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Piranha 3D
By Jeffrey M. Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Extreme gore, sex, teen drinking in fishy remake.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
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Piranha 3D
Community Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
From Seasoned Horror Watcher to Terrified Insomniac
WARNING SPOILERS !!!!!!!!!!
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 actors, Black actors
- Studio: Dimension
- Genre: Horror
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: sequences of strong bloody horror violence and gore, graphic nudity, sexual content, language and some drug use
- Last updated: October 2, 2023
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