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Babylon A.D.

(2008, Rated PG-13, Science fiction, Starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Melanie Thierry)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    1.0
  • Common Sense says

    Violent actioner is dull, dreary, and defective.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Several dystopian elements are involved in the plot -- nuclear attack, ecological catastrophe, biological warfare, genetic engineering, and more. The villains are in a quasi-religious cult. The lead character is given to nihilistic pronouncements like "there's no mercy for the weak."
  • Violence:

    Frequent violence, including fistfights, firefights, explosions, missile salvos, and more. A sequence involves cage fighting; the film also features drowning, strangling, riots, terrorist bomb attacks, and more. Animals are butchered on screen. Some blood. Discussion of nuclear and biological weapons.
  • Sex:

    Brief glimpses of scantily clad women; a moment of sexual tension between a shirtless man and a woman.
  • Language:

    Some, including one use of "f--k," "s--t," and multiple uses of "ass," "bitch," "hell," "s--thole," and more.
  • Consumerism:

    Extensive on-screen brand presence, including (but not limited to) Coca-Cola Zero, Marlboro, Marriott, Range Rover, and Google.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Cigarette and cigar smoking; characters drink wine and hard liquor.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Babylon A.D.

Parents need to know that this sci-fi action movie takes place in a bleak, ruined dystopian future. It's quite violent, with explosions, shootings, strangling, and more. There's also extensive discussion of nuclear attacks, genetic engineering, and refugee movements, as well as religious themes and imagery. Several characters are kept alive by high-tech machinery, and some scenes of surgery and medical processes are quite intense. Also expect swearing ("s--t," one use of "f--k"), product placement, and some drinking and smoking.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the appeal of dark visions of the future. Are dystopian movies a way for us to process our anxieties about the present? In the movie's vision of the future, corporations have more control than governments; does the film's extensive use of corporate logos on screen warn against excess corporate power or represent it? Families can also discuss the challenges and concerns surrounding genetic engineering -- what ethical and moral complications does it pose for people now and in the future?

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title on for age 14 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Negative role models

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 7
    Lives in Washington
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0

    i never watch this movie but i am going to watch it today

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