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The Land Before Time

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Baby dinosaur buddy flick that started the series.

Themes in this movie include:   friendship
updated 10.23.09

Why We Rated This on for Ages 4 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Although he's told that dinosaurs stick with their own kind, Littlefoot is a friend to everyone. Each kind of dinosaur has unique abilities that help the group survive.
  • Role models:

    The baby pterodactyl Petrie finds flying too difficult, but with courage finally achieves it. Stubborn Cera thinks she doesn't need any help from anyone else, but sees that she does need her friends and they need her, too.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    An aggressive "sharptooth" (Tyrannosaurus Rex) kills Littlefoot's mother and chases the young dinosaurs until they drown it. A massive earthquake rips through the ground and separates families.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

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

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Land Before Time

Parents need to know that the youngest viewers may be disturbed seeing the childlike dinosaurs torn from their parents by an earthquake and pursued by a Tyrannosaurus rex. Littlefoot's mother fights the T-rex, is badly injured, and dies. Littlefoot finds his grandparents in the end, though, and his friends are reunited with their families, too.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about dinosaurs. When did they live? What happened to tthem?
  • Follow up these amazing facts with a trip to the natural history museum.
  • Which dinosaur is your favorite? Why?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title on for age 3 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    Good Memories

    Loved this as a kid, plus so sad but happy ending!

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 2
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title off for age 4 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    why do g movies have voilince

    they should rate this movie pg

  3. I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Good lessons in helping each other. Scary separation and death of a mother...

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 4.0

    sad movie

    if you have kids that get scared easy or senceitive kids this probley is not for them but this is a cute movie

  5. I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

    Great Adventure for Kids!

    This movie is an underated film due to excessive sequels, but provides great entertainment for kids, particularly the ones that like dinosaurs. The opening sequence introduces dinosaurs very well. The movie follows littlefoot and his friends on their quest to the great valley. The film's villian, known as sharptooth, is a great adversary and is a threatning predator. He hunts the kids on their way to the valley. He won't scare kids that are five years or older, but his dramatic presence might creep out little ones. This movie is great, but don't let kids get hooked on the sequels... or else you'll have to watch them over...and over...and over.

  6. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title off for age 17 and give it 5.0

    this movie is so sad i cried my eyes out

    im not even kidding!!! this movie is the sadest movie i have ever!!! please take me seriously this movie is really sad!!

  7. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 4.0

    Okay for my 3 year old

    There are a few scary parts to this movie (as mentioned in other reviews). There is a T-Rex who chases Littlefoot's mother, and an earthquake ("earthshake"). The two combine to cause the demise of his mother, and also lead to several of the young dinosaurs becoming separated from their families. I allowed my 3 year old to watch this movie because she is a HUGE dinosaur fan. We paused the movie and discussed the scary parts as they happened. She had no problem understanding the relationship of carnivores eating "meat" and that they have few choices other than other dinosaurs. I was more concerned that the death of the mother longneck would bother her, but the fact that he still has his grandparents seemed to help glide past the issue - and frankly, just about every Disney movie begins with the death of a parent or the explanation that one has already died. I think that her disappearance would have gone unnoticed if I hadn't stopped the movie to talk about it. The main themes of the movie are positive - work together, celebrate diversity, and take risk (in the positive sense) to overcome obstacles. We enjoy this movie (and it's many sequels) as a family, and use the movies as an opportunity to discuss the positive message.

  8. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 5 and give it 3.0

    This was a fine movie that my 5.5 yr old son enjoyed. It has a good social message about getting along with those who are different from you and working together to achieve a common goal. Some young children might be scared by the T.Rex, but my son was okay with it, and we talked about predator-prey relationships in nature. ("The T.Rex isn't a mean bad guy, just hungry, the same way you are when you want to eat dinner.") I felt comfortable with him watching it, and it kept his interest.

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