Parents' Guide to Pocahontas

Movie 2000 G 81 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

By Scott G. Mignola , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 6+

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

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 6+?

Any Positive Content?

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Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 19 parent reviews

Parents say that while the film has beautiful animation and music, many find its depiction of Native Americans and violence problematic, making them question its suitability for young children. Some appreciate its strong environmental message and the opportunity it provides for discussions about cultural differences, but others criticize it for being historically inaccurate and inappropriate for younger audiences.beautiful animationstrong messagehistorical inaccuracycultural discussionsage appropriatenesssuitable for older kids
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age 6+

Based on 42 kid reviews

 

 

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What's the Story?

Disney's animated POCAHONTAS centers on the titular daughter of Chief Powhatan (Russell Means, who is enrolled Oglala Sioux), who isn't happy with her upcoming arranged marriage to Kocoum (voiced by James Apaumut Fall). British colonizers arrive in the area, and Pocahontas (Irene Bedard, enrolled member of the Native Village of Koyuk) falls for John Smith (Mel Gibson). Meanwhile, greedy Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) is certain that the Native people have access to gold 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 British colonizers and the Powhatan people. The only hope for preventing war lies with Smith's and Pocahontas' actions.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 19 ):
Kids say ( 42 ):

Children may lean toward The Lion King's menagerie of cute talking animals before embracing this history-based tale from Disney, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own lures. A frisky raccoon and a scene-stealing hummingbird 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 than with cheering on the heroes. The villain isn't a single entity; Ratcliffe embodies the type of greed, ignorance, and hostility that still hurts people today. The film's message is that peace and tolerance are goals well worth striving for, but its historical inaccuracies, anti-Native language, and use of clichés like the "magical Native" trope make for less-than-ideal representation.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's historical inaccuracies. For example, the Union Jack flag hadn't yet been adopted in the early 17th century. Do such details bother you?

  • In what ways do British colonizers harm the Indigenous Powhatan people and their land?

  • Why does knowing Pocahontas' real name, age, and story matter? Does that change how you see her relationship to John Smith?

  • What parts of Pocahontas' culture and community are important to her? How do Powhatan people show respect for one another?

Movie Details

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