Pocahontas
Parents say
Based on 18 reviews
Kids say
Based on 42 reviews
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Pocahontas is a music-laden love story that might be engaging to certain fans of the mid-'90s Disney character (voiced by Irene Bedard), but keep an eye out for the movie's violence and anti-Native language. Much of the plot revolves around two warring factions, so expect to see sharpening and brandishing weapons, fighting, and shoot-outs as well as frequent anti-Native terminology like "dirty savages" and "filthy heathens." This film is a love story, so main characters share kisses and close body language. This historical inaccuracy might leave viewers believing that the historical figure Pocahontas fell in love with John Smith in real life. She did not: She was an 11- or 12-year-old child named Matoaka when John Smith's ship landed.
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What's the Story?
Disney's animated POCAHONTAS centers on the titular daughter of Chief Powhatan (Russell Means, who is enrolled Oglala Sioux), who isn't happy with her upcoming arranged marriage to Kocoum (voiced by James Apaumut Fall). British colonizers arrive in the area, and Pocahontas (Irene Bedard, enrolled member of the Native Village of Koyuk) falls for John Smith (Mel Gibson). Meanwhile, greedy Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) is certain that the Native people have access to gold and is determined to get his hands on the treasure. Pocahontas and John Smith meet in secret, and, when they're discovered, it creates a dangerous tension between the British colonizers and the Powhatan people. The only hope for preventing war lies with Smith's and Pocahontas' actions.
Is It Any Good?
Children may lean toward The Lion King's menagerie of cute talking animals before embracing this history-based tale from Disney, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own lures. A frisky raccoon and a scene-stealing hummingbird contribute nothing of import to the story but succeed in livening up what might otherwise have been a fairly somber tale.
This is a movie less concerned with booing the bad guys than with cheering on the heroes. The villain isn't a single entity; Ratcliffe embodies the type of greed, ignorance, and hostility that still hurts people today. The film's message is that peace and tolerance are goals well worth striving for, but its historical inaccuracies, anti-Native language, and use of clichés like the "magical Native" trope make for less-than-ideal representation.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the film's historical inaccuracies. For example, the Union Jack flag hadn't yet been adopted in the early 17th century. Do such details bother you?
In what ways do British colonizers harm the Indigenous Powhatan people and their land?
Why does knowing Pocahontas' real name, age, and story matter? Does that change how you see her relationship to John Smith?
What parts of Pocahontas' culture and community are important to her? How do Powhatan people show respect for one another?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 6, 2000
- On DVD or streaming: June 6, 2000
- Cast: Christian Bale, Irene Bedard, Mel Gibson
- Director: Mike Gabriel
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Adventures, History, Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 81 minutes
- MPAA rating: G
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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The Lion King (1994)
Musical king-of-the-beasts blockbuster is powerful, scary.
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Beauty and the Beast
Disney fave has great music, strong messages, some scares.
For kids who love strong heroines
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