parental movie review commando

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, 30 minutes on: "commando".

A perfect engine of meaningless destruction, "Commando" followed Arnold Schwarzenegger's breakthrough hit "The Terminator" by less than a year. Even though he played a villain in the latter, he imported his signature moves and performance tics into the role of a stoic meat-slab trying to save his daughter from Latin American death squads and their mercenaries. I'm the right age to have seen all of the now-nearly-canonized 1980s R-rated adventures (including this one, the Rambo pictures, " Aliens ," " Predator " and " Die Hard ") in first-run theaters. As a historical witness (cue Civil War fiddle music—or maybe Horner's turtle drums) I can testify that yes, "Commando" was a big deal—not just because it was continuously violent (hundreds of killings) and mordantly funny ("I lied"), but because any viewer with eyes could see that Schwarzenegger was already putting his own distinctive spin on the persona he'd created with James Cameron . From the instant that Arnie made his entrance in "Commando," clomping through a forest with a chainsaw in his right hand and a giant log on his oiled left bicep, you knew you were watching a film that was in on its own joke—and in case you weren't convinced, the film had its hero row to the final showdown in a Speedo. There are jokes in the script about red meat and macho b.s., but they're mainly in there so the film can wallow in the things it decries. "Commando" might be the first entirely postmodern action thriller, serving up many of the cliches that audiences saw in "Rambo, First Blood Part II" four months earlier (including close-ups of a glistening muscleman strapping on weapons) but putting a half-mocking spin on them. As a man sitting in front of me shrieked delightedly to his date, right after Vernon Wells' burly henchman Bennett got electrocuted on a fence and it only made him madder, "It's a motherf-----g cartoon!"

I recall reading an interview with Schwarzenegger in my local newspaper circa 1985 where he said something along the lines of, "Young audiences now don't just want their good guys to be good, they also want them to be bad." Bad, as in badass. Or bad as in bad boy, verging on bully—like Clint Eastwood , an actor whose films Schwarzenegger had obviously studied, as if they were How-To manual for actors who had broad shoulders and a square jaw but not a lot of range. Schwarzenegger's predatory squint comes from Eastwood. So does his sneering delivery of kiss-off lines and his willingness to play characters so adept at killing that they seem more like John Carpenter horror movie stalker-creatures than traditional leading men. (Both Schwarzenegger and Eastwood have played many characters who get killed, in body or spirit, and then resurrected so that they can deal out death and snotty one-liners.) There was a tendency at the time to ascribe Schwarzenegger's fondness for cheeseball bon mots like "Don't disturb my friend, he's dead tired" and "Let off some steam" to a desire to imitate Bond (he would get his chance, sort of, in 1994's " True Lies "), but the self-satisfied quality is more Clint. When Schwarzenegger's Matrix tells David Patrick Kelly's Sully as he's hanging him off a cliff that "this is my weak arm," or quips upon leaving the hotel room where he killed Bill Duke's Green Beret that they're taking his car because "he won't be needing it," he's just being a jerk.

But he's a funny jerk—and the film's and Schwarzenegger's deadpans are so expertly judged that you don't tire of Matrix's "wit," much less disapprove of it. Tone is everything. "Commando" is as knowingly unreal as some of the best 1980s Hong Kong action classics. Like those films, this one is essentially a comedy with a body count; the bit where Matrix swings across a shopping mall atrium like Tarzan might be an homage to the most famous stunt in Jackie Chan's "Police Story." "Die Hard" cowriter Steven E. De Souza and " Class of 1984 " director Mark Lester have a knack for setting up preposterous sight gags and groan-worthy jokes, then cutting away from them so quickly that you can't help but laugh.  When Matrix and Rae Dawn Chong's intrepid flight attendant Cindy crash a car into a telephone pole, Lester quickly cuts to a tighter shot of Matrix asking, "Are you all right?", and of course she is. 

This is the kind of movie where the hero realizes the bad guys have torn the cables out of his truck to prevent him from chasing them to rescue his daughter and puts the damned thing in neutral and drives it downhill, somehow dodging every tree; when he finally crashes and the truck obligatorily explodes, the movie cuts to Matrix sprinting away from the wreck. There are a lot of moments like those in "Commando"—moments where the film seems to have a crush on its own ludicrousness and is determined to keep the buzz going by never allowing the audience to look (or think) long enough to poke holes. Roger Ebert was fond of calling out this kind of Saturday morning serial logic (affectionately): Hopalong Cassidy appears to get buried in an avalanche at the end of a chapter, and at the start of the next one you see him riding along in the desert while the announcer says, "After Hoppy escaped from the canyon..."

