The Strongest Man in the World

Review

Common Sense Media says

Dexter Riley trilogy falls flat in its final installment.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that although this film is geared toward kids, it has less to do with its youthful main character, Dexter Riley, than the fictional cereal companies that are vying for a strength formula he created in science class. Watch out for the belittling portrayal of Asian-American culture.

  • Positive messages0
    Dated, problematic stereotypes of Asian culture pop up here, especially when the villians go to Chinatown to get help in brainwashing a character. Though Aunt Harriet is the CEO of a cereal company, there are few women or girls with any lines in this dated film. Dexter lives in a house with all white guys, and all of his friends are white.
  • Violence & scariness0
    Dexter throws mobster thugs around the laboratory and destroys the room and equipment.
  • Sexy stuff0
    Dexter holds hands with his girlfriend.
  • Language0
    Characters call each other "idiot," "numbskull,""stupid."
  • Consumerism0
    The premise behind the plot is to create a formula that can be added to a consumable food product to increase strength and stamina. Most of the adults in the film are portrayed as money oriented and ruthless.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking0
    The strength potion taken by the characters could be termed a drug, since it creates physical changes after it's consumed. Cigar smoking by older male character.
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What's the story?

Dexter Riley (Kurt Russell) and his pals have been working in the science lab at Medfield College making vitamin-rich feed for a cow named Ruthie Bell to help her gain weight and produce more milk. Dean Higgins (Joe Flynn) discovers the cost of their experiments and shuts their lab down, firing their favorite teacher. Then, quite by accident, Dexter eats a bowl of the cereal laced with the strength formula, and before you can say Snap, Crackle, Pop he finds he has supernatural strength. Dean Higgins brings the formula to a cereal company, and the stealing of secrets and scheming ensue in this mid-70's caper.

Is it any good?

 

Not as strong as the other two films in the Dexter Riley series, THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD spends more time characterizing the buffoonery of adults than paying attention to the kids who are watching the film. In fact, Kurt Russell spends less time on screen than his many co-stars. Modern day kids might be bored by the lame special effects and the many minutes spent in board meetings with old white men.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about whether foods like breakfast cereals can really do everything that they promise. What other kinds of products make such lofty promises? Is Dexter cheating when he takes the strength formula before he performs in the weight-lifting contest?

This review was written by Joly Herman
Teen, 16 years old
December 27, 2011
AGE
12
 
Greatest movie ever!!!
I love this movie soooooooooo much!!!!
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This review was written by Joly Herman
Topics:magic and fantasy
Studio:Walt Disney Pictures
Director:Vincent McEveety
Cast:Eve Arden, Joe Flynn, Kurt Russell
Genre:Family and Kids
Run time:92 minutes
Theatrical release date:January 5, 1975
DVD release date:May 4, 1975
MPAA rating:G
MPAA explanation:General Audiences
This review was written by Joly Herman
 

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ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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