Skellig: The Owl Man

  • Review Date: February 13, 2013
  • Rated: NR
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Release Year: 2010
  • Running Time: 104 minutes

Common Sense Media says

Fantasy mixes with emotionally intense family drama.
  • Review Date: February 13, 2013
  • Rated: NR
  • Genre: Fantasy
  • Release Year: 2010
  • Running Time: 104 minutes

Age(i)

2
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5
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10
11
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13
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15
16
17

Quality(i)

 
(i)
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What parents need to know

Positive messages

This film promotes the importance of having faith in yourself and in those around you.

Positive role models

While coming to terms with moving to a new house and attending a new school, Michael goes out of his way to try and nurse Skellig back to health. 

Violence

At the beginning of the film, a boy stands at the edge of a cliff with a broken nose and then jumps. A boy finds a hunting rifle and runs around a forest carrying it. Two tween boys push and shove each other; one is shoved violently into a rocky wall. When his father sets a shed on fire that is occupied by a mysterious seemingly homeless man, Michael rescues the man, but visibly burns his hand.

Sex

Some tween-boy taunting, as two of Michael's friends accuse him of having a girlfriend when they spy on him spending time with a neighbor girl.

Language

"S--t." "Piss off." Due to a fear of heights, Michael avoids diving off a high dive in gym class; his teacher makes fun of him, as do some other boys in the locker room. Two tween-boy friends of Michael taunt him when they spy on him spending time with a neighbor girl.

Consumerism
Not applicable
Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Michael steals bottles of beer from his parents' refrigerator in order to take them to Skellig, who greedily swallows from the bottles and declares ale to be the "nectar of the gods." After a difficult day, Michael's father drinks beer to excess. He acts intoxicated, and then decides to burn down the ramshackle shed in the back yard of the property he has just purchased. Later, when he believes that his son is stealing his beer, Michael's father tells Michael, "Alcohol is never the answer."

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Skellig: The Owl Man is a 2009 made-for-TV adaptation of David Almond's award-winning novel. There are some emotionally intense hospital scenes, and the film freely discusses death, dying, and miscarriages within families. Scenes with cockroaches and scenes where the titular character eats live snails could be difficult for more sensitive viewers, or those watching during a meal. A coach is shown belittling a boy because he is afraid of heights and unable to climb up the high dive to jump into a swimming pool. Aside from this, there is some minor taunting between tween boys who are friends, and a violent pushing and shoving match between two friends near the film's climax. There is also some language ("s--t," "piss off").

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Kids say

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What's the story?

Michael is the new kid at school, and he and his parents are adjusting to moving into a house in dire need of repairs as his mother (Kelly Macdonald) is weeks away from the birth of his sister. While exploring the back yard of the new property, Michael discovers an old shed; much to his surprise, a seemingly homeless man (Tim Roth) lives there. Michael begins trying to befriend this mysterious, grumpy, and disheveled man by bringing him beer and Chinese food, and with the help of his neighbor, a misfit girl named Mina, Michael begins to realize that there is more to this man than he had previously believed. As it is discovered that Michael's newborn baby sister has a heart condition and might not live, the man in the shed -- Skellig -- gains strength, and as the mysteries of who he is and what he can do begin to be revealed, Michael sees Skellig as his only hope to save the baby's life, but only if Skellig can be made to believe in himself.

Is it any good?

QUALITY
 

SKELLIG: THE OWL MAN is a gripping mix of mysterious magical realism, emotionally intense family drama, and a tween boy coming-of-age story. What works is how it manages to balance all three of these elements while making full use of the possibilities in each story. The film doesn't sugarcoat old age, the difficulties kids have in moving to a new place, and the trials parents endure after experiencing a miscarriage. All this is presented in a way that is accessible and identifiable enough for parents and kids, and with the mystery of Skellig in the mix, the result is a powerful message on belief and hope.

While the movie's pace, and some of the graphic scenes of cockroaches and snails might be a bit much for younger viewers, for tween kids and parents, Skellig: The Owl Man is an engaging adaptation of the best-selling novel.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about books that are turned into films. What are the challenges in adapting a best-selling novel into a movie?

  • How does this film address the challenges kids face when moving to a new house and attending a new school?

  • How does the movie's magical realism contrast and also heighten the real-life problems presented?

Movie details

DVD release date:August 17, 2010
Cast:Bill Milner, Kelly Macdonald, Tim Roth
Director:Annabel Jankel
Studio:Image Entertainment
Genre:Fantasy
Topics:Friendship
Run time:104 minutes
MPAA rating:NR

This review of Skellig: The Owl Man was written by

Brian Costello

About our rating system

  • ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
  • PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
  • OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
  • NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids of any age.

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Quality

Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning ratings

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

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Teen, 15 years old Written byMadGirlJane November 19, 2013
AGE
18
QUALITY
 

Skellig? MORE LIKE STUPID!!!

Dont waste your time quite frankly. I watched it in school and would rate it a 12. But that is a personal opinion, my friend said it was one of the best movies she has ever seen?!? she obviously does not get out much
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
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Kid, 11 years old June 30, 2014
AGE
13
QUALITY
 

boring

i liked lots of this movie but it is really sad for people who care for all of gods creatures and lots is sad the film is a bit boring
What other families should know
Too much swearing
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