• Is it age appropriate?

  About our ratings

  (Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)

  Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 7; suggested age 7.

• Is it any good?

  4.0

• Common Sense says

  Offbeat family adventure may charm adults more than kids.

Why We Rated This for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

• Educational value:

  Kids might pick up a few of the animals' Latin names (which Mr. Fox enthusiastically uses in one scene).
• Messages:

  The animals band together, despite their many differences, to keep the malicious farmers from killing them. Father-and-son relationships are portrayed positively as Mr. Fox discovers Ash's worth, even though at first he seemed to doubt him. Mrs. Fox's attitude about what makes a person fantastic demonstrates that everyone has something that makes them extraordinary. There's a running theme about the animals' wilder instincts conflicting with their more people-like responsibilities.
• Role models:

  Although Mr. Fox steals from the three farmers -- and lies to his wife about doing it -- he ultimately mends his ways so that his family and the other animals can settle down in peace. Mrs. Fox encourages her son by saying that it's what's different about him that makes him special; she also supports her husband, even when she's disappointed in him. Kristofferson is a model child who forgives Ash for being jealous of him and getting him into trouble. Ash matures from trying to live up to his father's expecations and envying Kristofferson doing something exceptional on his own. The farmers are thoroughly nasty (particularly Bean), but they're also clearly the bad guys.

What to watch out for

• Violence & scariness:

  The farmers use all sorts of methods to try to kill Mr. Fox: guns, explosives, drowning with hard cider, kidnapping, etc.; the animals eventually fight back. Mr. Fox's tail is shot off and treated as a trophy. A bad-guy character starts a knife fight and eventually dies. The animals kill a few chickens, but nothing grisly is shown. A stand-off scene with a rabid dog is a little tense/scary, as are a few other fight/chase sequences.
• Sexy stuff:

  Mr. and Mrs. Fox embrace and kiss, and Rat alludes to the fact that Mrs. Fox was a "tart" before she married Mr. Fox. Kristofferson and an adolescent female fox flirt and "go steady," making Ash jealous.
• Language:

  Strong language is replaced with frequent use of the word "cuss" -- as in "What the cuss are you doing?" and "cluster cuss."
• Consumerism:

  Not an issue.
• Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

  The adult animals drink hard cider, wine, and champagne, but not to excess. One of the farmers makes his own hard cider (and enjoys several jugs per day). Some pipe and cigarette smoking.

What Parents Need to Know

About Fantastic Mr. Fox

Families Can Talk About