Parents' Guide to

Elektra

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Violent comic book movie with lingerie costumes.

Movie PG-13 2005 100 minutes
Elektra Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Tony F.
Tony F. Parent of 11-year-old
May 7, 2023
age 15+

Not that great

This was an OK movie, but has some violence. It will need some editing for viewers under the age of 15 overall it was just all right.
fahimforid
fahimforid Adult
December 19, 2020
age 13+
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Elektra (Jennifer Garner), a highly successful assassin for hire, has flashbacks that remind her of her demanding father and loving but doomed mother. When her new targets turn out to be a father and daughter who had befriended her, she decides to save them instead. She feels protective toward them because they have a strong father-daughter bond, something she longed for with her own father. And because the girl reminds her of herself. And because the father is played by the smoulderingly attractive Goran Visnjic. This puts her at odds with a diabolical group of bad guys known as The Hand, including Typhoid (a woman whose poisonous breath causes instant death), Tattoo (a man whose intricate tattoos of fierce creatures come alive to spy or attack), and Kinko (he isn't there to make copies).

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (8):

This is a comic book movie that feels like it might have been made for the Lifetime channel ... with costumes by Victoria's Secret. To paraphrase the most famous line from A League of Their Own, "there's no crying in comic book movies" -- at least there shouldn't be, not by the superhero, anyway. Yes, there is kick-boxing, and stuff blows up. There is faux-meaningful comic book dialogue like "This ends here." And there are some cool special effects. But there's too much focus on Elektra's past and feelings and not enough focus on making the rest of the good or bad guys interesting.

There are some good action sequences, the best borrowing from the far-better Hong Kong films. Garner is toned and that midriff-baring costume makes her look more like Comic Book Barbie than like a killer. But she is also toned down. We get almost no chance to see those marvelous dimples or even any facial expressions other than "tortured" and "resolute."

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Elektra's answer to Abby's question about why she does what she does. Why did she have to leave her training? What will she do next?

Movie Details

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