Parents' Guide to

The Fugitive

By Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Heart-pounding thriller with great acting.

Movie PG-13 1993 125 minutes
The Fugitive Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

See all
age 12+

Based on 12 parent reviews

K W.
K W. Parent of 7, 9, 11 and 13-year-old
October 28, 2022
age 13+

Great movie but there is a flashback sex scene

This is a great movie. My 13 year old and I enjoyed it. It is a bit violent and intense at times. The only uncomfortable parts to watch were a flashback of a sexual scene and a couple of bloody hospital surgery scenes.
2 people found this helpful.
kristin1234
kristin1234 Parent of 14-year-old
February 15, 2020
age 14+

Exciting movie

I showed this to my 14-year-old who really liked it. An exciting bus crash / train wreck sequence near the beginning. A few sexy scenes between husband and wife — she leaves clothes strewn up the stairs to entice him, and some brief in-bed scenes of shoulders/camisole and up only, with loving kisses, also if I’m remembering right she is on top of him. But given that most kids this age have unfortunately seen porn already, it’s a good counter to that, being within a deeply loving relationship. Also, some violence as she is attacked and murdered. Still, I think appropriate for age 14 and up. A good amount of humor in it, too.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
2 people found this helpful.
See all 12 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When THE FUGITIVE begins, it appears that Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), a respected vascular surgeon, has killed his wife in their upstairs bedroom. He claims that a one-armed man did it, but the physical evidence isn't in Kimble's favor. Tried and sentenced to death by lethal injection, he's loaded onto a bus with a handful of other convicts being transferred to the Illinois State Penitentiary. The bus never reaches its destination. An uprising causes it to crash and gives Kimble an opportunity. He escapes and, relentlessly tracked by a team led by U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), sets out to clear his name by finding the real culprit.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (12):
Kids say (38):

Based on the 1960s TV series of the same name, The Fugitive isn't some cheap knockoff. Gripping from the moment it starts, this is a sterling example of how action pictures should be made. Clever storytelling and editing build the suspense. Director Andrew Davis frames Chicago beautifully through panning aerial shots. Throw in a moving score and super tight script and you'll get why it was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. The only use of sensational effects is a train derailment so convincing that you'll suspect the filmmakers crashed a real train to get the footage. They did.

Tommy Lee Jones won an Oscar for his supporting role, and, as Kimble, Harrison Ford is particularly sympathetic. Seeing him tracked cross-country through hospital corridors and a sewer system, we never forget that he's a man devastated by his wife's death. Strange to say about someone fleeing the law, but Kimble can actually serve as a role model of sorts for older kids. A loving husband, a caring surgeon who more than once risks his life to help others in need, he uses his wits to nonviolently steer the law toward the man they're really after. And, Tommy Lee Jones won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why being scared by films (or theme park rides and haunted houses) can be fun. Is it because we really long to experience dangerous situations, or is there another reason?

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.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate