Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Dystopian action thriller chokes; gun violence, swearing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Breathe (2024)
What's the Story?
Three years after Earth is depleted of oxygen, Maya (Jennifer Hudson) and her daughter, Zora (Quvenzhané Wallis), are thriving inside their Brooklyn bunker thanks to the oxygen generator built by husband/father Darius (Common). Two months after Darius goes missing, three armed strangers show up claiming to be his work colleagues and beg to be let inside so that they can examine and learn from the generator he built to save their own community. Maya and Zora must decide whether to put their own survival at risk to help.
Is It Any Good?
While it's not particularly good, this thriller mixes the philosophies of the Boy Scouts and Malcolm X to put an exclamation point on the importance of education and preparedness. (In other words, Breathe is kind of the movie that doomsday preppers have been waiting for.)
But while the movie's concept is solid and the cinematography is rich, something is off. The story and character choices don't quite make sense. Ridiculous shoot-outs detract from the credibility. And the dialogue feels like it was improvised—not because it's especially clever, but because the script isn't working. The stars have solid resumes, but here they're hung out to dry. That's too bad, because Breathe's message is an important one: If we really care about our kids, we should take care of the planet for them now, rather than try to protect them after it's too late.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the impact of the violence in Breathe. Would the story have been as powerful if it had been less violent? How does it compare to what you've seen in other thrillers?
Where do you stand on being prepared for a disaster? Can you be overprepared? If so, what does that mean?
What makes this an empowering Black narrative? Why is diverse representation in the media important?
How does the family demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork to survive? How do the strangers try to tap into Maya and Zora's compassion? What do you think would have happened if Maya had just let them in?
Talk about the current state of our ecosystem. What can we do to fight climate change?
Movie Details
- In theaters : April 26, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : April 26, 2024
- Cast : Jennifer Hudson , Quvenzhane Wallis , Milla Jovovich , Sam Worthington
- Director : Stefon Bristol
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Variance Films
- Genre : Thriller
- Topics : STEM
- Run time : 93 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : bloody violence and strong language
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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