The Skulls
By Nancy Warren,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Dumb, but some teens will enjoy it anyway.
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The Skulls
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What's the Story?
In this thriller, college student Luke (Joshua Jackson) wants to get into Harvard Law School so desperately that he joins a secret society called the Skulls. Everything starts out fine, and Luke enjoys the perks, but when his roommate dies and it's deemed a suicide, Luke begins to suspect the society has a hand in it and embarks on a dangerous investigation.
Is It Any Good?
Veteran director Rob Cohen keeps THE SKULLS moving, even when the action stops making sense. Adults may become impatient with the many lapses in logic. However, this is a thriller for teens. The main character learns that money and power at the expense of friendship isn't worth it--not such a bad message during a time when wealth is seen as the ultimate, if not only, barometer of success.
One fifteen-year-old female viewer liked the two friends Luke leaves behind the best: fellow rower and outsider Will, whose murder sparks Luke's turnaround, and the girl upstairs, Chloe. Will is a strong, if briefly developed African-American character, and Chloe turns out to be one tough woman, planning getaways and out-driving killer SUVs. But even the fifteen-year-old saw where the plot went awry. The scene in which Luke goes from a thorazine coma to fighting a duel exasperated her, but it didn't dampen her overall enthusiasm. Bottom line: The glossy visuals, intriguing settings, and action in The Skulls may help teens forget that all the plot twists add up to a pretzel.
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Families can talk about what makes a good thriller.
Movie Details
- In theaters: October 24, 2000
- On DVD or streaming: October 24, 2000
- Cast: Joshua Jackson , Leslie Bibb , Paul Walker
- Director: Rob Cohen
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Newmarket Film Group
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 107 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: violence and brief sexuality
- Last updated: March 31, 2022
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