 | 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. |
The Wicker Man
- Review Date: December 18, 2006
- PG-13
- Genre: Horror
- 2006
Common Sense Media says
Horror remake about murderous cult. Not for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
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.
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.
What families can talk about
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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AGE
This movie was horrable! I don't recomend it to anyone! Two stars is a generous rating!
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AGE
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.
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Kid, 12 years old
January 30, 2011
AGE
a horror movie pushes PG-13 limits ifft for ages 17.
this movie is good but people kill a man at the end and i swear it was nicolas cage.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
I wish i never watched this.
The begining and middle was great. It was easy to get caught up and want to wach. But the end was HORIBLE. I was angry about how it ended. I advise you to DO NOT WATCH THIS!!!!
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AGE
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.
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AGE
BORD
I could not keep track of what was happining. The enging of the movie through off the hole movie and made it TERRIBLE ! ! ! ! ! !
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AGE
Shouldn't even been made
This movie was seriously the worst movie i have ever seen.I think this movie should never have been made. It was stupid, weird, and just plain right wrong. The idea in this movie was where this community of women believed in an island goddess and the women find men and get pregnant with them. Then they trick the men into believing that they are going to sacrifice there daughters but there actually trying to sacrifice the men.Now is that something you would want to watch i dont think so. So take my word for it and dont buy or watch this stupid movie. You'll regret it. Im sure i do.
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Neil LaBute |
| Cast: | Ellen Burstyn, Leelee Sobieski, Nicolas Cage |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 97 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | September 1, 2006 |
| DVD release date: | December 19, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | disturbing images and violence, language and thematic issues |
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