Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids save the world from bloody aliens; language, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Rim of the World
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 69 parent reviews
Based on 61 kid reviews
Kids say the film has a lot of disappointing qualities, primarily due to overwhelming sexual jokes, excessive swearing, and numerous stereotypes that detract from its intended audience. Many express frustration over its initial content being inappropriate for younger viewers, while some still found enjoyment in its humor and overall story, suggesting it's more suitable for teens and older rather than children.
- excessive innuendos
- inappropriate language
- violence present
- stereotypes criticized
- mixed opinions
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
RIM OF THE WORLD is the name of an adventure camp where four 13-year-olds who all have their problems have ended up. Alex (Jack Gore) is a science nerd who is afraid of everything, especially heights. His dad was killed recently and his mom is trying to get him to ride a bike, take a ride on a zipline, and make friends with other kids. ZhenZhen (Miya Cech) is a fearless and philosophical orphan who has no one in the world. Dariush (Benjamin Flores Jr.) is a spoiled and selfish rich kid whose family is also in turmoil. The three find each other in the woods when an apparent alien attack on earth is launched. Abandoned by the counselors, the three are figuring out their next move while jet fighters explode overhead and monsters with six arms and super-strength try to kill them and, possibly, eat them. They run into Gabriel (Alessio Scalzotto), who also has personal problems and a secret. Together they evade the monsters and encounter a space capsule from the American Space Station containing Major Collins (Lynn Collins), a beat-up astronaut who has returned to earth with a "key" that will unlock the Excalibur satellite defense program and vanquish the aliens. She begs the kids to get the key to the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena so they can annihilate the alien mothership waging war from space. The kids grab the key, and their journey to the JPL is filled with danger and violence.
Is It Any Good?
The kids who would enjoy the simplistic, unlikely plot of this moviee the most are probably too young for the intensity of its violence and frequency of its cursing. These words are mostly uttered by the 13-year-old cast members. Sexual references also make a viewer wonder who the filmmakers thought they were making this for. It's unlikely parents will want their 10-year-olds asking them for definitions of "Lithuanian smoothie" or "c--k block." And although clever adult references suggest that the writers are clever people, Rim of the World just feels like a remake of Jurassic Park, or Gremlins, or any number of other man vs. monster tales.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what's appealing about watching kids be heroes. Do you feel that kids are underestimated in real life? Why do you think grownups sometimes assume kids can't do difficult things?
Do you think young kids use the kind of language used in Rim of the World to make themselves seem older, more mature, or cooler? Do you think using curse words is cool? Why or why not?
The movie makes the case that kids who get bullied or teased because they are different -- smart or sensitive -- are often interesting and worth knowing. How do you treat kids who are "different"?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 24, 2019
- Cast : Jack Gore , Miya Cech , Benjamin Flores Jr. , Alessio Scalzotto
- Director : McG
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : June 19, 2019
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