Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Some violence in docu exploring ancient tomb's secrets.
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Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MYSTERIES OF THE TERRACOTTA WARRIORS, teams of archeologists, scientists, and historians work together to uncover answers to one of China's most fascinating periods. In 1974, farmers digging a well stumbled upon what is now known as the terracotta warriors inside a 19 square mile "tomb." 8,000 individual warriors have been recovered, but only around 1,200 have been reassembled so far. The size of Manhattan, this tomb site belonged to China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, the "man who created China," the first to unify the 6 Chinese Kingdoms. But for some reason, his dynasty was incredibly short-lived, only lasting 15 years. Focusing on the tomb of Qin Shi Huangdi and his 8,000 terracotta warriors, this film features the work it takes to put together a narrative about how and why exactly Huangdi's dynasty only lasted 15 years.
Is It Any Good?
Fans of archeology, history, and China will be fascinated by this look at continuing excavation of the tomb and surrounding areas of China's first emperor. The delivery of information in Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors is consistently provided, and plenty of interesting people on the front lines help personalize the task of working on such a huge endeavor. The sheer size of the excavation is incredible, and it's fascinating watching some of the terracotta warriors themselves get pieced together. However, viewers' opinions will likely vary on how successful all the dramatizations are. Impressively produced, these dramatizations still suffer from a serious tone, overacting, and hyperbole.
This documentary is torn, however, between what to focus on, eventually deciding to pivot from the terracotta warriors themselves to the coffin and remains of a real human being mystery warrior (not terracotta) many suspect to be someone of great importance. For some, this might be a bait and switch too far: get them in the door with the 8,000 terracotta warriors, then switch to the personal tomb of an unknown real-life warrior and see if they stay. But even if you don't stay, you'll still learn something for every minute you do keep with it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in documentaries. Did the dramatizations showing violence in Mysteries of the Terracotta Warriors increase your enjoyment of this film? Why or why not?
How do characters show perseverance, curiosity, and teamwork? What kinds of character strengths do people need to be successful in archeological and historical fields of study?
Would you want to watch a historical epic all about the rise and fall of China's first emperor? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : June 12, 2024
- Cast : Cai Zhongyuan , Chen Jingyu , Ding Yong , Gao Hongtao
- Director : James Tovell
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : History , STEM
- Character Strengths : Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 117 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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