Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Clichéd sci-fi movie has slow pace, gratuitous sex talk.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Wing Commander
What's the Story?
It's the 27th century, and the Terran Confederacy is at war with the Kilrathi Empire. Two fighter pilots, Christopher Blair (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and "Maniac" Marshall (Matthew Lillard), have just arrived on the starfighter carrier TCS Tiger Claw. The Kilrathi have taken a NAVCOM unit with jump coordinates that will send them right on a path to destroy the Earth. Since reinforcements can't arrive in time, it's up to the Tiger Claw to find a way to stop the Kilrathi. Marshall also must learn to curb his excessive cockiness, especially when his actions endanger other pilots, and Blair must contend with those who fear and distrust him because he is half-"Pilgrim," a descendant of the very first explorers to colonize the Earth. They face long odds, but there is no other way but for the Tiger Claw to fight back and save mankind.
Is It Any Good?
WING COMMANDER is a bad mix of clichéd characters, slow-paced and hard-to-follow action, and gratuitous sex talk. It's difficult to feel much involvement with the story when "the bad guys" aren't really shown until the last half hour or so of the movie and "the good guys" aren't especially likable. It's also difficult to feel much fear for said bad guys when they look like giant cats walking on their hind legs while talking in the same voice as a source who wishes to remain anonymous during an investigative news segment.
There's just not much to care about here, even with the world at stake. This is the classic example of a movie that tries to do too much with too little. Time that could have been spent in space battles is wasted on attempts at love or romance or to preach about how wrong it is to hate someone based on his or her heritage. And instead of a sci-fi story, what emerges is a lot of complicated space talk and gadgetry along with basic archetypal characters we've all seen so many times (the "cocky flyboy," the "misfit with something to prove") that the result is a confusing mess.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about movies based on video games and other forms of entertainment. Why do you think movies that are based on popular video games, toys, theme-park rides, and the like are made?
Does the talk of sex seem relevant to the overall story, or does it feel as if it was put in to try to keep the story interesting?
Which similarities and differences do you see between this and other sci-fi movies?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 12, 1999
- On DVD or streaming : August 6, 2013
- Cast : Freddie Prinze Jr. , Matthew Lillard , Saffron Burrows
- Director : Chris Roberts
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Starz Media
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : Sexual references and sci-fi action/violence.
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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
Suggest an 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