 | 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. |
Avalon High
- Disney Channel
- Genre: Drama
Common Sense Media says
Modern Camelot-inspired tale has great messages for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there’s a lot to like about this tween-targeted movie based on the award-winning book by Meg Cabot. The characters embody positive traits like honesty, fairness, and a desire to find their unique place in the world. The story is rooted in Arthurian legend, exposing kids to the classic tale by making it more relatable with modern heroes and heroines. Viewers learn that some characters aren’t truly who they say they are, but overall the movie’s villains aren’t likely to scare kids, nor will the brief sword fights and other scuffles. Best of all, a final plot twist challenges assumed gender roles, again reflecting a more modern time and audience.
What's the story?
Allie Pennington (Britt Robertson) is used to being the new kid at school, since her parents’ jobs as professors of medieval history force them to move a lot. When they tell her she can finish out her high school years at Avalon High, she’s ecstatic about being settled for the first time. But a research project for history class turns up some surprising similarities between her new friends and the legend of King Arthur, and she begins to believe that Will (Gregg Sulkin), Jen (Molly Quinn), Lance (Chris Tavarez), and Miles (Joey Pollari) might just be the reincarnated roundtable clan. As the clues fall into place and the moment of enlightenment approaches, Allie is sure she’s on the right track, but the real truth is even more surprising than any of them could imagine.
Is it any good?
AVALON HIGH is excellent in its simplicity, reworking a classic legend to accommodate modern characters and society. The concept of an unwitting hero who gracefully handles the duties that accompany the title has wonderful messages for kids. Likewise, the predictably happy ending for all the characters reminds viewers that heroes exist in all degrees, whether their special talents are honesty, forgiveness, compassion, or self-sacrifice.
Of course, you can’t have an Arthurian tale without some romance or the fabled Excalibur, but neither violence nor sexual content is a concern here. What battles do exist are brief and mostly innocuous, and the romances only yield a few kisses. In short, this truly enjoyable story is a great choice for the whole family.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about legends. How much of the story of King Arthur do you believe? Where do you think legends get their start? Can legends like this one teach us anything?
Kids: Who was the hero in this story? What circumstances thrust him or her into a hero’s role? Were there other good role models as well? Who are some of your heroes?
This movie was adapted from a book. What other movies have you seen that were books first? Which ones do you think did the best job of making the change? How does seeing a movie about a book you’ve read change your impression of the setting, characters, and plot?
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Teen, 13 years old
January 3, 2011
AGE
i'm against it, others won't be
Well, I must say that I don't like this movie, because it is against God because of the "legend," just as the Revelation "legend" is. There's a prophesy written in a book, lots of signs happen, and then the King (King Arthur/Jesus) returns. Other than that, a cute movie little kids will get into with minor battles at the end. Kids will also learn about King Arthur. Even if I'm against the prophesy, I still recommend this to families who won't be bothered by that.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
November 15, 2010
AGE
Awesome Movie, Surprise Ending
This movie was amazing and the ending of it was even more amazing. They said it would be a shocker ending. I think little kids might be interesting, but confused of all the talking of King Arthur, but kids 8 and up would be interested
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 17 years old
November 16, 2010
AGE
A Decent Film Destroyed by Overzealous Feminist
As someone who loves the original legend and good adventure films, I have to say that I found this movie fairly entertaining, but still rather disappointing.
I found most of the parallels being developed in the film interesting, including the love triangle between "Will," "Jen" and "Lance." These were well thought out, and kept both the professor and the teenager in me entertained. The acting was decent, and it was loads of fun trying to catch the moments when Gregg Sulkin tripped up on his accent.
Now for the bad. Don't get me wrong. I love plot twists; the less predictable the better. However, good plot twists are ones that you don't see coming, but never the less make sense once they arrive. This was not that sort of plot twist. This twist tramples every last one of those carefully built parallels and leaves behind an utterly demolished story.
It is actually very sad, as this movie could have been fairly decent if the writers had not felt the need to ruin it with their absurd ending.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
January 9, 2011
AGE
Better than most DCOMs (3.5/4 stars)
It was predictable in some things, but overall I liked it. SPOILER alert: I don't understand how Ally could be the descendant of King Arthur. I know why they did it, but it doesn't make much ense. Like I said, though, a good film.
