 | 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. |
Jurassic Park
- PG-13
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 1993
Common Sense Media says
Terrifyingly realistic dinos run amok.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that kids will see lots of folks -- and a few innocent animals -- being eaten by realistic dinosaurs, but there's little actual blood and gore. In the less intense environment of home, kids as young as 9 may be able to handle the fright factor with an adult at hand, but sensitive kids should skip this one. Kids will hear a few mild profanities.
What's the story?
Brought to a secluded island, three scientists discover a wondrous jungle paradise where dinosaurs again walk the earth. Dr. Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) warns the creator of the preserve that nature will not be corralled into a theme park. Things go terribly wrong when a tropical storm strikes and a corrupt computer programmer shuts down crucial security systems. In a night of terror, Dr. Grant (Sam Neil), Ellie (Laura Dern), and two children are pursued by an escaped Tyrannosaurus Rex and several other violent dinos. After many devourings and frightening chases, a showdown ensues in the island's main building.
Is it any good?
JURASSIC PARK boasts Academy Award-winning special effects, lots of frightful moments, and some good laughs. Director Steven Spielberg and his effects team deliver some stunningly realistic dinosaurs. Gone are the days of stop-motion lizards and jerking beasts of vastly varying sizes, replaced by animatronics and digital effects. The movie also has a superb soundscape; hear it with a top-notch sound system to get all the thrills. Of course, actually seeing the monster is not always the best thing. In Jaws, Spielberg's early masterpiece, the audience didn't get to see the shark until well into the movie -- and the suspense was excruciating. That kind of storytelling elegance is missing here. And for all its technical achievements, a lack of character development weakens this thriller. Spielberg occasionally sacrifices three-dimensional characters and real human drama to the thrill of the effects.
The movie's terrifying realism earned it a PG-13 rating. Seen in the theater, children and adults alike turned away from the screen, particulary during the young-children-in-peril sections. Viewed at home, the effect is somewhat less fearful. Still, sensitive pre-teens may want to avoid this one, and parents may want to watch and gauge the response of their children. With all the thrills, the movie has some very funny touches. The animated film detailing the genetic engineering of the dinosaurs resembles a grammar school educational movie from the '70s. Even funnier: "Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear" glimpsed in a side mirror as a huge T. Rex chases a fleeing jeep.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how movies blur the line between science and science fiction, sometimes dispensing misinformation in the process. Since it's not really possible to clone dinosaurs, why use cloning as a plot device?
Does using headline-grabbing scientific concerns make the story more plausible and thus more thrilling?
Can you think of other movies that stretch current science to create a plot, for example the possibility of asteroids hitting the earth or a sudden shift in the earth's climate?
How can you find out which parts of a story are really based in science and which are made up?
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Kid, 10 years old
September 14, 2010
AGE
awsome
awsome;
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AGE
Where's the flag about smoking?
I like this movie. I still wouldn't allow younger children to watch it though as it can be rather violent. My main concern though is that CSM didn't flag the chain smoking one of the main characters engages in while under stress. Not a good example if your child is highly impressionable.
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AGE
i love jurassic park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome movie one of my favorite.
The violence was not that bad but that all depends on how old you are and how you handle violence.A lot of people get eaten.But there is not that much blood
except for some scratches on some of the main characters.A jeep is puched around by a t rex and that is the most freeky part.That do say a lot of bad words in this movie.But this movie is one of the best movies ever made!!!!
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AGE
Goes right over kids heads
I remember seeing this when I was little and I loved it.
Then when I saw it later on I realized it was violent and scary. There is a part when a woman feels an arm on her then she turns around and realizes it is an arm that has been ripped off. This bit is a jump scene.
All this went right over my head when I was 7.
Great movie.
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AGE
Just rewatched this "classic" with my teen. My 13 year old heard about this movie and asked to see it. After previewing it, I let her watch it. Concerns? Not many. One "S" bomb when Steve Gutenburg sees an actual pile of dino dung... meant for comic effect. There are some very dangerous and tense situations. Kids in the movie are in constant peril. There are a couple of scenes to be aware of - a man in the beginning of the movie is eaten by a dinosaur in a violent fashion, as is the lawyer eaten off the commode mid-movie (classic scene I'm sure you remember). The latter is violently tossed around before being consumed. Two other adults are killed - presumably - since the movie doesn't show their demise. There is one bloody arm of Samuel L Jackson displayed, but overall there's not much blood at all. Overall, the velociraptors chasing the kids around probably bothered my teen the most. She still talks about how scary it was today, even though they didn't actually catch the kids.
Overall, this was a good movie to introduce my 13 year old into "Thrillers" without too much adult content. I'll have to review the sequels to see if they are equally as appropriate.
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AGE
Very good! There is some swearing, mostly d*mn, hell, and b**ch and s**t (which are only said once) Alot of the movie is suspenseful and intense, where realistic dinosaurs chase people. Only 2 bloody parts, a mans severed arm falls on a lady and a goats leg suddenly lands on a car. Ok for 10 and up
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AGE
Scary, gory dino thriller is for teens and up
This film is definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it already. It may not be your new favorite movie, but it should entertain for a good two hours. Parents: There's lots of terror, violence, and gore, including dismemberment, plus some salty language. What I would have rated it: PG-13 for Sequences of Sci-Fi Terror, Violence and Gore. Bottom Line: Very entertaining for what it is. I recommend it! It's a classic! Thanks for reading! - Movie Man
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Kid, 12 years old
August 16, 2010
AGE
very violent movie is very good
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| Topics: | dinosaurs |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Steven Spielberg |
| Cast: | Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Sam Neill |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 127 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 11, 1993 |
| DVD release date: | October 10, 2000 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense science fiction terror |
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