Pixels Movie Poster Image

Pixels

age 12+
(i)

 

Action, crass/raunchy humor in alien-attack sci-fi comedy.
Watch
Write a review
See all 69 user reviews
  • Review Date: July 24, 2015
  • Rated: PG-13
  • Genre: Science Fiction
  • Release Year: 2015
  • Running Time: 105 minutes

Pixels gallery

What parents need to know

Positive messages

The ongoing message is that nerds are really heroes, and friends stay loyal to each other no matter what. But there are also derisive jokes and people who behave in very iffy ways.

Positive role models

While all the main characters ultimately demonstrate bravery and loyalty, and they do care about each other, none of them are wholly positive role models. The president is brave, but he's also incompetent, drinks on the job, and can't spell. Sam is a sad sack who hates his job and never got over losing a video game championship as a kid. The First Lady does nothing at all. Lt. Col. Violet Van Patten is a strong female character, but she locks herself in a closet and drinks wine from a sippy cup when her husband announces his new marriage. Ludlow is creepy, isn't nice to his mom (whom he lives with), obsesses over a female video game character, and plans to kidnap another character. Eddie is disrespectful to everyone throughout most of the movie and eventually admits to cheating. Not much diversity to speak of, and none of the gamers are female.

Violence

Some violence within video games, but mostly it's loud, explosive action violence against video game characters like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Centipede. The Taj Mahal is destroyed in a pixel attack. Buildings explode, collapsing like a Tetris game. Battle between the gamers -- who use big laser guns -- and video game characters. A smurf, along with many other video game characters, is shot and killed (pixelated). Lady Lisa is destroyed but comes back to life. Lots of aggressive yelling. Characters are pixelated and taken into a spaceship. Ludlow gets thrown out of a van after hiding in it in an attempt to drug and kidnap Sam.

Sex

A young gamer is accompanied by two crop-top wearing women. A buxom video warrior, Lady Lisa, comes to life and makes out with Ludlow. Talk about a three-way featuring famous women. Ludlow slaps some Navy SEALs on the butt. Violet and Sam flirt throughout the movie and make out at the end.

Language

Language includes "sluts," "bitch," and "s--tballs." Talk of blowing pixels to hell.

Consumerism

In addition to all of the well-known video game characters that appear throughout the movie (Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, etc.), Mini Coopers and Sony products are prominent. Also Crystal Head Vodka.

Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Frequent social drinking by adults in bars and at parties. Violet drinks wine out of a sippy cup, and Sam drinks from the bottle. The president drinks beer from a pitcher. Violet and Sam talk about doing shots. The president and Sam drink in a bar. One character plans to kidnap another and has a bottle of chloroform handy to do it.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Pixels is a sci-fi comedy starring Adam Sandler and Kevin James about a group of misfit, sometimes frankly creepy video game lovers who end up fending off an alien attack (in the form of giant classic video game characters). As per usual, Sandler plays an immature man/boy, this time one who never got over losing a video game championship as a kid in the '80s and now gets to redeem himself. There's explosive, destructive action violence -- Pac-Man eats his way through New York City, Centipede takes on Navy SEALs, a smurf gets shot with a laser and killed -- as well as fighting, weapons, and some fairly raunchy (and sometimes offensive) humor. Sexual innuendo includes talk of a three-way (though nothing is shown), and one character slaps others' butts. There's also a fair bit of social drinking by adults and some aggressive yelling and swearing, including "bitch," "sluts," and "s--tballs." Fans of Sandler, James, and gaming may find this Chris Columbus-directed movie somewhat entertaining, but it's not for little kids.

What's the story?

In the 1980s, a time capsule full of images and footage of life on Earth is sent into space, where it's intercepted by aliens. They believe it's an act of war and appropriate the video game technology to attack Earth. It turns out that the only people who can stop them are a ragtag group of arcade gamers (Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Peter Dinklage, and Josh Gad) whose heyday was in the '80s. They work with the government to train the military to fight giant versions of classic video game characters -- including Pac-Man, Centipede, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

PIXELS may appeal to fans of Sandler, James, and '80s video games: It has a novel premise, and the action sequences can be entertaining, especially at the climax, when Pac-Man chomps down on the streets of New York City and the gamers battle their foes in Mini Coopers. But the characters that should be holding the movie together aren't terribly likable. They're called "nerds" over and over again -- but that's only true if the definition of "nerd" is a slightly pathetic man who, in the case of Ludlow (Josh Gad), has possible serial killer qualities.

