaurs chase people and people getting killed. Quite a bit of killing, but nothing graphic. We see an arm without a body, a boy with a bloody ear, several cuts, a man with a bloody leg, and a few other mildly disturbing images. A few swear words.

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