Pocahontas

Movie review by Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media
Pocahontas Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 6+

Fine for kids; just don't expect a history lesson.

G 2000 81 minutes
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Parents say

age 7+

Based on 18 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 39 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that the dreamy, music-laden love-story might be engaging to certain fans of the mid-90's Disney heroine, but the violence is something for parents to keep an eye out for. Furthermore, the historical inaccuracy might confuse viewers who think that the historical figure Pocahontas fell in love with John Smith. She did not: she was a 10-year old child when John Smith's ship landed.

Community Reviews

hannah1991
hannah1991 Adult
January 23, 2021
age 6+
Native American princess Pocahontas and her people have their land taken from them by the English settlers that despite "savages," which is their name for the Native Americans in this movie. There's even an entire song about it.

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
meydiana.rizki
meydiana.rizki Adult
November 4, 2020
age 11+

Great animation film based on History

I loved Pocahontas and I thought it was a great animated film based on history of the real Indian Pocahontas! In the movie Captain John Smith (Mel Gibson) sails to the New World of Jamestown Virginia with a group of settlers and falls in love with Pocahontas (Irene Bedard) but the settlers led by Govenor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) and the Native Americans led by Pocahontas' father Chief Powatahn (Russell Means) wish to fight each other to protect eachothers' land so it's up to Pocahontas and her forest friends Meeko, Grandmother Willow, and Flit and John Smith and his dog Percy to bring peace between their people! The music is very wonderful written by Alan Menken and Steven Schwartz. Colors of the WInd always blows me away every time I hear Pocahontas sing it! My favorite scenes in the movie were when Meeko jumps into Percy's bath and eats all his cherries and Percy chases him and I also liked it when settlers Ben and Lon (Billy Connolly and Joe Baker) come into the forest looking for Smith and get scared away by Grandmother Willow. I just died laughing at those scenes! Disney did a fantastic job telling the story of Pocahontas through animation! If they ever decide to do another animated film based on history they should do one on Christopher Columbus. Pocahontas is a true Disney film that any Disney fan can enjoy! I know I've really enjoyed it! 10 out of 10!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 18 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Disney's animated POCAHONTAS centers on the titular daughter of Algonquin chief Powhatan, who isn't happy with her upcoming arranged marriage to Kocoum. British settlers arrive in the area, and Pocahontas (voiced by Irene Bedard) falls for John Smith (Mel Gibson). Meanwhile, greedy Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) is certain the Native Americans have access to gold riches and is determined to get his hands on the treasure. Pocahontas and John Smith meet in secret, and when they're discovered it creates a dangerous tension between the Europeans and the Algonquians. The only hope for preventing war lies with Smith and Pocahontas.

Is It Any Good?

Given a choice, children will lean toward The Lion King's menagerie of cute talking animals before embracing this history-based tale from Disney, but that doesn't mean you should pass it up. Sensing a hard sell, the Disney folks dropped in a couple of merchandising lures, a frisky raccoon, and a scene-stealing hummingbird who contribute nothing of import to the story, but succeed in livening up what might otherwise have been a fairly somber tale.

This is a movie less concerned with booing the bad guys as it is with cheering on the heroes. The villain isn't a single entity; Governor Ratcliffe embodies the greed, ignorance, and hostility that still haunts our world four hundred years later. Children will sense that, and learn that peace and tolerance are goals well worth striving for.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's historical inaccuracies. For example, the Union Jack hadn't yet been adopted in the early seventeenth century. Do such details bother you?

Movie Details

Our Editors Recommend

For kids who love strong heroines

Themes & Topics

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