Violence: Some fantasy sword battles, but nothing bloody/goery is shown.
Sex: Some teens have crushes on one another; some kissing.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Parent of 7 year old
November 21, 2010
AGE
Nice introduction to classic story
My daughter had a lot of questions about the legend of King Arthur before the movie, so we explored those prior to watching. That gave her a little bit of the background, and I filled in some of the blanks. The twist at the end could have been handled a little better, but she got a kick out of it, and a strong, smart female lead character is not a bad thing.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 17 years old
November 17, 2010
AGE
Surprisingly delightful adaption for younger kids
Although the book will always be the best, I found myself liking this adaptation. Although the plot twist *spoilers!* with Allie as King Arthur and Mr. Moore as Mordrid was a little upsetting at first (what with Will and Marco, respectively, being the original incarnations), the movie was very well made and very enjoyable. The new edition of Miles as Merlin didn't detract from the story; it only enhanced it. Overall very well done, and very appropriate for younger kids who aren't yet old enough to read Meg Cabot's book.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
November 8, 2010
AGE
Sweet Romance
I say above eleven because I don;t think anyone younger would be interested in it.
I really liked this book. And it was clean. There is some kissing, but nothing outrageous. ;) It made me want to learn more about Camolt also, so it was education.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
Parent of 5 and 9 year old
November 13, 2010
AGE
Terrible ending to this movie
It would have been a cute movie, but the ending ruins it! My kids were confused and my husband and I were very put off by the ending.
Was this review useful?
|
|
Kid, 9 years old
November 16, 2010
AGE
Avalon High
Very Good Movie.Not The Right Time To Hit On Disney.I Wonder Why Disney Picked This Movie.Well This Movie Is Based On A Series Of Books.Now That Tells Me Its Not Disneys Fault For The Bad Ending.(WARNING:Spoiler Alerts Are Here.Suddenly Mordred Is Actually Not Will's Bro But Its The Professer.Then A Big Flash Comes And They Are In The King Aurther Time And Somehow It Was Allie All This Time.)Ok Spoiler Alerts Are Done And Thats It.6+
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 16 years old
December 27, 2010
AGE
great for kids 8+, ok for tweens and teens
I actually was surprised at the quality of this movie. I usually write off Disney Channel movies as mediocre acting and predictable plots. I have to say, for this movie, the actors/actresses were extremely good and the plot ended up being a total surprise from what I had predicted to happen. Sure, there were definitely scenes where the actors should have practiced a bit more because it was kind of bad acting. However, the majority of the movie was extremely well acted out. The actors and actresses seemed very realistic and relatable and I could feel what they were attempting to portray accurately. This movie also had an impressive message, encouraging individualism and friendship. The chemistry between the two main actors was also visible and it didn't seem odd or forced like other movies. A few light kisses here and there, it might make your six year old "eww!" a bit, but nothing terribly explicit or risque (it is after all a Disney movie). Okay, so there were also some pretty lame scenes which will probably cause some eyes to roll. I felt the ending kind of left some questions unanswered, which isn't a good trait in a movie. However, unless you have the mind of an adult, the chances of these questions popping up are slim to none. These questions aren't dirty per se, but they are definitely questions that shouldn't even have to come up in a children's movie. (If you watch the movie, you would understand exactly what I mean). If you're a kid, this movie would be highly entertaining. Unfortunately, the twist in the plot kind of ruined the movie for me, because it just turned the entire beginning and middle of the movie into shambles, making the movie a big mess of questions and gaps. Overall though, it is a movie that encourages children to be themselves and have good morals, and Disney has pulled off a keeper with this one. It appeals both to girls (strong female lead) and boys (football and swords... enough said) so it is definitely a movie to watch with your kids, as long as they don't ask too many questions.
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Topics: | magic and fantasy, friendship, high school |
| TV rating: | TV-G |
| Network: | Disney Channel |
| Cast: | Britt Robertson, Gregg Sulkin, Joey Pollari |
| Genre: | Drama |
Review It
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
