Parents' Guide to

Miracle at St. Anna

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Brutal WWII battlefield fable isn't for kids.

Movie R 2008 160 minutes
Miracle at St. Anna Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 13+

Based on 1 parent review

Plague
Plague Parent
January 15, 2010
age 13+

Miracle at St. Anna

Great movie with brutal violence and explicit action. A good movie for older teens who are mature enough to take the carnage.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

After a major battle in the hills of Italy in the waning days of World War II, four surviving African-American soldiers from the segregated 92nd Infantry Division are caught behind enemy lines. Desperately trying to get back to their company, the men encounter a terrified child and lead him to the safety of a small Tuscan village. Meanwhile, Nazi troops in the vicinity are searching for the local Italian partisan (resistance) leader known as "The Great Butterfly." Ultimately, the four Americans, who are the last hope of the villagers and the advancing American forces, come face-to-face with the enemy -- and with the traitor who has betrayed the partisans.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (3):

The story and the performances are heartfelt and powerful in this brutal war film. Talented, versatile director Spike Lee, working from a script by James McBride (who wrote the novel the movie is based on), attempts the almost impossible. MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA is part devastating World War II movie, part political film exposing the notorious racism of much of white America during that time, and part fairy tale in which a child becomes one with his rescuers as his spirit transcends the evil around him.

It's an ambitious goal, and not entirely successful. The movie changes tone and direction too many times, and what suffers most is characterization: The men become archetypes instead of singular individuals. Still, the production is magnificent, and if viewers allow themselves to be transported to that monumental period in America's history, it will be an enlightening and moving experience.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what this movie is saying about American history. What was the country fighting for in World War II? Why were the military troops segregated during that war -- and throughout U.S. history? How has America's racial conscience changed since then? Also, what does Captain Nokes represent? Did he learn anything over the course of the film? How did you feel about him?

Movie Details

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