Parents' Guide to

Assassination Nation

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Brutal, violent, intense dark satire about human hysteria.

Movie R 2018 110 minutes
Assassination Nation Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 3 parent reviews

izzyman1024
izzyman1024 Adult
November 3, 2020
age 15+

assassination nation is good for mature 15+ year olds

To me, assassination is a movie about the dangers of social media if you would let your kids watch it discuss to them whats happening throughout the movie. assassination nation is a movie about violence, sexual content, lots of language, picture nudity, and gore overall the rape jokes and the oral sex parts are the only bad things in the movie if you like action movies with blood sprays and gore and suspense you should totally watch it but if your kids is mature not to do the things that are done in this movie they must be ok but parents its totally your decision to if you want your kids to watch it

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Luke S.
Luke S. Adult
October 10, 2018
age 15+

very good little voilent but less than the purge

This film had a great positive message and was amazing right for any 15 year old with good message about social media safety but it's curse more than violence

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In ASSASSINATION NATION, Lily (Odessa Young) explains that she and her three best friends -- Bex (Hari Nef), Sarah (Suki Waterhouse), and Em (Abra) -- may not make it through the night in their town of Salem. In flashback, viewers see high school students obsessed with partying, sex, drugs, and social media. When someone hacks the mayor's computer and spreads his dirty secrets all over town, he kills himself and ignites an online firestorm. Next, the beloved high school principal's (Colman Domingo) personal info is leaked. Then thousands of accounts are hacked, and Lily's flirty, texting relationship with an older married man is revealed. After someone figures out that most of the town's computer activity is coming from Lily's home, suddenly everyone is out to kill her and her friends. Can the violence be stopped?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (7):

Not the first (or last) movie to tackle social media hysteria, this violent, satirical entry ramps things up. It asks questions about primitive mob mentality and the thirst for revenge, as well as the meaning of identity. Written and directed by Sam Levinson (son of Barry), Assassination Nation layers on the teen partying, sex, etc., and includes lots of flash, crazy camera angles, and wild editing, but somehow it doesn't seem exploitative. (To wit: When one teen girl has sex with the boy she's been dreaming about, and it doesn't go as magically as she'd planned, she's given a moment to herself to cry.)

These teen characters are constantly on their phones, yes, but the movie is about more than the dangers of social media. It includes a quote (uncredited, but from Susan Sontag) about how 10 percent of any population is merciful, 10 percent is cruel, and 80 can be moved in either direction. So, really, this movie is about how, despite people's belief that they're good, people can easily talk themselves into committing terrible acts in the name of righteousness. (Even the main character's own parents throw her out at one point.) This is a big, heavy theme to place on the heads of four teen girls in a violent, dark comedy, and the movie sometimes gets smooshed under its weight, but the end result is still undeniably visceral, undeniably effective, and undeniably timely.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Assassination Nation's violence. Does it seem gratuitous, or is it intended to make a particular point/send a message? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • What are the dangers and/or benefits of social media? How important is privacy?

  • How is teen sex portrayed? Are the characters responsible? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • How is teen substance use portrayed? Are drinking and smoking glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

  • What is "mob mentality"? Have you ever found yourself going along with a crowd, even if they were doing or saying something you wouldn't ordinarily do or say? Why/how do you think that happens?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: September 21, 2018
  • On DVD or streaming: December 17, 2018
  • Cast: Odessa Young, Bill Skarsgård, Suki Waterhouse
  • Director: Sam Levinson
  • Studio: Neon
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Run time: 110 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: disturbing bloody violence, strong sexual material including menace, pervasive language, and for drug and alcohol use - all involving teens
  • Last updated: June 1, 2023

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