Sandler looks like he's not even trying, while James is both mildly amusing and totally unbelievable as the president. There are some funny scenes when the aliens try to communicate using '80s video footage, and Dinklage -- as a foul mouthed, mullet-sporting former gamer -- is both terrible and compelling. Bottom line? Teens and older tweens may like the action and silly humor, and fortysomething parents could find a few chuckles at the pop culture references, but this isn't anything new (or particularly impressive) from Sandler and co.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about Pixels' violence. Does it have less impact because the bad guys are giant video game characters? Does exposure to violent movies or video games make kids more aggressive?

  • Are any of the characters role models? Are they intended to be? How can you tell?

  • Sam can't move past losing a video game competition when he was a kid. What do you do when you have a setback?

  • Talk about how different video games were in the '80s. Kids: Did your parents play video games when they were younger? Did you know what an arcade was before seeing this movie?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:July 24, 2015
DVD release date:October 27, 2015
Cast:Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan
Director:Chris Columbus
Studio:Sony Pictures
Genre:Science Fiction
Topics:Adventures, Misfits and underdogs
Run time:105 minutes
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:some language and suggestive comments

This review of Pixels was written by

Yvonne Condes
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

Find out more

Learning ratings

  • Best: Really engaging; great learning approach.
  • Very Good: Engaging; good learning approach.
  • Good: Pretty engaging; good learning approach.
  • Fair: Somewhat engaging; OK learning approach.
  • Not for Learning: Not recommended for learning.
  • Not for Kids: Not age-appropriate for kids; not recommended for learning.

Find out more

About these links

Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Thank you for your support.

Read more

About Our Rating System

The age displayed for each title is the minimum one for which it's developmentally appropriate. We recently updated all of our reviews to show only this age, rather than the multi-color "slider." Get more information about our ratings.

Great handpicked alternatives

  • Wreck-It Ralph
    Game-themed movie mixes potty humor with strong messages.
    age 7+
  • Monsters vs. Aliens
    Homage to '50s alien flicks too intense for youngest kids.
    age 7+
  • Mars Attacks!
    Alien-invasion satire for older tweens and up.
    age 13+
  • Evolution
    Uneven and unfocused, but has some inspired silliness.
    age 14+

For kids who love action and adventure

Best Action Movies for Kids
Adventure Movies
See all recommended movie lists

Browse more movies

Top advice and articles

What parents and kids say

See all user reviews

Share your thoughts with other parents and kids Write a user review

A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines

Parent Written byDonnaJ 2 July 25, 2015
age 6+

Good for kids

I took my 9 and 8 year olds. They both loved it. There is absolutely nothing objectionable about it. I have no idea why it would be rate PG 13. In fact, the age who will most enjoy it are probably 7-10 year olds. Adults and teens will find it rather bland but younger kids will enjoy it. The review who said it was for 18+ and her 16 year old was scared has to be a joke. The theater was full of very young kids laughing and enjoying it. How can Pac Man being chased by a small car be scary to anyone over 2?
What other families should know
Great messages
Great role models
Was this review useful?
Flag as inappropriate 
Written byAnonymous August 1, 2015
age 18+

HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE

I am 14. I went to see this movie with my best friend and our moms and siblings. Five minutes in they already start cussing. The movie had WAYYY too many horrible words. I can not believe that they advertised it like a kids movie. There is also very nasty things in it and I didn't think it was worth paying for. I was embarrassed to be sitting in that movie theater..
Was this review useful?
Flag as inappropriate 
Educator and Parent Written byLisaS 11 August 1, 2015
age 15+

Great idea, ruined by Adam Sandler

NOT a kid movie, and very little action or time with "pixels" creatures. 90% of the film was a boring Adam Sandler movie with a weak and insultingly stupid storyline in which all the actors seemed to be reading lines from cue cards. Lots of negative references to marriage, and many sexual (and fully unfunny) "jokes" and innuendos. Blatantly sexist bro-comedy where unattractive (in every way), loser men win the day and land hot women - some literally as trophies. Several references to unhealthy uses/attitudes toward alcohol. The only enjoyable parts were the pixel characters that were on screen for a small fraction of the film. I thought it would never end. It was a painful experience. I understand the idea for the film came from a very clever 2 minute short film that was extremely well done. Then Adam Sandler got a hold of it...
What other families should know
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Was this review useful?
Flag as inappropriate 

See all user reviews

Poll

Did our review help you make an informed decision about this product?

Family Media Agreement