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Parents' Guide to

Skyfall

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Bond returns for more racy, action-packed thrills.

Movie PG-13 2012 143 minutes
Skyfall Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 13+

Based on 21 parent reviews

Jaden_Pregno
Jaden_Pregno Adult
March 4, 2016
age 11+

Great Movie.

This movie is absolutely one of the best Bonds out there other than some others. There is lots of violence but it is good graphics and has a great storyline. Language is iffy because of M, but other than that there is not a lot. Sex isn't bad not much I could see. Hope this helped you
1 person found this helpful.
YesCymru
YesCymru Adult
January 16, 2022
age 2+

Good

See all 21 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When evil Silva (Javier Bardem), a vengeful ex-MI6-er, gets his hands on a list of undercover agents and endangers them by revealing their identities, five at a time, on the Internet, James Bond (Daniel Craig) must put a stop to his plans, fast. But Silva is a wily devil, relying more on cyberspace weapons than on the tricky tools that 007 is more accustomed to. Q (Ben Whishaw), an upstart wunderkind, equips Bond with the leanest of gadgetry, but Silva is hell-bent on destruction -- and on killing his ultimate prize, M (Judi Dench), whom he blames for his ruin.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (21 ):
Kids say (115 ):

Thrilling from start to finish, SKYFALL is a feat of Bond-ism, a mix of lean-and-mean modernism and momentum that also pays homage to the series' iconic status. The martini remains, though the line "shaken, not stirred" is no more. (It's unnecessary.) The Aston Martin makes a thoughtful appearance and then is shot to smithereens, as if to mark a literal break from the past.

But it's the movie's trip to Bond's own past that makes Skyfall more than just an espionage re-tread. And Bardem is a fearsome villain with pathos and a back story plucked from Greek mythology and Shakespeare. Skyfall soars, making the Bond franchise as relevant as ever.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what makes James Bond "cool." Is it his skills? His attitude? Do you consider him a role model? What makes him so appealing (and enduring) in general?

  • How does the violence in the more recent Bond movies compare to the older ones? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Is the Bond franchise still relevant for today's sensibilities? Does Skyfall advance it or keep it in the past?

  • Does Skyfall use drinking and smoking to support or take away from the Bond franchise's appeal?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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