Common Sense Media Review
By Stefan Pape
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Average animated animal adventure has some threat, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Extinct
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 10 kid reviews
Kids say the movie contains concerning themes, including inappropriate jokes and disturbing scenes, which may not be suitable for young audiences despite some viewers finding it entertaining and cute. The polarized opinions reflect a lack of educational value and coherence in the plot, leading to both praise for its humor and complaints about its execution and overall quality.
- inappropriate content
- unclear plot
- mixed reviews
- cute characters
- disturbing moments
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
EXTINCT takes us back to 1835, where the lovable, donut-resembling species the "flummels" exist alongside other animals. But when clumsy siblings Ed (Adam Devine) and Op (Rachel Bloom) find a portal that transports them to modern day Shanghai, they discover their species has become extinct. Ed and Op quickly realize that they are the only hope left in keeping the flummels from disappearing forever.
Is It Any Good?
In a congested market, there's a need for an animated adventure to do something unique and to stand out -- something Pixar has achieved with the likes of Soul and Coco. Which is why Extinct is nothing more than perfectly OK. It's a somewhat conventional tale that lacks any real adventure or individuality. It follows all the familiar beats, preaching all the same, familiar messages, that other family-orientated productions do. It's harmless fun, it's got the occasional gag that will make the parents chuckle, and a few moments that will entertain the little ones. But if you're looking for something special, sadly this isn't likely to fit the mold.
It's also jarring that the filmmakers had this creative opportunity to create a brand new species. They could have looked, sounded, and acted however they wanted. Yet they're just donut-shaped rabbits. Perhaps the movie would have benefited from a cute and amusing supporting cast -- think the Minions. This could have alleviated the pressure on the leading duo in being the comedic heartbeat of the film, as well as having to save their species. That's a lot of pressure for a couple of flummels.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the slapstick violence in Extinct. How do you know when something "violent" is meant to be funny and not scary or real? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?
Discuss what it means for a species to become extinct. Does it concern you that animals can disappear forever? What can we do to help prevent this? Are there any creatures that are now extinct that interest you?
Ed and Op are siblings. Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, how does your relationship with your own siblings compare to that of Ed and Op?
The movie celebrates our differences. Why is it a good thing that we are all different and unique in our own way?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 20, 2021
- Cast : Adam Devine , Rachel Bloom , Ken Jeong
- Directors : David Silverman , Raymond S. Persi
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sky Cinema
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , History
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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
Suggest an Update
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