I'm just going to let you know, I usually rate movies for a higher age than I really think can watch it in case of sensitive kids or strict parents. My one-year-old niece loves this movie as much as I do... and that's saying something. This movie has no violence in it. Sure, the movie starts with a swordfight but no one gets hurt. The prince knocks someone off of the ship with the flat end of his sword, but but you can take this as, maybe, that the point of this fight isn't to chop up some veggies, it's whoever gets knocked off the ship is out!
It's also got a good Christian message. Now, now, don't you go telling me there's nothing Christian in this movie. This is just as Christian as Narnia, which can be found in all Christian bookstores. The King is God, the King of Kings. The King's children are God's children, Christians. The helpseeker, at times, represents prayer. And Robert the Terrible... guess who he is. Notice the Pirates don't really do much by themselves. They hit the button on the helpseeker and the King takes it from there. Everything the Pirates need, they are given by the King, who is God.
Rock monsters? No problem. The King will send something to distract them. ***SPOILER*** Eaten by a mechanical dragon? Just pull the lever. Cornered by a villain? There's a chandelier right above you. **SPOILER OVER** More subtle, if you need a captain because your original cap'n was kidnapped, a hero will be sent to you who just happens to have read a few books on the subject. ***SPOILER*** The King himself hints that he sent the lever to save Elliot from the contraption, the crab to show Sedgewick the cave exit, and the chandelier, too. The King actually is God, so he can do stuff like that. **SPOILER OVER** Sorry that half of this review is a spoiler, I'm just trying to make a point here. This movie has more morals than you might notice.
It says that God will take care of you, if you let Him, and he'll help you do the right thing, if you let Him. (The "if you let Him"s were my own addition, the movie didn't say that.) The path God chooses for you may not be easy but He will guide you safely through anything and everything you face. ***IN THE END,*** the heroes learn their lessons. George learns self-confidence. Sedgewick learns not to be lazy and to never give up. Elliot faces his fears to save his friends, even though he's scared of just about everything. Willory learns not to judge a book by its cover. I, myself, picked up a little something about "tests". When Elliot is on the beach and the helpseeker says he can go home if he wants, even though his friends still need his help, the King says that was a test, which he passed with flying colors. If this doesn't make sense now, it will when you see the movie. SPOILER OVER** Huh, the review's over too. Go figure.