Parent reviews for Romancing the Stone

The movie is a fun action-romance with comic elements. The pacing might seem slow at times for 2008. My wife and I saw it again with our daughter (age 16), and I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first time (24 years ago). ISSUES For the violence, swearing, drinking, pot smoke inhaling, and nudity, I'd give this one a PG-13. First, there IS nudity, contrary to the main review--not frontal (or from the rear), but the leads lie in bed for quite a while, talking, man on top of woman and they are quite naked. Second, in one long scene, there is drinking (lots of whiskey) and smoking marijuana (after a fashion), as the leads stay warm by burning bricks of cannabis. They are clearly affected. Third, as others have noted, the chief bad guy's hand gets chomped off by the crocodile and you see the bloody stump for a while. He's clearly in pain. Later he falls into a pit full of crocodiles (his fate is implied). A snake gets decapitated (graphic) and a croc is turned into boots (you don't see the process). In terms of stereotypes, the chief bad guy (competent and cruel) is Latino, but other (more bumbling) bad guys are Anglo, and one very helpful and likable character is Latino. There is a fair amount of Third World local color that can be seen as demeaning (people fight in airports, carry pigs on buses, etc.) and other local color that is neutral or positive, including a colorful festival & dance, The most fleshed out characters are the Anglo leads, and they are attractive but humanized and flawed.

Big let-down. Movie will make you dumber. Incredibly stupid movie. How did this get 5 stars? Main "hero" looks pathetic. Like he'd have trouble actually handling a real firearm. At one time he shoots at bad guy from >100 yards away using a sawed off shotgun. Probably would struggle to do 5 pushups. Yet at the end of movie he jumps into the sea full of gators and somehow gets the exact one that cleanly bit off the villain's hand.

I was shocked of all the 'Lord's name in Vain' language that was used. The term "G*dd*mn" must have been used 50 times by the midpoint of the movie. Now I am not spouting religion here but it was way too crass and vulgar for us to finish. Again... a reference here and there, a "f-word" or other, I find ok and can be used as a talking point later if you wish... but when I say 50 times... I am not exaggerating Go for Indiana Jones instead. On a technical point......the terrible "tinny" sounding mono audio. It all sounds canned and clearing they did not do sound effects any justice.

My kids, 11 and 8, liked it, but the younger one was bothered by the scenes of stabbing. They loved it when the two main characters were caught in a mudslide.

A great, funny, action filled movie--but not for younger kids. In fact, the two main characters do end up in bed together--and you see their naked bodies laying on top of each other "after". I suggest covering eyes during that one part, but aside from that, it is the same kind of action/peril as you get with an Indiana Jones film

This movie is favorite of mine from when I was a kid. It came out in theaters when I was 10 and it quickly became my fave movie. In trying to determine if my 8 yr old was ready to watch it I re-watched. I don’t care about moderate bad language and I certainly don’t care about two people in love lying in bed together talking where you don’t even see any nudity.- there are far worse things in the world- but I do care about violence. Between the hand getting bitten off and the bad guy catching on fire and falling to his death in the croc pit, there is just enough to scare a younger kid quite badly.

My two 11 year olds and I watched this movie,.....we loved it! I only fast forwarded thru the one scene after they get to the pay phone and "celebrate" together. We loved the adventure of Jack and Joan as they go thru the rain forest in search of the treasure. You should rent this movie for both boys or girls of this age group and older.