Common Sense Media Review
By Tom Cassidy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Body horror, addiction, and language in French bloody drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Alpha
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When ALPHA, a 13-year-old girl (Mélissa Boros), gets an amateur tattoo at a party, it sparks panic in a world where a mysterious blood virus is spreading. Alpha's mom (Golshifteh Farahani) is a nurse who must balance her concern about her daughter with care for her brother, Amin (Tahar Rahim), who is living with heroin addiction.
Is It Any Good?
This French body-horror drama quietly conjures an atmosphere of dread and anxiety, rooted in virus paranoia and substance addiction. Alpha is seen through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl, played brilliantly by Boros, as she navigates school, friendships, bullies, and relationships by day. At night, the return of her uncle, who is living with heroin addiction, brings further strain and instability to her family life. Looming over everything is the fear that she may have contracted a deadly blood virus spreading across the world and fueling mass panic. These themes clearly echo crises such as AIDS and COVID-19, explored here with thoughtfulness in another ambitious film from writer-director Julia Ducournau.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the body horror elements in Alpha. How did they make you feel? Did you find them scary? What's the appeal of this genre?
How was drug addiction handled in the movie? What impact did that have on how you saw the character Amin?
Discuss the characters' fear of the infection. The film has been compared to historical cases of infection and panic, such as AIDS in the 1980s and COVID-19 in the 2020s. What do you think the filmmaker is trying to say about this?
How did the movie portray sex and relationships? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 27, 2026
- On DVD or streaming : April 14, 2026
- Cast : Tahar Rahim , Golshifteh Farahani , Mélissa Boros
- Director : Julia Ducournau
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Middle Eastern/North African Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Neon
- Genre : Horror
- Topics : Family Stories ( Moms , Siblings , Single Parents )
- Run time : 128 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : drug content, sexual material, language and some underage drinking
- Last updated : March 26, 2026
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