Maverick (PG, 1994)
common sense media says
'90s Western offers a few laughs and so-so adventure.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie's sole purpose is to be entertaining. It's filled with old-time Western action, but it's played for fun here. There are lots of fistfights, shootings, steely-eyed bad guys, coiled hissing snakes, and even a literal "cliffhanger" (one character hangs over a steep gorge for what seems like forever). Occasionally someone dies, but the object here is to keep real violence to a minimum and overstate the battles for humorous effect. There are sexual innuendos, some passionate kissing, a bare chest (male) and a bare shoulder (female), and some cigar smoking. The Native Americans wear war paint, howl, and shake their fists at the sky, but it's delivered to parody the stereotypes that show up in other Westerns.
Positive role models:
The leading female character is portrayed as independent, capable, and smart, though often dishonest. The heroes are con artists, bluffers, and rogues, though good men, honest, and loyal at heart.
Violence:
Mostly light-hearted jeopardy and action including extended sequence on runaway stagecoach; barroom brawls; man prepped for hanging with snakes hissing at his feet; explosion during a bank robbery; fight on the edge of a cliff; casino shoot-out. Some deaths occur during gunplay, but there's no blood and none of the scenes focus on bodies or injuries.
Sex:
A few passionate kisses culminating in a scene played for humor in which there's suggested off-camera sexual activity; we see a bare male chest along with bare female shoulders. Some sexual innuendo, including one reference to penis size that should go over the heads of most kids.
Language:
Infrequent, mild profanity, including "piss," "s--t," "bastards," "whorehouse," "asshole,""son of a bitch,""damn," "jackass," "hell."
Consumerism:
Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Occasional background drinking in bar. Suggested drunkenness in one scene. Some cigar smoking.
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Review It
Most useful reviews by all members
Dr3w
adult
adult
Fun, but not harmless.
This is an awesome film with lots of good action and humor. It it a little too long and the last fifteen minutes or so could have been cut, but still a good film. The violence isn't the biggest issue here since it is bloodless and scarcely anyone gets killed in the film's entire length (those that do die in bloodless old western style). However, the language and sexual content in this film are just too strong for me to give this film a pass. There is a sexual interlude between Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster that (although no nudity is visible) is just plain inappropriate. There are also some fairly lewd innuendos. Cursing is not terribly frequent and never enters PG-13 territory, but it's still there and I had a hard time getting around it. There are much worse films out there, but there are much better films out there too. A good comparison for this film in terms of content would be a less violent Indiana Jones.
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LegosRUs
parent of 10 and 13 year old
parent of 10 and 13 year old
Lots of laughs.
Fun movie, my husband and kids love it.
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