
On Wings of Eagles
By Andrea Beach,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Reverent tribute to Olympic champ has some violence.

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On Wings of Eagles
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What's the Story?
ON WINGS OF EAGLES tells the story of the later life of Olympic gold medalist Eric Liddell (Joseph Fiennes), famously called "The Flying Scotsman," who competed for Britain in track and field in 1924. After the Olympics and completing his education, he returned to China, where he was born to missionary parents and where his faith called him to teach chemistry and English. When Japan invaded China, Liddell sent his family back to Great Britain while he stayed on to help those most impacted by the invasion. When World War II broke out, Liddell was placed in an internment camp. Despite many hardships, his faith never wavered, and he never hesitated to put others first, even at great cost to himself.
Is It Any Good?
This movie treats its subject with a great deal of reverence, but it falls short of really showing viewers who Eric Liddell really was. On Wings of Eagles credits three writers and two directors, which might be why some of the events and characters are hard to follow or place in context. The acting and production quality are overall very good, but many viewers might feel like they're watching character types do pretty much what you'd expect them to do instead of helping us get to know them. Viewers who share Liddell's belief in the power of prayer may not mind the shortcomings and be able to appreciate Liddell's nearly flawless example of keeping the faith.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in On Wings of Eagles. How much is too much? Is it there for a reason, like to help tell the story, or is it gratuitous? Why?
Is Eric Liddell a positive role model? What are his character strengths and weaknesses?
How much did you know about events in China during the 1930s and 1940s? Did you know that Japan invaded China? Did any of the events in the story surprise you? Where could you go to learn more?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: February 3, 2023
- Cast: Joseph Fiennes , Shawn Dou
- Directors: Stephen Shin , Michael Parker
- Studio: Archstone Distribution
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models , History
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Courage
- Run time: 108 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: for some violent images.
- Last updated: June 21, 2023
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