Overall, this movie is awful. It doesn't know whether to be a movie about policial intrigue, soldiers returning from war, or medical sci fi, and it's unconvincing at all of them. The violoence is gratuitous. many actions are unexplained or unexplainable, suggested incestual desires are at least distracting if not repugnant. Not even Meryl and Denzel could make this one work.
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The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
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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 15, age appropriate for kids over 17; suggested age 16. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Sleek remake is best for older teens and up.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 16–17
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Parents need to know that this movie is a thriller with intense and graphic violence, including many murders (gunshot, strangling, drowning) and injuries. Characters drink, smoke, and use drugs. There's some very strong language. A strength of the movie is its portrayal of strong, intelligent, loyal, and capable women and minorities.
Read our full review by Nell Minow
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about how this movie compares to the original and thow each film is a reflection of its times. Marco says, "I thought I knew who the enemy was." Who was the enemy? What does the choice of bad guy tell us? Is an "emotionally compromised past" a "terrible burden" from which someone must be freed?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title off for age 2 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Negative role models
Skip it.
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Sloppy Remake, could be PG-13
I dont understand why this movie was so well recieved. They did not do a good job explaining the complex plot, resulting in an anticlimactic ending. The editing and camera work were bothersome, and both the acting and plot where dry despite the good cast. Some scenes were so lame I almost thought they were supposed to be funny. Content wise, I thought it could be PG-13. There is one very bizzare, unrealistic battle scene (later revealed as fake) with no blood. One scene has brainwashed man drown two close friends. Two killed by gunshot, very little blood on bodies. Two horrifying murders where a man is programed to strangle his friend (VERY disturbing, vomiting blood/bleeding from eyes) while his friends look on and do nothing. No sex, drugs, or drinking. A few s---s and one f--- (not that bad).
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
Not that good...
There really isn't anything bad in this movie exept violence. There are graphic killings. It's been over a year since i've seen it but I remember these graphic prison killings (one man is tied to a chair and suffocated by another man and it is shown graphicly). Violence dosen't bother me much, but this movie is graphic.
- I rate this title on for age 17 and give it
- I rate this title off for age 17 and give it
Disturbing, not worth the money.
I am 18 years old and went to see this movie thinking it was a political thriller. I was very wrong. The movie tells the story of Marco, a soldier who fought in Kuwait. Since the war, he has been haunted by dreams of what really happened, and is apparently on medication. The movie throws in several "twists" which seemed to be there only to make the audience jump and disturb them. The director focused on the gruesome, even showing in detail a very grotesque strangling, which should've been hinted at, or even left out completely. The characters left something to be desired, since you spent the whole movie trying to figure out who was crazy and who the bad guys were. I left this movie feeling sick, and wish I'd never spent the money.
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents don't feel there are good role models |
| 100% | of parents don't think the messages are positive |
| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
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