Schwarzenegger's brawn is used for slapstick effect throughout. He's the Terminator as single dad. Abetted by Cindy, he charges through Southern California with an improbable blend of lethal grace and thunder-footed clumsiness. At times his whole performance seems modeled on the scene in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" where Jonathan Winters destroys a gas station with his bare hands. Matrix rips through a partition in the cargo hold of a plane, kicks and punches enemies so hard that they crash through walls, snaps a man's neck with his bare hands as if it were a shingle, and rips a seat out of Cindy's convertible for no discernible reason (it can't be to hide from Sully; in long shots of the vehicle, Matrix's head is sticking up right next to Cindy's, like a dog enjoying the feel of highway wind in his mouth). He just crashes through the world, punching and kicking and shooting and incinerating everything and everyone that stands in his way, until he finally javelins a pipe through Bennett and wraps his redwood arms around his daughter again and they fly away with Cindy.

Are we supposed to think that Matrix, Jenny and Cindy form a makeshift nuclear family in the end? It's hard to say, because this is a rare '80s action flick that doesn't twist the script's only significant male-female relationship (unless you count a couple surprised mid-coitus when soldiers crash through their motel room wall) into a love story. But at the same time, "Commando" treats the leads' very real chemistry as a comic resource that's ultimately as important as the film's explosions and prosthetic flourishes (like that buzz saw flattop that the hero gives a goon in the toolshed scene). That Matrix and Cindy's relationship is so instantly comfortable adds to its humor. They get along as if they've known each other for years. She busts his chops and freaks out sometimes but always comes through in a pinch (she even figures out how to fire a rocket launcher by reading the instructions), and Matrix never loses his cool with her. He treats Cindy as if she's the latest addition to his unit, somebody who's green but will get the hang of things eventually.

There's an arc here; who'd have thunk it? Before Matrix met Cindy, she was a flight attendant who couldn't get a date, now she's helping a commando rescue his daughter by flying a hijacked seaplane to an island stronghold. One of the many fun ways to think about this film after-the-fact is to envision it a chaste romantic comedy titled "When Matrix Met Cindy," about the most exciting twelve hours in a woman's life. Even if the two don't end up married after the final credits fade, I bet they keep in touch. Maybe Cindy attends Jenny's high school graduation and gives her a card with a drawing of a seaplane on it.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

Latest blog posts

Marvel's Black Villain Era

Black Out: The Disappearance of Black Couples in Advertising

​Donald Sutherland: The Consummate Character Actor

It's About Reshaping: David Kirkman on Underneath: The Children of the Sun

Latest reviews.

Fancy Dance

Jourdain searles.

Peyton Robinson

Sarah-Tai Black

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Rendy jones.

What Remains

Craig d. lindsey.

She Rises Up

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Inside Out 2 Link to Inside Out 2
• The Bikeriders Link to The Bikeriders
• Fancy Dance Link to Fancy Dance

New TV Tonight

• House of the Dragon: Season 2
• Hotel Cocaine: Season 1
• Tony Awards: Season 77
• Megamind Rules!: Season 1
• Shoresy: Season 3
• Grantchester: Season 9
• Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown: Season 1
• Hart to Heart: Season 4
• Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini: Season 1
• Chopper Cops: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• The Boys: Season 4
• Presumed Innocent: Season 1
• Joko Anwar's Nightmares and Daydreams: Season 1
• Dark Matter: Season 1
• Eric: Season 1
• Evil: Season 4
• Bridgerton: Season 3
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• House of the Dragon: Season 2 Link to House of the Dragon: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Yorgos Lanthimos Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Muppet Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

RT Users Crown The Matrix The Best Movie of 1999!

The Fantastic Four : Release Date, Story, Cast & More

• Trending on RT
• The Fantastic Four
• 1999 Movie Showdown
• Best Shark Movies

Where to Watch

Rent Commando on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

The ultimate '80s Schwarzenegger movie, replete with a threadbare plot, outsized action, and endless one-liners.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Mark L. Lester

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Colonel John Matrix

Rae Dawn Chong

Vernon Wells

David Patrick Kelly

More Like This

Related movie news.

Get the Reddit app

The only official sub on Reddit to discuss the Angry Video Game Nerd and everything Cinemassacre!

Commando (1985 film) Cinemassacre Rental Reviews

• Conquests/Awards
• Articles Elsewhere
• Amazon Author Page

Commando (1985) Review: Arnold Schwarzenegger in Top Form for this Action Classic

JOHN. You know, it seems like you just can’t be a true action hero unless your name is John. That is the MANLIEST of men’s names. Just think about all the action hero characters whose name is John: John Spartan ( Demolition Man ), Detective John Kimble ( Kindergarten Cop ), John McClane ( Die Hard ), John Rambo ( Rambo ), John Connor ( Terminator ), and John Matrix ( Commando ).

…Now, granted, Kimble from Kindergarten Cop isn’t really an action hero, but he does get into some action in that movie and he’s played by Ahnold himself. My deepest sympathies to everyone out there whose name isn’t John because it looks like your chances of becoming an action hero are very slim. If you’re still feeling down, consider changing your name to John so you might have a chance at getting to break a friend out of a jungle prison or liberate a group of hostages from a European terrorist. 

