Some violence in cute tale of friendship and bravery.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Even Mice Belong in Heaven is a Czech Republic based stop-motion animated family movie about friendship and being brave. All the characters are animals, and some are a bit magical. Almost entirely set in heaven, characters do discuss being dead, how they died (run over by a car), and other ways of dying. A fair amount of violence that could scare younger viewers includes: scenes of peril and danger, characters showing fear, chase scenes (mice running away from predators), large animals with large faces, characters talking about being dead and being sad about it, a car running over a mouse and a fox, killing them (not shown), characters talking about drowning, a scary dark forest in which some animals get "lost forever," a fox going "crazy" (different voice) and trying to kill and eat his mouse friend, hunters shooting at foxes, aggressive father figures that yell angrily, characters sailing into a giant whale's mouth, a fight scene between two foxes (biting, scratching, wrestling), characters falling off a cliff, and a scary roller coaster "haunted ride" that features pop outs and jump scares (bats, skull and bones, poachers with guns, a "native" with an axe, scary monster faces). Language includes: "hell," "stinker," "weakling," "loser," "nitwit," "killer," "murderer," "mouse muncher," "bite my head off," "rip her to shreds," and "pooped herself out of fear." One friendly kiss on the cheek. Even though heaven is a central concept, Christianity isn't mentioned, and in the end, all the animals get reincarnated into different (if they choose) animals.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Some scenes of peril and danger and sometimes characters show fear. There are a few chase scenes that show mice or other smaller animals running away from predators. Some of the large animals with large faces might scare younger viewers. Other moments that might be scary: characters talking about being dead and being sad about it (the film is mainly set in heaven), a car running over a mouse and a fox, killing them (not shown), characters talking about drowning, a scary dark forest in which some animals get "lost forever," a fox going "crazy" and trying to kill and eat his mouse friend, hunters shooting at foxes, aggressive father figures that yell angrily, characters sailing into a giant whale's mouth, a fight scene between two foxes (biting, scratching, wrestling), characters falling off a cliff, a fox chomping up a mouse (only later to reveal that he only gently picked the mouse up, returning her to the ground unharmed), and a scary roller coaster "haunted ride" that features pop outs and jump scares (bats, skull and bones, poachers with guns, a "native" with an axe, scary monster faces).
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Language includes: "hell," "stinker," "weakling," "loser," "nitwit," "killer," "murderer," "mouse muncher," "bite my head off," "rip her to shreds," and "pooped herself out of fear."
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Strong positive messages of friendship, not being judgmental, and being brave. Being scared isn't a weakness. Bullying behavior isn't nice and can make people feel bad about themselves.
Positive Role Models
a little
Whizzy, a mouse, is unsure of herself and has many anxieties about the world. She wants to be brave like her father, but is often scared instead. In the beginning, Whizzy is judgmental, rude, and selfish, but with the help of a friendly and understanding fox, Whitebelly, Whizzy learns to be a better mouse and friend. Whitebelly is incredibly patient, understanding, and caring, despite some momentary lapses of anger and frustration.
Educational Value
very little
A few life lessons like looking before crossing the street, keeping yourself clean by bathing every day, and not judging people based on their appearances.
Diverse Representations
very little
All the characters are animals, but the friendship between two sworn enemies, a mouse and a fox, is a central theme.
In EVEN MICE BELONG IN HEAVEN, Whizzy (Simona Berman) is a little mouse who wants to be brave like her hero father, who was the first to stand up to a fox. Trying to be as brave, Whizzy makes a mistake and it costs her and a fox, Whitebelly, (Graham Halstead) their lives. Waking up in heaven, they learn to overcome their differences and be better versions of themselves, eventually reincarnating to animals of their own choosing.
The stop-motion animation combined with CGI is rendered in beautiful high definition, so the film looks great, crisp, and genuine. The art direction in Even Mice Belong in Heaven is solid all-around, as are the performances, pacing, and thrills. While some of the material might be a little heavy since it's about death and heaven, many viewers will still get plenty of satisfaction out of this simple adventure. Even though heaven is a central concept, Christianity isn't mentioned nor is there any proselytizing, and in the end, all the animals get reincarnated into different (if they choose) animals.
At times, this adventure might remind viewers of the 1980s children's classic, The NeverEnding Story, but nothing about this Czech film is as complicated or dramatic. Instead, lessons of bravery, anti-bullying behavior, and keeping yourself clean all contribute to an easy-to-watch romp. The only drawback is that many scenes might be too scary for younger viewers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in family adventure movies. Do you think any parts of Even Mice Belong in Heaven were too scary? If so, which ones?
Did you like how heaven looked? If it was your idea of heaven, how would it have looked differently?
What do you think is the best lesson the movie teaches?
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