Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Extreme gore, sex, teen drinking in fishy remake.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Piranha 3D
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 14 parent reviews
Parents say the movie is overwhelmingly criticized for its lack of a coherent story, deep characters, and overall quality, with many users describing it as a nauseating display of gore and nudity rather than a true horror experience. While some acknowledged the presence of a few good performances, they ultimately found it to be a disappointing and regrettable choice, deeming it unsuitable for younger audiences.
- poor story
- excessive gore
- lack of character
- not suitable for kids
- disappointing experience
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 33 kid reviews
What's the Story?
In a small town, an underwater tremor frees a school of prehistoric man-eating piranhas just as thousands of partying teens begin arriving for Spring Break on the lake. Sheriff Forester (Elisabeth Shue) heads out with a team of scientists (led by Adam Scott) to figure out what's going on. Meanwhile, her teenage son, Jake (Steven R. McQueen), is supposed to be watching his younger brother and sister. But instead, he's accepted a job working for a porn director (Jerry O'Connell). These characters and others find themselves stuck in the water as the vicious fish begin their relentless attacks. Can the sheriff find a way to stop the fish and save the town?
Is It Any Good?
Directed by Alexandre Aja PIRANHA 3D has just the right tone of playfulness, even though it's not specifically a parody or a commentary on horror films, as the original Piranha was. It's more reminiscent of fun, B movies like Anaconda and Lake Placid. It has a sunny, summery feel with clear, sharp cinematography, strong visual effects, and fine use of 3D. The cast is an above-average bunch, including Oscar-winner Richard Dreyfuss (a veteran of Jaws, of course) in a strong opening scene.
The movie does veer into some very mature territory, killing the mood with a particularly horrifying post-carnage scene in which wounded, half-devoured teens limp out of the water, bones and blood and hanging flesh on display. It further crosses the line when one cowardly teen tries to escape and runs over several people with his motorboat. And then there are the two small children who get caught up in the fray... But aside from these moments, Piranha 3D is generally out for a good, gruesome time, and it mostly delivers.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's extreme violence and gore. How did it affect you? Which parts were funny -- and which were squirm inducing? Why?
Was the movie scary? What makes the fish effective horror movie monsters?
How is teen drinking portrayed in the movie? What would the real-life consequences be for this kind of behavior?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 20, 2010
- On DVD or streaming : January 11, 2011
- Cast : Adam Scott , Elisabeth Shue , Jerry O'Connell , Ving Rhames
- Director : Alexandre Aja
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Dimension
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sequences of strong bloody horror violence and gore, graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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