Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Girl-powered fantasy adventure has some intense scenes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Dragonkeeper
What's the Story?
In DRAGONKEEPER, baby Ping is raised as a servant girl in ancient China's imperial city. When young Ping (voiced by Mayalinee Griffiths) takes over for her older guardian's tasks, she ends up having to feed two imperial dragons and discovers that she's somehow magically connected to—and able to communicate with—them. The dragons beg her to protect a dragon egg and take it to a special water source that will allow it to hatch. But one of the emperor's advisers wants the egg, not to heal the emperor, as he claims, but to use its power for immortality. Ping and an ancient dragon, Danzi (Bill Nighy), defend each other and work together to defeat those who seek to destroy them for personal gain.
Is It Any Good?
This brightly animated adaptation highlights a brave girl's quest but leaves a few questions unanswered. Plucky young Ping—an orphan with secret, extraordinary gifts—is an easy main character to cheer for in Dragonkeeper. And beloved Danzi has the gravitas you'd expect of a character voiced by Nighy. The two of them share a touching, otherworldly connection. But the story's tension and peril are surprisingly intense. Ping's life is in near-constant danger, and Danzi's survival is precarious. Unlike in other "chosen one" stories, Ping has no mentors to guide and train her; she's thrown into a dangerous mission and must immediately adapt.
The movie looks great: Directors Jianping Li and Salvador Simó and their crew create immersive, sweeping animated landscapes and dragons that are expressive and larger than life. And although the screenplay could have used more comic relief, luckily Ping does have a tiny pet mouse who's downright adorable. Perhaps not surprisingly, given that the book on which the movie is based is part of a series, the movie doesn't wrap everything up too neatly. While this isn't the most original tale, there's room for a sequel that would continue Ping's titular adventures.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Dragonkeeper. How much violence is appropriate for kid viewers?
How does Ping demonstrate courage? Why is that an important character strength? Do you consider her a role model?
Do you think a movie set in ancient China should have Chinese representation in the main cast and/or crew? Why would that benefit a movie?
Does seeing the movie make you interested in the book? If you've read the book, what do you think about the movie's differences?
Why are movies about dragons often popular? Name some of your favorites. How does this one compare?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 3, 2024
- On DVD or streaming : July 9, 2024
- Cast : Bill Nighy , Mayalinee Griffith , Bill Bailey
- Directors : Jianping Li , Salvador Simó
- Studio : Viva Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Book Characters
- Character Strengths : Courage
- Run time : 99 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence, thematic elements and scary images
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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