Parents' Guide to

Tristan & Isolde

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Busy plot and swordplay upstage the chaste romance.

Movie NR 2010 79 minutes
Tristan & Isolde Poster Image

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

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What's the Story?

Hoping to prove his worthiness, earn knighthood, and avoid an arranged marriage, young Tristan (voiced by Louis Wright) sets out to slay a giant and save the children of his father's kingdom from slavery. His bravery and skill (with help from a magical wood sprite and a fairy) lead him to his uncle's palace where he falls in love with the beautiful Princess Isolde (Ciara Barker). Tristan is called upon again to save a kingdom -- this time from a terrible dragon. More adventures follow as Isolde's father sends the newly-knighted Sir Tristan to negotiate a truce with a warring realm. Ultimately, the giant and the dragon prove to be far less dangerous than the king's trusted counselor who wants the throne for himself.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Stock heroes and villains, a complicated story, and a half-hearted effort to provide the traditional "quirky" comic sidekicks don't add up to much. The animation is ordinary as well.

The actual legend of TRISTAN & ISOLDE is tragic and very different from this offering -- it's been seriously undertaken by authors (i.e., Shakespeare) and composers (i.e., Richard Wagner) over centuries. Other than having a recognizable title, it isn't clear what motivated the filmmakers to make this movie and then be forced to venture so far from the original source material.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Tristan grows up over course of the movie. What, if anything, does he learn?

  • Puck, the wood-sprite, and Teazle, the fairy, are traditional pals for Tristan. How are they important to the story? Think of other movies you've seen that have "sidekicks" traveling with the hero -- what do they all have in common?

  • Fairy tales have existed for thousands of years. Why do you think kids (and grown ups!) like them so much?

Movie Details

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