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Parents' Guide to

Captain Nova

By Jennifer Green, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Dutch sci-fi mystery has some peril, language.

Movie NR 2022 85 minutes
Captain Nova Movie Poster

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Captain Nova Movie: Scene #1
  • Captain Nova Movie: Scene #2
  • Captain Nova Movie: Scene #3

Community Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Natalie Wallis
Natalie Wallis Parent of 10-year-old
March 31, 2023
age 8+

Fun educational movie

I quite enjoyed it and my son did too. The characters are endearing. I read a previous review that there are plot holes to do with time travel which might frustrate older kids. That's really the case with all time travel movies though. l think it's better to just remind kids to suspend disbelief, take it as fiction and think about the overall message.
AlexTTFish
AlexTTFish Parent of 8 and 12-year-old
September 14, 2022
age 8+

Too slow for young kids, too unsatisfying for older ones

Curiously slow-paced and might not hold the attention of younger viewers. But older viewers will have questions about the several plot holes or strange choices the characters make. Even if Nova hadn't had the "unforeseen consequence of time travel" it's hard to see how her original plan was expected to work; and later uses of the future technology make you think the characters could have done things rather differently if they'd thought a bit more. A scene where the main character gets shot and ends up in hospital could be distressing. There's also discussion in the future of a bird skeleton and what these creatures called "birds" used to be which our animal-loving child would have been upset by, although that's probably deliberate to drive home the climate danger.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

CAPTAIN NOVA is a 37-year-old astronaut (Anniek Pheifer) sent back 25 years in time to try to save the earth from environmental disaster. When she lands, she is 12 years old again (her younger self is played by Kika van de Vijver). A boy her age named Nas (Marouane Meftah) finds her crashed spaceship and is enlisted by Nova's intelligent drone to help her, despite the military fast on their trail. Nova's mission is to find the man responsible for drilling in the North Pole, which inadvertently accelerates global warming, and stop him. What she encounters along the way, and the dismissive manner with which people treat her as a child, surprise her, as will the changes to her life when she returns.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

You have to suspend disbelief to enjoy this Dutch sci-fi mystery, but young viewers who do that could enjoy it and also pick up some healthy environmental messages. There are just a few too many unanswered questions, or unexplained actions, in Captain Nova to make this film anywhere near believable for older audiences. But as a kid-centered genre movie, it has some positive lessons about bravery, standing up for one's beliefs, empowering kids, and taking care of our environment. Some of the humor even manages to translate, like a freeze-gun that kids say puts adults on pause, giving them time to ponder their lives and careers. Some plot twists in both time frames offer added human drama.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the idea of time travel, as seen in Captain Nova. Do you believe time travel could be possible, and, if so, could someone from the future appear in our time?

  • What did you think of the portrayal of the future and some of the equipment Nova has -- did it feel 25 years in the future? Why or why not?

  • Nova and Nas are dismissed as climate activists. Do you think the film is sending a message about giving more credence to what such activists are saying? What other environmental messages does the film have?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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