Parents' Guide to

Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Potty humor and peril in so-so animated sequel.

Movie NR 2019 90 minutes
Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 5+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Parent
December 8, 2021
age 2+

False advertising

This is not a SpongeBob movie
butterflycl
butterflycl Parent of 6-year-old
September 22, 2019
age 8+

This is not a good movie

The cons very much outweigh the "educational value". There are a lot of scary scenes...basically the polar bear is held at gunpoint for most of the movie. There's the aftermath of a plane crash and then another near helicopter crash (more than once I believe). There is a lot of slapstick type action and name calling which leads to laughing at others' misfortunes. I admittedly left for a bit, but I did watch 75% of this movie and advise against for anyone teaching your child to be a good human.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In NORM OF THE NORTH: KING SIZED ADVENTURE, Norm agrees to help his grandfather with his upcoming wedding. Soon after, he meets Jin, an archeologist who is trying to keep a treasured Chinese antiquity out of the hands of a thief and bring it to Beijing in time for an important cultural event. When JIn is injured, Norm takes on his mission. Having given his word to both Jin and his grandfather, Norm must find a way to recover the artifact, deliver it intact, and make sure his grandfather's wedding goes off as planned.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (9):

This movie is a problem solver: it's an innocuous film to entertain young ones for 90 minutes when parents need to put their focus on something else. The story is simple, but not dumb. It's not particularly educational, but it does introduce an earth science phenomenon and Chinese culture. Norm's constantly in dangerous situations, but one never doubts he'll come just fine. Don't expect a barrel of laughs, but if "adorable farts" makes you giggle, you're in luck. Ultimately, Norm of the North: King Sized Adventureis just like Norm: easy-going and nothing to worry about.

Again, though, this is not a Pixar or an animated film for all ages: it's going to be a rough watch for adults. The animation is nothing special. In fact, whether it's an homage or a rip-off, some scenes are similar to Aladdin, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Tomb Raider. The computer animation values were surpassed soon after computer animation was invented, but its lack of sophistication will likely only bother grown-ups: the intended audience of younger kids will like it just fine. The story is so uninspired, it'll be hard for adults to keep their focus, so look forward to utilizing the film as a way to get other work done or snuggle with your little ones and catch a few winks on the couch while Norm entertains them.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Norm's promise in Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure to keep his word. What does Grandfather mean when he says "you're only as good as your word?" Then, what did Norm mean when he told Dexter he couldn't trust him because "your word is only as good as you are"? Why is it important to follow through with what you say you'll do?

  • How does Quinn treat people when he's put in charge of the wedding plans? Does being a leader mean you get to boss people around? How do you think a leader should behave to get a project done?

  • How does Fong the rabbit handle frustration when his ice sculpture keeps shattering? Compare that to how Quinn when he felt they were running out of time and he yelled and threw the phone. Does it feel good to scream when we're frustrated or under pressure? Does it do any good?

Movie Details

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