The Fugitive (PG-13, 1993)

common sense media says

Heart-pounding thriller with great acting.


parents & educators say
  • 36% say violence is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that kids will see disturbing scenes of a murderer's assault, plus some shooting, stabbing, and bloody fist fighting. The protagonist is forced into numerous life-threatening situations. He survives a bus crash/train wreck and jumps from a dam into raging water.

Positive messages: While the protagonist breaks jail and runs from police, he also risks his life to help others in need and non-violently steers police to the real killer, using his wits.
Violence: Disturbing scenes of a murderer's assault. Some shooting, stabbing, and bloody fist fighting.
Sex: Not applicable.
Language: A few mild expletives.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.

More on The Fugitive

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about why being scared by films (or theme park rides and haunted houses) can be fun. Is it because we really long to experience dangerous situations, or is there another reason?

What's the story?

What's the story?
When THE FUGITIVE begins, it appears that Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), a respected vascular surgeon, has killed his wife in their upstairs bedroom. He claims that a one-armed man did it, but the physical evidence isn't in Kimble's favor. Tried and sentenced to death by lethal injection, he's loaded onto a bus with a handful of other convicts being transferred to the Illinois State Penitentiary. The bus never reaches its destination. An uprising causes it to crash and gives Kimble an opportunity. He escapes and, relentlessly tracked by a team led by U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), sets out to clear his name by finding the real culprit.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
Based on the 1960s TV series of the same name, The Fugitive isn't some cheap knockoff. Gripping from the moment it starts, this is a sterling example of how action pictures should be made. Clever storytelling and editing build the suspense. Director Andrew Davis frames Chicago beautifully through panning aerial shots. Throw in a moving score and super tight script and you'll get why it was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. The only use of sensational effects is a train derailment so convincing that you'll suspect the filmmakers crashed a real train to get the footage. They did.

Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for his supporting role, and, as Kimble, Harrison Ford is particularly sympathetic. Seeing him tracked cross-country through hospital corridors and a sewer system, we never forget that he's a man devastated by his wife's death. Strange to say about someone fleeing the law, but Kimble can actually serve as a role model of sorts for older kids. A loving husband, a caring surgeon who more than once risks his life to help others in need, he uses his wits to nonviolently steer the law toward the man they're really after. And, Tommy Lee Jones won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Home Video
Director: Andrew Davis
Cast: Harrison Ford, Julianne Moore, Tommy Lee Jones
Genre: Action/Adventure
Run time: 125 minutes
Theatrical release: August 6, 1993
DVD release: September 25, 1998
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: murder and other action sequences in an adventure setting

This review was written by Scott G. Mignola
 
 

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What parents & educators say

12
Based on 11 parent & educator reviews:
  • 36% say violence is an issue

Most useful reviews by all members

hagrid21
kid, 13 years old
 
A Classic Murder Movie
Good movie about a man who is wrongly convicted of killing his wife and escapes jail to prove himself innocent. Non stop action, murder flashbacks, and some language.

 
GREATEST HARRY MOVIE EVA!
oh my gosh...this movie is like the best. i think i almost like it more than star wars. amazingly. but yea...it is just so AWESOME! Harrison Ford delivers a great performance. Its put together so cleverly. it is a true masterpiece. i dont know how to describe the greatness of it. however i was surprised with how much swearing it had. i think they could have cut back on that, so be warned...there is a bit of swearing but it is seriously a must see movie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dog in black
teen, 15 years old
 
i loved this movie
I love this movie soooooo much it's one of my favorite movies it's so awesome!!!!!!there are some violence in the at first and at the end i loved this movie but it might be to violence for some people

bubbo
adult
 
An amazing film, easily one of the best chase movies ever made.

 
Great acting by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones

raphael's ...
teen, 17 years old
 
The Fugitive
"The Fugitive" is exactly what a great thriller shoould be. It has tight plot devoid of any holes, excellent acting(when is Harrison Ford NOT amazing?), and lots of exciting action. Richard Kimble is also a nice role model, going out of his way to help others even after he is convicted of a horrible crime he did not commit. At one point, he even saves the life of one of his pursuers. The movie's biggest issue is violence. There's plenty of shooting and hand to hand combat. The most disturbing scenes, though, are the flashback's of Richard's wife's murder, where a man is shown attacking her and bashing her skull in with bloody results. Language is also present, with all of the usual PG-13 curse words used at least once. Overall, "The Fugitive" is a fantastic thriller, definitely one of the best out there. High reccomended!

amigo100
teen, 18 years old
 
The best movie of all time!
This was literally the bestest movie ever! I loved the living crap out of it! This is definitely by far my favorite movie! No movie is as unique as The Fugitive.

