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The Wicker Man

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 16, age appropriate for kids over 18; suggested age 16.

  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    Horror remake about murderous cult. Not for kids.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 16–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Women in cult appear to subjugate "their" men and set up Edward for human sacrifice; Edward tries to "help people," but ends up easily fooled by ex-fiancée.
  • Violence:

    Car smashed by a truck in front of Edward, then bursts into flames (he sees versions of this trauma repeatedly, as flashbacks); Edward finds a bloodied corpse; Edward pulls his gun on a girl to get her bike; Edward is allergic to bees and attacked by a swarm, leaving him swollen, unconscious, near dead; Edward fights with several women near end, kicking and slamming them into walls and to the floor; Edward is beset by a swarm of women, bloodied, beaten, and tied up; Edward is set on fire (by a little girl) and screams as he burns to death (from a distance, his figure is recognizable).
  • Sex:

    Schoolgirls recite that men represent a "phallic symbol" island women seek to perform a "fertility ritual" a couple kisses (standing and clothed).
  • Language:

    One f-word, plus several instances of "s--t," "hell," and "damn."
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Cop smokes cigarette; Edward takes prescription drugs following his trauma; he drinks "mead" ("honey, herbs, and whatnot"); extras drink in bar.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of The Wicker Man was written by Cynthia Fuchs

Parents need to know that the plot sets up an agrarian cult of women who sacrifice humans and animals to a "fertility goddess." The eventual sacrifice is harrowing, as the victim is dragged, beaten, tied up, and burned to death (this scene is potentially scary for kids, as it uses sounds and blackouts). The film begins with a violent accident, in which a car with a mother and child inside is slammed by a truck and catches fire; this scene repeats as the witness/cop suffers flashbacks throughout the film. Island women menace the cop, who responds by pulling his gun and eventually fighting them physically. The cop discovers a dead body with bloody eyes (in close-up). Several tense scenes and arguments. One f-word; assorted other profanities.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about the functions of cults in popular culture. How is Edward an ideal victim for this group, as he wants to "help people"? Why might it be significant that the women are associated with "fertility"? Why are horror movies so popular in general?
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More on The Wicker Man

What’s the Story?

Neil LaBute's remake of a 1973 cult favorite begins as California traffic cop Edward Malus (Nicolas Cage) tries to help a woman and her young blond daughter on the highway, only to see them smashed and burned in a terrible car accident. Traumatized, he suffers nightmares and an unidentified nervous condition for which he takes prescription pills; this makes him ill-equipped to deal with a new case, namely, the missing daughter of his ex-fiancée, Willow (Kate Beahan). Yet, he finds a way to the isolated island where she lives among a community of bee-keeping women led by Sister Summersisle (Ellen Burstyn) and endeavors to locate little Rowan (Erika-Shaye Gair).

Is It Any Good?

THE WICKER MAN might best be described as one man's hysteria. Edward means well, insisting that he wants to "help people." But his efforts only lead him into trouble with a cult of malevolent women who outsmart him at every turn. With a softness that is both emotional and physical (he's allergic to bees, and rendered unconscious more than once), Edward is increasingly afraid and chaotic in his affect and appearance. But he's stuck, an unusual man forced to be usual (his last ditch efforts to fight the women physically are so overstated that they seem comic). Although he's initially a sensitive man who wants to be heroic, Edward is stuck inside a retro gender dynamic: evil women versus inept men.

Deducing that Rowan has been kidnapped and will be sacrificed at an upcoming fertility ritual, he makes a series of predictable choices, bicycling heroically from site to site in search of evidence, but, as he puts it, "Every time I turn my head, there's something that doesn't make any sense." Exactly.

Movie Details

Studio: Warner Bros., Director: Neil LaBute
Run time: 97 minutes
Theatrical release: 9/1/2006, DVD release: 12/19/2006
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for disturbing images and violence, language and thematic issues

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title iffy for age 12 and give it 4.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    pretty good

    this movie isnt as bad a people are saying. its not really scary just creepy throughout the whole thing. SPOILER!!! in the end the one character is burned to death as an offering. that parts kinda disturbing. but other than that its not really that bad, especially if its one of your first scary movies. id recommend it.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title off and give it 1.0

  3. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in North Carolina
    I rate this title off and give it 2.0

    Waste of time

    Aside from this movie being semi-inappropriate, it was just bad. It portrays men as evil or mindless, does little to provide insight on parts of plot (or lack thereof), and has scenes that aren't tied to the rest of the movie.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title off and give it .0

    a waste of my life.

    i seriously wouldn't even bother with this movie. dont waste yourmoney on it. its the worst. the whole plot was bad and so was everything else. i hated it to be honest. i almost fell asleep.

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Georgia
    I rate this title on and give it 2.0

    This movie was horrable! I don't recomend it to anyone! Two stars is a generous rating!

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