 | 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. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Top Secret!
- Review Date: February 24, 2009
- PG
- Genre: Comedy
- 1984
Common Sense Media says
Silly spy spoof delivers near-nonstop stream of laughs.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the puns, one-liners, quips, and sight gags come fast and furious in this silly spy spoof from the same team that created the Airplane! films. Some of the material in the 1984 film is dated today, but most of the jokes hold up. Val Kilmer is impressive in this early role, singing, dancing, and demonstrating excellent comic timing. There are some off-color remarks and several scenes that have sexual images, though they are more ridiculous than erotic.
What's the story?
American teen idol Nick Rivers (Val Kilmer) is invited to perform at a cultural festival in Germany, unaware that the event is a diversion, and the dastardly Nazi organizers are secretly planning a surprise attack in this laugh-a-minute parody of World War II action flicks. After he arrives, Rivers meets a beautiful woman (Lucy Gutteridge), gets thrown into jail, discovers the top secret plot, and becomes involved with a band of daring resistance fighters who are trying to rescue an imprisoned scientist.
Is it any good?
If that sounds like a complicated mish-mash of plot threads, well, that's the point. The narrative structure in TOP SECRET! is really just a framework for the non-stop jokes. Yes, some of the lines are stinkers, and some must have seemed funnier in the 1980s than they do today. But there are so many jokes, puns, sly references, sight gags, and recurring bits that two or three strike home for every one that misses the mark.
The film was directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker, the same genius team that created this spoof genre with their earlier Airplane! movies. This model has been used over and over again, sometimes effectively (the first Scary Movie stands out) and sometimes not (hopefully nobody can Remember the Spartans). Some of the more recent entries in the field seem tired, trying to wring jokes out of obvious references to other pop culture touchstones, but early efforts like Top Secret! had strong scripts and still deliver plenty of laughs. A young Val Kilmer shines, singing, dancing, and delivering one ridiculous line after another with a completely straight face. And look for Omar Sharif in a small role as a nearly-indestructible secret agent.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about parody. Many of the jokes in this film are funny because of their sly references to other films. Is it possible to enjoy this movie without an understanding of pop culture and the common elements, and tired clichés, of World War II action movies? How has this genre evolved since this movie was released? Can you spot this formula at work in other, more recent parodies? Which ones pull it off well, and which ones fail to deliver?
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AGE
I loved this movie as a teenager, but as a parent--no way. LOTS of inappropriate things for kids that are not strongly cautioned against in the CSM review.
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AGE
SPOILERS BELOW - there are 3 scenes that I think are inappropriate for most children due to sexual content and I would have given this an R rating for those jokes. Otherwise it was pretty funny and would be fine for even some elementary aged kids (my opinion).
1) A man says he is unable to give his wife an orgasm and the hero hands him the "Anal Intruder" - a giant vibrator with a fisting attachment that he gets out and begins assembling.
2) The villain in the back of a cow suit has a calf come to nurse from the udders - and he obviously enjoys it.
3) Again with the villain in the back of the cow suit but this time a bull decides to mate with the cow.
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AGE
Some moments are inapproriate for children, but teens and older should have plenty of laughs
I remember seeing this back at the movies when I was in college so many years ago and it being one of the funniest movies I had ever seen. While some of the comedy has aged it is still full of hilarious moments. No profanity or nudity and the violence is cartoony. There are several sexual referances that would make this inappropriate for younger viewers.
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| Topics: | adventures |
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Directors: | David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams |
| Cast: | Lucy Gutteridge, Omar Sharif, Val Kilmer |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 8, 1984 |
| DVD release date: | July 16, 2002 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
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