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Parents' Guide to

Collateral Damage

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Schwarzenegger in very violent vigilante film.

Movie R 2002 105 minutes
Collateral Damage Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

4Spice
4Spice Adult
September 7, 2010
age 15+

great movie

you like action watch this movie you wont regret it 15 and over for intense violence and some strong language
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Gordy, a fireman whose wife and son are killed when a bomb goes off in a terrorist attack. As he becomes convinced that the government will not do anything to bring justice to the man responsible, a Colombian nicknamed "The Wolf," Gordon decides to get justice for himself, by finding The Wolf and killing him.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

The movie is too close to reality to be able to enjoy it as pure entertainment and too far from reality to be able to get any feeling of satisfaction from it. The original release of COLLATERAL DAMAGE was delayed following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. It may still be too soon -- in fact, it may never be possible to be as casual about fictional terrorism again.

It is very formulaic. Gordy is told of the insurmountable obstacles. He surmounts them. Viewers see how bad a guy the bad guy really is. Gordy is very clever and utterly unstoppable. The movie tries to make a connection between Gordon and The Wolf. Both are formerly gentle and loving men who became killers after losing children. The Wolf even asks Gordon how they are different. Gordon replies, "Because I am just going to kill you." The best parts of the movie are the brief appearances by John Turturro as a Canadian mechanic and John Leguizamo as a charming cocaine producer. The decision not to allow Gordon to carry a weapon provides for some moments of creativity in the plot. But Arnold is getting too old for this kind of thing, and, given our recent experiences, audiences may feel that they are, too.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the impulse for revenge and how to determine the best way to respond to terrorism. Were any of The Wolf's claims legitimate, even if his tactics were not? Do all conflicts create "collateral damage?"

Movie Details

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