 | 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. |
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
- Review Date: October 24, 2006
- NR
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2006
Common Sense Media says
Inventive movie that families can watch together.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while this entertaining made-for-TV movie portrays a loving family and good values -- such as embracing your heritage -- it also has some violence in the form of martial arts fighting against an evil spirit. Aside from the Asian family at the center of the movie, there are no other minority lead characters. Wendy herself is a strong, relatable female lead.
What's the story?
In Disney's original made-for-TV movie WENDY WU: HOMECOMING WARRIOR, headstrong, down-to-earth teen Wendy (Brenda Song) is running for homecoming queen against her popular archrival, Jessica (Ellen Woglom). Wendy's days are spent devising campaign strategies with her friends and baking cupcakes for potential student voters. But Wendy finds herself at a crossroads after she's visited by a Chinese monk named Shen (Shin Koyamada) who tells her that she's the descendent of a powerful female warrior and the only person who can stop an ancient evil spirit from destroying the world. After relenting to Shen's pressure, Wendy undergoes kung fu training while balancing her social life. But slowly, as she realizes the importance of heritage and priorities, she begins to lose interest in being homecoming queen and instead puts all her energies into getting rid of the evil spirit that challenges her at every turn.
Is it any good?
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior has something for everyone. Parents will be pleased at the strong, loving partnership of Wendy's parents, while Shen and Wendy's deepening feelings will satisfy romantics. Finally, martial arts buffs will get their fill of expertly choreographed kung fu moves that saturate many scenes.
The characters are likeable and exhibit strong values (Wendy's grandmother lives with her parents and her brother), and in Wendy audiences will find a perfectly contemporary -- and relatable -- heroine. Wendy learns a valuable lesson when she must choose between upholding a family tradition and pursuing her dream of being homecoming queen.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the importance of learning about your background. Where are your kids' grandparents from? How did your family arrive in the United States? Another theme this movie explores is priorities. How can kids juggle school and extracurricular activities and make good time-management choices?
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 12 years old
February 4, 2010
AGE
I love to rewatch it.
It's feminine and powerful!
But some little kids might think it's a little scary. Personally, I love that it focuses on a modern Asian girl.
I love martial arts, and it wooed me and I felt like I could climb the rim of a fence just like her someday and face an evil spirit when I first saw it.
It's a great movie to watch with your kids, parents... A really good family movie, but might bore teens a little.
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AGE
IFFY for 8 ON for 9.
a great and funny and action packed movie. there is a little bit to much crushes and vilonce for kids under 8 though. So this movie is OFF for 7 and under. IFFY for 8 and ON for 9.
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AGE
Okay
This is one of those movies that gets old very quickly. Parents, this movie is pretty violent and there are evil characters with scary voices that can frighten your child. It's just a little too scary for young children. There is no bad language. The good part is that Wendy Wu (Brenda Song) is a very strong, good role model for kids, especially girls. She doesn't lose her determination.
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AGE
Everybody loved it
My nine year old daughter LOVED this movie; the six year old thought it was "really cool". The 11 year old complained but stayed to watch.
I am bored to tears by martial arts, so the big fight scene at the end didn't thrill me as much as it did the kids. It was well choreographed, though, and no blood was spilled. Watch out; your kids might want to practice some of the moves. I had to remind mine about Hollywood vs. reality.
Lots of good stuff to talk about: Wendy's boyfriend is REALLY shallow, and they break up once Wendy has more important things to do than look cute (plus, her "cousin" Shen is around taking an interest in her as a person, not just a trophy). The parents love each other and Grandma is a supportive background presence. Wendy learns to embrace her Asian heritage without turning her back on American style.
All in all, a good family flick.
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AGE
Nice.
Not the best kung-fu film, but good effort.
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AGE
BORING!
Wendy Wu is a waste of time. Brenda Song is playing the same character she plays in the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. And the stunts are so fake. And when Wendy finally gets to be homecoming queen, everthing she wanted in the whole movie, she gives it away to her enemy, who isn't even grateful for it. Little kids will love this, but older kids will just be bored!
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AGE
Great teen girl heroine of color!
Great teen girl heroine of color (Brenda Song as Wendy Wu) who is active and ambitious about her goals and not just interested in boys. The "violence" is not the kind of violence that is a problem for kids to see — it is actually quite inspiring to see this kind of martial arts on film and I am always trying to find films for my daughters to watch that tell stories about girls pursuing their dreams and not just being rescued by boys or trying to marry the prince.
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| Topics: | sports and martial arts |
| Studio: | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment |
| Director: | John Laing |
| Cast: | Brenda Song, Shin Koyamada, Tsai Chin |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 91 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 16, 2006 |
| DVD release date: | October 24, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
| MPAA explanation: | not rated |
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