Parents' Guide to

Wildling

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Monster movie about puberty is smart but bloody.

Movie R 2018 92 minutes
Wildling Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 14+

Based on 3 parent reviews

Indybunny
Indybunny Adult
April 29, 2020
age 14+

A little predictable....

My wife and I watched this and had the plot figured out pretty early on. The story starts with a very young girl being raised by "daddy". She is pretty much a prisoner in his shack out in the woods. He does his best to raise her, and tries to give her some semblance of an education. As she ages, he starts giving her shots to prevent, or at least delay puberty. The story doesn't progress much until the girl is rescued, and temporarily lives with a sheriff (played by Liv Tyler) and her much younger brother, as their parents had passed some time before. The girl (Anna) is in sensory overload pretty much from her rescue on. She does a good job of putting together the pieces of her jagged existence, however, I wish the producers could have stretched that part of the movie out a little, as the whole thing seems to happen pretty fast. Not an incredible amount of violence, however, when it does happen, it's pretty grisly. There is also some teen drinking at a party, and a couple of scenes involving sexuality that might be embarrassing to be watching with your kids. Overall a fairly decent movie, albeit a bit rushed. I'm not a fan of movies that leave you guessing, but this movie does a good job tying up the loose ends.
BellaNYC
BellaNYC Adult
April 12, 2020
age 15+

Interesting movie

I’m not sure if the person on this page who write the review stating “ Based on the primal, male-held view of changes in a woman's body being monstrous”. Actually watched this movie because it has nothing to do with that at all. Without trying to give a way too much ..... the movie is about mythical creatures in a way and has nothing to do with male held views on a woman’s bodily changes. There’s a reason the male in this movie does what he does when The girl gets her period. And it has nothing to do with misogyny.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In WILDLING, a man known as Daddy (Brad Dourif) cares for a young girl called Anna, who appears to be a prisoner in a locked room. She's told that her circumstances are intended to protect her from the "Wildling." As Anna grows into a young woman (Bel Powley), Daddy finds it more difficult to keep secrets from her, and he attempts to commit suicide. The gunshot brings Sheriff Ellen Cooper (Liv Tyler), who decides to bring Anna to her home rather than allow her to be locked up in a facility. Anna, who doesn't understand much about the outside world, starts acting strangely, doing things like devouring mostly meat at mealtime. She befriends Ellen's younger brother, Ray (Collin Kelly-Sordelet), and they go to a party together. When bullies pick on Ray, something awakens in Anna, and the secret of her existence comes to the fore.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (3):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Based on the primal, male-held view of changes in a woman's body being monstrous, this clever, sympathetic horror-drama offers a fresh, bracing twist on that myth. As Anna experiences her first menstrual cycle, "Daddy" tells her she's "sick," and from there, Wildling follows her as she deals with all of her new feelings and impulses; perhaps they're evil, but they feel good. It helps that Powley, with her wide, expressive eyes, is in the role. She went through similar changes and impulses (albeit in a less supernatural setting) in The Diary of a Teenage Girl.

Wildling is the feature directorial debut of German-born Fritz Bohm, and it's a good first film, finding a smart balance between sympathetic characters who are willing to understand Anna and ugly ones who are quick to judge her. It's also notable that the good characters are brother and sister, with no parents in sight; it's an interesting dynamic. Wildling is a movie whose meanings can be pleasurably picked apart, although it succeeds more fully as a thoughtful movie than as a scary one. (Dourif, known for his work as "Chucky," was doubtless cast for his horror movie clout, but Bohm doesn't seem interested in superficial scares.) And, of course, the movie's theme isn't exactly original (see Carrie, Ginger Snaps, Teeth, It Follows, Raw, etc.), but at least Bohm tackles it with renewed energy.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Wildling's violence. How much is shown, and how much is implied? Does the movie seem intended to shock? Or does it have something else in mind? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • How does the movie treat bullies? What are other ways to handle them?

  • How is teen sex depicted? Is it romanticized, or does it have another purpose? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • How are teen drug use and drinking depicted? Is substance use glamorized? Does it look cool? Are there consequences? Why is that important?

Movie Details

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