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Parents' Guide to

Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Inventor adventure celebrates STEM pursuits; some peril.

Movie NR 2019 81 minutes
Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

In LEO DA VINCI: MISSION MONA LISA, when his friend Lisa's farm is destroyed in a fire, a young Leonardo da Vinci (voiced by Johnny Yong Bosch) puts his inventions to use to find a lost, underwater treasure to help her family. When he discovers pirates are after the same treasure -- and after him to secure it -- Leo must use his ingenuity to save himself and his friends.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2 ):

Making the original Renaissance man into a STEM-oriented action hero is a great idea, but this film's amateurish computer graphics defeat the purpose of celebrating one of history's greatest artists. Leonardo da Vinci's right brain worked as hard as his left, but Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa doesn't come close to giving kids a real appreciation for how sharp he really was. Still, it serves as an introduction to him, his ideas, and his works. When the pirates realize that young da Vinci's underwater breathing gear is the only way to recover sunken treasure, kids can see an exciting application for an invention: searching for lost booty while fighting a menacing villain who might as well be called Captain Hook.

The writing is a notch below so-so, though it's possibly still enough to captivate early elementary viewers. But what may squash that is the rudimentary animation, which looks like a Disney Junior show mixed with How to Train Your Dragon, only far less sophisticated. The result is that the material is best suited for tweens, but the animation will appeal more to littler kids. And, parents, it will be a challenge for you not to drift off to sleep ... or your phone. Mission Mona Lisa is a fail, but great inventors know that failure is a step toward success. The title indicates that more Leo movies might be in the works, and da Vinci himself would likely say to keep the ideas coming.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about who Leonardo da Vinci was and how his skill set included art, invention, engineering, architecture, science, and math. Which of his real inventions did you spot in the film?

  • How do the characters act on their compassion for Lisa? For Agnes?

  • Did any parts of Leo da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa scare you? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?

  • How does curiosity fuel invention? What do you think could be accomplished that isn't currently a reality? Innovation also stems from problem-solving. What's something that frustrates you and what could be invented to solve it?

Movie Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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