Warri
adult
 
For 11+
The violence is moderate and constant

28J
adult
 
The fugitive was a good movie; it was violent, a little bloody, and gory: Altogether, it was pretty good! I don't personally think it matters the age so much, I mean, there is blood, there is gore of a guys side after he's shot, and there are intense parts. But it's all part of the fun. I personally don't think it matters so much about the age, I mean, don't let like... 10 year olds see it, but, I think it also matters a lot on how responsible and if you think your child can handle it. Altogether, it was good!

ALGLTG09
kid, 13 years old
 
I loved it! my 7 year old brother watched it too. i don't know what they're talking about on the main page? they say s**t and d**n in almost every scene! although it is an 80's film, so....

movielover45
teen, 14 years old
 
Suspense and violent Movie But Amazing!
This movie is the best suspense movie of the 90s. This movie just has a bit of swearing and kissing in flashbacks. The thing parents need to be worried about is the graphic violence and suspense. There are some desterbing flashbacks when his wife was killed and some suspensful fistfights. Amazing and still wistands the test of time. Tommy Lee Jones best preformence.

MissNerdification
teen, 16 years old
 
Great movie for some viewers, but maybe not for others.
The only reason I put "iffy" is because some viewers may be disturbed by the murder scene, and some may not be bothered. It really depends on who's watching.

 
Great movie... the original version is 10 times worse... They literally cut 5-6 minutes out of the murder scene in the beginning! Great acting Tommy Lee Jones won best suporting actor, and Harison Ford should have won best actor... In 1993 the movie was nominated for best picture of the year!

Synchronicity
teen, 18 years old
 
Better than Indiana Jones!
I loved The Fugitive, but it's rated PG-13 for a reason. There is a lot of violence but the worst is the murder of Kimble's wife. There is no graphic violence, maybe a few moments, and there are a lot of s-words. But this movie is so well made, and it's even funny: when Dr. Kimble jumps from the dam, the policeman says "He just did a Peter Pan off that dam!" so funny! Anyways, 13+.

 
Great but intense
This is a spectacular but VERY intense movie. In the beginning there are numerous, disturbing flashbacks to a very violent murder. There is a very bad bus accident with plenty of blood shown, and there are several bloody fight scenes. As far as sexual content goes, Richard has a definitely suggestive dream about his wife, although nothing explicit is shown. Highly under-clad women are shown briefly at a party. The swearing is really more than just "a few mild expletives", with countless instances of the s-word, one (although hardly noticeable) use of f***, several uses of d***, and one prominent use of SOB. All these negative elements aside, however, it really is a great movie with a positive message. The good guys win in the end and the bad guys are defeated, and all throughout the two main characters, Richard and Sam, are honorable and gentleman-like. However, this is a very (in)tense movie, and I would definitely not recommend it for anyone under 14, MAYBE 13 at the very youngest.

Joey123
teen, 18 years old
 
Great movie...
A great movie for 13 or 14 year olds and up. There is A LOT of language though. 20+ s-words, h-ll, d-mn, bi--ch, p-ss, and one use of f--k. There is barely any sexual content, just some implied innuendo between a husband and wife, nothing whatsover is shown. The violence is avg. for any action movie.

sillycomb
teen, 14 years old
 
perfect especially for middle school and up
This was really my favorite movie. It was very creative. The action scenes are definitely age appropriate and fun to watch. The only violence I am concerned about is the scenes of Helen's death. There is a few bad words, but they are not an issue

davstern1500
teen, 14 years old
 
Great, epic thriller
Preteen level action sequences, a stabbing, intense bus accident. And intense final battle. The beginning scenes are disturbing showing Helen's murder. Mild language. For more information, contact me on YouTube - davstern1500

BroadwayBaby33
kid, 13 years old
 
Great!
This movie is fairly disturbing. The murder scene is bloody and violent, as well as other scenes in the movie. But the plot and the acting are brilliant!

 
One of the best films ever made. Do not miss!

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