 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Benji
- Review Date: October 30, 2005
- G
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1974
Common Sense Media says
Adorable dog saves the day in '70s classic.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although the potential danger of stray dogs is discussed in this film, it gives the false impression that stray dogs are safe to play with. It may also raise a false hope that a miracle will keep children from having to make necessary sacrifices. While the two kids are kidnapped, the scene plays as non-violent and not very intense.
What's the story?
Told largely from the dog's point of view, BENJI is the story of a stray dog and the two children who adopt him. Cindy and Paul want to keep Benji, but their stern father (Peter Breck) won't let them. The first part of the movie follows Benji as he associates with locals, hides out in an abandoned house, and falls in love with a pooch named Tiffany. The movie takes a darker turn when Cindy and Paul are kidnapped. When Benji discovers that the kids are being held in the abandoned house, he reports back to the police, and eventually helps them track down the kidnappers.
Is it any good?
While this movie is billed as a family film, the kidnapping scenes may be troubling to young viewers. The reluctant kidnappers, who do not treat the children cruelly, are depicted in a frighteningly realistic manner. As long as parents make sure young children understand which aspects of this film are realistic and which are not (namely the super-intelligent behavior of Benji), this movie is okay for kids 6 and up.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about when it's appropriate to question the rules their parents set. If Benji wasn't such a remarkable dog, would it have been okay to keep him? What can kids do to avoid being kidnapped (not talking to strangers, etc)?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
AGE
classic
the movie was slow, but it was worth watching. benji has a crush on tiffany and the dogs are in love.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 6 years old
July 30, 2011
AGE
Surprised by Benji
My 5 year old is pretty sensitive kid, and we were caught off-guard when there was a real gun firing, when the children were kidnapped (and gagged), and when Benji's little sweetheart dog was kicked by a grown-up. Of course, my memories of it as a child were pretty benign, but found it jolting to watch it with my little one. We're still stuck on Sound of Music and Singin' in the Rain...
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
I remembered this as an adorable family film from my childhood. So when my husband rented it for my daughters, ages 4 and 9, I thought we'd have a fun movie night. Instead I wound up comforting two screaming, crying girls who kept asking me why we rented "the worst movie ever." They loved the dogs, but the kidnapping of the gagged children by a mean man with a gun who kicks Benji's girlfriend dog (seemingly to death) was extremely upsetting for them. We watched till the end so they could see that she had only suffered a broken leg. But they were still crying and had trouble sleeping afterward. Sigh.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 11 years old
January 10, 2012
AGE
Cute
We watched this movie @ school, and it was good ,,,UNTIL the girlfriend dog gets kicked. We did not get to watch the end, so everybody thought the girlfriend dog died. Over all it was very cute. :)
Grade: b+
Was this review useful?
|
|
AGE
Not what I expected - too violent.
I had never seen it and was very disturbed by several aspects. My 4-year-old sobbed for 10 minutes after the dog was kicked and left bloodied against the wall. My almost 6-year-old was very upset, even though he didn't cry and asked a million questions. Both of my boys had a lot of trouble sleeping after it. I was very disappointed.
I made my boys keep watching, praying the dog lived, and luckily she does. The movie focuses a lot on the memories of a gun being discharged and the kicking scene. I had to explain why the kids were bound and gagged and being kept in a house that wasn't theirs. I would not recommend it for this age at all.
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Topics: | adventures |
| Studio: | GoodTimes Entertainment |
| Director: | Joe Camp |
| Cast: | Allen Fiuzat, Cynthia Smith, Patsy Garrett |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 86 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 25, 1974 |
| DVD release date: | August 17, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | G |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already seen it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
