Father and child sit together smiling while looking at a smart phone.

Want more recommendations for your family?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter for entertainment inspiration

Parents' Guide to

Molly of Denali: Molly and the Great One

By Stephanie Morgan, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Historically rich adventure tale of an Alaskan Native girl.

Movie G 2021 152 minutes
Molly and the Great One poster

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Full of fascinating historical facts and highlighting the contributions of the Native Alaska people in the first successful summit of Denali, the highest mountain in North America, this is educational entertainment at its finest. Through setbacks and a few scary moments, Molly and her grandfather successfully complete a monumental journey in Molly Denali: Molly and the Great One. Along the way her contagious enthusiasm makes it easy to root for her, and she learns a lot about the importance of gratitude, preparation and perseverance.

Young viewers will be captivated by Molly and her grandfather's journey and overjoyed by their success. They'll also laugh at the stories and antics of the extreme adventure influencer, Mac McFadden, who pops up to tag along. And while the show only playfully pokes at his tendency to exaggerate, and sometimes misstep, it serves to subtly point out his place as an outsider versus the Native Alaskans who have more skill and knowledge useful to the journey. A subtle nod to the essential roles native peoples have often played throughout history as the essential guides behind the white men grabbing the glory. The heart-warming tale wraps up with a satisfying ending that even adults will appreciate, followed by even more educational content narrated by a group of real life Alaskan kids. This is an adventure the whole family will learn from and love.

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

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.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate