Parents' Guide to Fire in the Sky

Movie PG-13 1993 109 minutes
Fire in the Sky movie poster: A beam of light comes down from the sky and appears to pull a person from the ground

Common Sense Media Review

Kat Halstead By Kat Halstead , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Sci-fi drama has violence, disturbing scenes, smoking.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Fire in the Sky Trailer
  • Fire in the Sky: A reporter reaches out to D.B. Sweeney with a microphone as he exits a building with Georgia Emelin
  • Fire in the Sky: A figure lays on an operating table covered in a wet, sticky material
  • Fire in the Sky: Frank Garner stands over a group of men who sit around a table in a bar

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

 

 

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age 14+

Based on 1 kid review

 

 

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What's the Story?

In FIRE IN THE SKY, Arizona lodger Travis Walton (D.B. Sweeney) mysteriously disappears for five days after an encounter with a UFO. His friends who witnessed the event -- including best friend Mike (Robert Patrick) -- try to tell their story, but are ridiculed by the community, who don't just disbelieve them, but suspect them of murder.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 1 ):
Kids say ( 1 ):

Co-written by the real-life Walton, this biographical sci-fi drama leans into its story, showing the experience of Walton and his friends to be steadfastly true in the face of doubt from every angle. Fire in the Sky is a tense drama for 90% of the runtime, focusing on the struggle of the remaining four loggers to be believed and exonerated. The other 10% takes a turn into sci-fi horror for a visually impressive sequence -- its special effects making for a grotesque immersive experience that will appeal to genre fans. Bookending the two is a story of friendship, understanding, and forgiveness in an unimaginable situation. The acting is strong across the board -- particularly the two leads -- though the uneven pace and some longer-than-necessary scenes risk ruining the vision in places. Overall, the movie has enough strengths to overcome the odds and keep the audience onside, unlike the skeptical locals.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about some of the more disturbing scenes in Fire in the Sky. Did any scenes scare you? If so, which ones and why?

  • Talk about the two very different locations in the movie. How did the small town in Arizona and its surrounding landscape compare visually to scenes aboard the UFO? Think about the visuals, the atmosphere, and the lighting used. What were the things that stood out to really create an impact and sense of place?

  • The movie flashes up at the start that it is "based on the true story." How did this affect your experience of watching it? Do you believe the story to be true? How did it compare to other movies that claim to be based on true events?

  • The relationship between Travis and Mike is central to the film. How did it change during the movie? What character strengths did they each show toward the end of the film when they talk back in the woods?

  • How was smoking depicted in the film? Was it glamorized? Why does that matter? What are some of the real-life dangers of smoking?

Movie Details

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Fire in the Sky movie poster: A beam of light comes down from the sky and appears to pull a person from the ground

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