Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Frequent cartoon violence in action-packed superhero tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Iron Man & Captain America: Heroes United
What's the Story?
Captain America (Adrian Pasdar) and Iron Man (Roger Craig Smith) are somewhat friendly rivals who engage in practice fights -- Captain America is more inclined to be deliberate and logical, Iron Man to "fly by the seat of his pants." But when Red Skull (Liam O'Brien) and his henchman Taskmaster are determined to create an army of Hyrdra Brutes to conquer the world, Captain America and Iron Man must work together, respect each other's fighting styles, and find a way to stop Red Skull from carrying out his evil schemes.
Is It Any Good?
The best aspects of IRON MAN & CAPTAIN AMERICA: HEROES UNITED involve the action and the animation. The action is unrelenting from the very first minutes of the movie and does not stop until the very end. That alone keeps things interesting. The animation is quite incredible, especially in the way these fight scenes are represented. If this was all there was to the movie, it would still be enjoyable.
However, the dialogue and some of the story line aren't as strong. Some conversations are trite -- especially the scenes in which Captain America and Iron Man taunt each other in a cocky manner. The stor yline is confusing at times: We know Red Skull wants to conquer the world and has seriously fascist leanings, but the talk of "repulsor cannons" and other high-tech weaponry is needlessly complex, especially for young superhero fans. Also, the convenient arrival of (SPOILER ALERT) the Hulk seems a bit too easy. That being said, this movie is worth seeing for the gorgeous animation and the nonstop action; Iron Man and Captain America fans will find lots to enjoy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about cartoon action violence. How is violence shown in this movie, and how is it similar to and different from the ways other movies -- animated or live-action -- show violence?
How are Captain America and Iron Man represented in this movie, and how are they similar to and different from other representations in comic books and movies?
In what ways are the Red Skull and the Hydra Brutes made out to be similar to Nazis from World War II?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 29, 2014
- Cast : Adrian Pasdar , Roger Craig Smith , Liam O'Brien
- Director : Eric Radomski
- Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Superheroes , Adventures
- Run time : 71 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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