Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Borget
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Silly animated tale has potty humor, slapstick violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Larva Pendant
What's the Story?
In LARVA PENDANT, best friends Red and Yellow trade their island adventures for life (and more trouble) in the city. Red wakes up adrift on a raft and has only his friend Yellow and a special pendant to keep him company. From beginning to end, the pair find themselves outrunning various predators from sea to city. They set out to find food and safety, but moments of calm are short-lived as Yellow gets captured by a cat collecting bugs for his owner with a strange mission. Short-tempered Red faces his fears to help rescue his friend. Along the way, Red's pendant glows and turns out to be a magical gift. Will it be enough to save them? As the silly story unfolds, viewers will see that even death isn't enough to keep the best friends apart. Red will do anything -- even turn back time -- to get his best friend back.
Is It Any Good?
Larva Pendant offers a gross but unique perspective from a bug's point of view. Viewers familiar with Red and Yellow's adventures might be used to the strange silliness of the characters, who don't talk but do grunt and squeal. However, those unfamiliar with the story might find it absurd.
The story offers some appeal, with the larger-than-life animals and humans seen from the vantage point of larva. Though the plot stumbles through without much substance, there are a few intriguing moments, including a Superman-like moment where Red turns back time. But the show's overuse of bathroom humor and redundant slapstick interactions gets old fast. Younger viewers may enjoy the silliness of the story, but there are plenty of movies that offer more well-rounded content.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence as entertainment. Is it fun to watch Red and Yellow's physical exchanges? Would it feel different if they were humans and not insects?
How do movies like this encourage us to see the world from a different point of view? Does it make you feel differently about insects and small animals? Why, or why not?
Does Larva Pendant have a point? Can you learn anything valuable from its plot? What's the purpose of silly movies like this?
Did you enjoy watching a movie with no words? Do you feel that spoken language is necessary or helpful to follow a plot? What clues did you observe to understand what was happening and how the characters felt about one another?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 25, 2022
- Cast : Hong Bum-ki
- Director : Joe Young-cheol
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Bugs )
- Run time : 33 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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