Pocahontas (G)

Good animated movie -- lots of talking animals.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
4
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Movie details
  • Studio: Disney
  • Directed By: Mike Gabriel
  • Cast: Mel Gibson, Irene Bedard
  • Running Time: 81 minutes
  • Release Date: 06/06/2000
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 06/06/2000
  • Genre: Family and Kids
  • MPAA Rating: G
  • MPAA Explanation: all audiences

Parents need to know

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 the film's historical inaccuracies. For example, the Union Jack hadn't yet been adopted in the early seventeenth century.

Message

Social Behavior:

Native Americans are ignorantly referred to as "savages" and "filthy heathens." Overall, though, tolerance prevails.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

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

Sex

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Scott G. Mignola

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?

4
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.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 3 reviews.

1


Posted on 12/26/08 by who3697cares Kid contributor, age 16

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.
5


Posted on 08/09/07 by moviegeek Kid contributor, age 15

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.
Age 8+
2


Posted on 10/26/04 by eswanson Adult contributor

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.

Adult Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

Age 8+
2


Posted on 10/26/04 by eswanson Adult contributor

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.

Kids Reviews

There are 2 reviews.

1


Posted on 12/26/08 by who3697cares Kid contributor, age 16

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.
5


Posted on 08/09/07 by moviegeek Kid contributor, age 15

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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