Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated adventure amuses but doesn't live up to its title.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Epic
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 33 parent reviews
Based on 43 kid reviews
Kids say this is a cute movie with good morals centered on friendship and teamwork, making it a fun family watch, although it can be scary for younger viewers due to some intense moments and villains. While some viewers noted it falls short of being truly "epic" with a cliché plot and character development, others found it visually appealing and enjoyed the humor and positive messages about nature.
- good morals
- scary moments
- cliché plot
- fun family movie
- visually appealing
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
After her mother dies, teenager Mary Katherine, aka M.K. (voiced by Amanda Seyfried), goes to live with her estranged father, Bomba (Jason Sudeikis), a disgraced professor who's convinced that the forests are inhabited by tiny creatures, including armed warrior guards. M.K., like her late mother, thinks her obsessed father is mentally ill ... until she witnesses the death of the tiny forest queen Tara (Beyonce Knowles), who entrusts her with the care of a magical bulb that must bloom in that very night's moonlight. Shrunken in the process, M.K. is confused but quickly realizes that her father is right, thanks to the head of the Leafmen, Ronin (Colin Farrell), and his rebellious protege, Nod (Josh Hutcherson), who guard M.K. and the bulb in the hopes of keeping it away from the forest's archenemy, Mandrake (Christoph Waltz), leader of the Boggans -- nefarious creatures who cause rot and destruction. Because if Mandrake and the Boggans can capture the bulb, the forest will turn into a barren wasteland.
Is It Any Good?
Visually, EPIC captures the beauty of the lush forest in which the majority of the characters live. The greens and browns and vibrant flower palettes are beautiful, and the way that light and dark (the Boggans make everything an ash gray) are used is inspired. The voice actors are all fittingly cast, particularly the comic relief provided by slug-snail pals Mub and Grub (Aziz Ansari and Chris O'Dowd). Farrell is exceptionally believable as a stoic warrior, as is Hutcherson as an orphaned teen who's a gifted fighter but who has trouble following directions. The weak link in casting is Waltz, whose unique Austrian accent works scarily well in live action but has less impact when he's in animated form.
Plot wise, there's also something missing from the story. Epic feels overlong and overly reminiscent of several other animated movies, like The Secret World of Arrietty, Happy Feet, and Antz. The romantic elements seem unnecessary as well, with M.K. and Nod falling into infatuation a bit too quickly and without any of the sweet banter that makes movies like Shrek and Tangled so good. Despite these shortcomings, the movie is just funny and exciting enough to keep kids and parents entertained. But Epic never quite lives up to its riskily self-indulgent title.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Epic's violence and action compare to other animated movies you've seen. Does it have less impact because many of the characters are fictional creatures and talking animals?
Do you think the romantic subplots (between the queen and the captain or Nod and M.K.) added much to the story? Would the story have been just as good if Nod and M.K. were just good friends?
Although author William Joyce is a co-writer of the film and the Leafmen are based on his book, the rest of the characters don't have anything to do with the original story. Is it confusing when a movie is loosely inspired by a book but doesn't follow the story closely? (Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is another example.)
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 24, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : August 20, 2013
- Cast : Amanda Seyfried , Beyoncé , Josh Hutcherson
- Director : Chris Wedge
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Fantasy ( Magic ) , STEM
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mild action, some scary images and brief rude language
- Last updated : December 5, 2025
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