Parents' Guide to

Condorito: The Movie

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Appeal of silly, suggestive comic is lost in translation.

Movie PG 2018 88 minutes
Condorito: The Movie Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 6+

Based on 1 parent review

Hr M.
Hr M. Adult
January 12, 2018
age 6+

Awesome entertainment for kids and for adults. Great humor. a must see if you are a Latino

Great values, great story,
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

CONDORITO: THE MOVIE is an animated film based on a popular, decades-old Chilean comic strip about an anthropomorphic condor who lives in the fictional village of Pelotillehue. The opening prologue reveals that Condorito is, in fact, the descendant of a "featherless condor" who saved humanity from an alien overlord attack during pre-Columbian times. That original condor was able to steal and bury an alien amulet of unlimited power, thereby putting a stop to the aliens' ability to enslave humans -- or other galactic creatures. Fast-forward to the present, and the aliens have returned. They track down Condorito (voiced by Omar Chaparro), who's a laid-back soccer player with a serious girlfriend, Yayita (Jessica Cediel). When the aliens call Condorito and demand the amulet in exchange for anything he desires, Condorito assumes it's a wireless company's spam call and says he'll agree to the exchange if Yayita's overbearing mother, Tremebunda (Coco Legrand), is taken away. Later that day, during a birthday celebration for Treme, the aliens abduct her and instruct Condorito to find the amulet. Of course, this lands Condorito in hot water with a devastated Yayita, who breaks up with him. Condorito and his condor nephew, Cone, team up to find the amulet and rescue Treme without allowing the aliens to take over the universe.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

This adaptation isn't well served by its convoluted sci-fi narrative; ultimately, the movie's appeal is unlikely to cross over to audiences who aren't already established fans of the Chilean comic. Those who did grow up reading the Spanish-language comic will recognize most of the regulars from the strip: antihero Condorito; his girlfriend, Yayita; his nephew, Cone (a play on the phrase "with E" in Spanish); his football buddies; his rival on and off the pitch, Pepe Cortisona (Cristián de la Fuente); and Yayita's parents, who are both voiced by the same famous Chilean comedian, Coco Legrand. Even just understanding Spanish isn't enough to "get" the film; an actual working knowledge and appreciation of the original, often chauvinistic (and occasionally controversial) strip is necessary to fully enjoy the comedy -- although a few of the setups and sight gags are funny regardless.

Plus, the double entendres and risqué jokes that have entertained the comic's audiences since 1949 don't translate well into a seemingly family-friendly movie. Neither does the constantly drinking group of friends -- though, to be fair, it's not much different from Homer Simpson and his best friends, who are always at Moe's. The movie pokes fun at Pepe's machismo attitude (he's a burly, Gaston-like figure with a barrel chest but no sense of friendship or generosity), but it still celebrates the objectification of women in how it depicts Yayita and the other female characters. At least the big-screen Yayita runs an orphanage instead of being just eye candy as in the print original. Those who love the comic may be gentler critics of the film (although it might have been a misstep to cast a Mexican actor as an iconic Chilean character), but those who are unaware of it aren't likely to join the fan club.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the audience for Condorito. Do you need to be familiar with the comic to enjoy the film?

  • Are there stereotypes in the movie? What are they? Is that OK? Why or why not?

  • How does the movie depict drinking? Does anyone drink to excess? Are there consequences? Why is that important?

  • Are there any role models in the movie? If so, who are they, and what character strengths do they exemplify?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

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.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate