Gorillas in the Mist

A bloody gorilla's body with its head and hands cut off. A gorilla shot and stabbed with spears throws a man. Machetes rise and fall as they hack at an off-camera gorilla. A gorilla's hands being cut off with brief glimpses of blood and bloody clothing. Lifeless gorilla bodies strewn across a field. A baby deer in a trap in distress is shot twice with a handgun to put it out of its misery. A child is tied up and frightened and intimidated into giving information. A man is intimidated by being almost hung. Mention of a civil war and upheaval, guns seen and heard off screen in a burning village. A man is hit with a rifle butt. A machete rising in silhouette then cuts to a bloody hand with blood pooled underneath. Lots of scariness from people and animals in peril and animals in distress, including a baby gorilla taken from its mother. A severed gorilla's hand briefly glimpsed wrapped in a bloodstained cloth. Important people and animals die.

Several kisses and some caressing, once in a bathtub with body parts covered in bubbles, the rest with clothes or pajamas on. A woman walks in on two people in bed, seemingly nude under the covers but no body parts shown. A couple talk about whether it matters that he's married to someone else.

"S--t," "goddamn," "ass," "Christ" and "Jesus Christ" as exclamations, "bastard," and one "f--king."

Dian smokes. Later she has a persistent cough that isn't talked about or explained. Other characters or people in the background occasionally smoke. Adults occasionally drink scotch, beer, and an unidentified brown liquor.

Parents need to know that Gorillas in the Mist is a 1988 movie based on the life and work of Dian Fossey, who saved mountain gorillas from extinction in the '70s and '80s. Sensitive animal lovers of all ages should know that there's lots of scariness and tension from animals and people in peril: a baby gorilla separated from its mother; the body of a gorilla with its head and hands cut off; a baby deer in pain and distress after falling in a pit trap; a brief glimpse of a severed gorilla hand; and poachers hunting, spearing, and hacking at gorillas. Blood and bloodstained clothes are shown briefly, including a large pool under a bloody hand, but no other gore. Strong language includes "s--t," "goddamn," "ass," and one "f--king." Sexual content includes several kisses, a couple nude under bubbles in a tub, and a couple in bed apparently naked, but no sensitive parts are shown. Fossey smokes and years later has a persistent cough. Adults drink scotch and beer a few times. Fossey's a good role model for women in science, but some of her tactics are controversial, and her life was pretty tragic. It's a good chance to talk about whether the sacrifices she made were worth it, the value of preserving habitat and species like mountain gorillas, and lots more. Teens can be encouraged to find out about the mountain gorilla population, and the part of Africa where they live today.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.