In Commando , we have John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) single handedly taking down a metric butt-ton of people. How much is a metric butt-ton you ask? Oh, you’ll know when you see it. There’ll be a point in the movie where you’ll say to yourself “Man! He sure has killed a lot of people!” That, my friends, is a metric butt-ton moment. When Matrix’s daughter (Alyssa Milano) gets kidnapped, he spends the whole movie killing everyone until he finds his daughter by sheer process of elimination. It’s great fun and you get to see a wee-little Milano in one of her first movie roles. Then there’s Arnold! He is in tip-top shape in this one! It’s easy to forget that he was a bodybuilder first; but, in Commando , you won’t forget that fact for a second. This movie wants you to remember the simple formula of (if)Arnold then =muscles.

John Matrix character is a lot like John Rambo. Matrix is retired from his special operations job where he was the best at killing people. He’s just trying to live a normal life and people keep picking on him. And, much like Richard Crenna was Rambo’s hype man, so, too, is Major General Kirby Matrix’s hype man, saying things like, “If he’s still alive, I’d expect more [bodies]” and “Expect WWIII.” 

Commando is a great action flick, and very content to get liberal with the boundaries of realism. I mean, it gets pretty ridiculous at times. For example, Matrix has some superhuman strength moments, like pulling a metal chain and lock off of a gate with his bare hands or ripping a car seat out of the car without a struggle, not to mention bodyslamming a telephone booth with a dude still in it trying to make a call.

All in all, Commando is a classic entry in Arnold’s filmography for a reason. It’s fun, high-energy, with some great stunts and fights, and features Arnold cracking wise and flexing muscles.

Time until initial action starts: ~ 2 minutes

Time until real action starts: ~ 12 minutes

Baddies: Two guys and a gang of disgraced U.S. soldiers

Best Line: Matrix grabs a pipe and throws it at his opponent, pinning him to another pipe and piercing it so that steam pours from the baddie’s chest. “Let off some steam,” he puns at the now-deceased man who presumably was raised by a family who cared about him. 

Best Kill: Matrix is talking to a sleazeball in cahoots with the kidnappers. This poor, stupid, bag of garbage says, “If you want your kid back, you’ve got to cooperate with us, right?”

Matrix: “Wrong!” 

Then he shoots the guy right in the head! You will not be bullying John Fuckin’ Matrix into cooperating. If you want to live, you better cooperate with him!

Best Explosion: Matrix sets up some bombs outside a couple of buildings. As the baddies realize he’s there and come after him, the bombs blow and take out close to five buildings and a tower. The buildings get blown to such tiny pieces it left me thinking, “Oh, that debris is so cute, look how small the little rocks are!”

Action Rating: 4 1/2 Arnolds choppin’ limbs and catchin’ phrases, out of 5.

This is the Action Flick Chick, and you’ve just been kicked in the ass!

Related posts:

Share this:.

About Action Flick Chick

12 responses to commando (1985) review: arnold schwarzenegger in top form for this action classic.

Pingback: » Commando (1985)

Sometimes you review an oldie and don’t give it the credit it deserves, but you passed the Commando test with flying colors. This is the grand-daddy of 80s action stupidity, and it can do no wrong!

This was the movie I heard my dad say, “bits o guy” for the first time, heh. Definitely a must for any 80s action buffs. And, yes, this one is chock full of one-liners too good to pass up.

Commando is just a ridiculous and over the top action movie… and that is what makes it so much fun.

I think I would slightly disagree on Best Line though, of course this movie has so many good one liners that it really is hard to decide on the best. My favorite though, would have to be:

“Sully, remember when I promised to kill you last?” “That’s right, Matrix! You did!” “I lied.”

He drops Sully off the cliff and then a few minutes later.

“What happened to Sully?” “I let him go.”

…finds his daughter by sheer process of elimination – haha!

You nailed Commando perfectly. Great, cheesy lines, savage wanton mayhem and murder and Ahnold. The 80’s were such a grand time. I may need to pull this off the shelf to walk down the mine fields of memory lane.

Pingback: » Arnold Fest 2009!

Pingback: Action Flick Chick - » Best of Action Flick Chick, Part 1: The Reviews

shortened url = http://3.ly/Cmd

I love this movie, but I'm not sure if it's because he basically kills the same guy over and over again or because of that kick ass steel drum track they play over and over again… it may be both.

“Commando” very good! A must see as far as I am concerned. Plus you get to see Alyssa Milano as a wee girl – too cute!

I love this (as you can tell since I have the Commando posters in a couple of my She’s Out of my League review http://bit.ly/bwwQwg and Twilight reaction video http://bit.ly/dwY0iX ) and all of Arnold’s action movies….Twins and Junior…not so much. My favorite line is the bad guy reminding Arnold that he liked him…so therefore he would kill him last. “I lied!”. I need to add this movie to my Arnold collection soon (currently at 11).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

• Search Search

Recent Posts

• Drive Angry 3-D (2011) Review: Never Disrobe Before Gunplay!
• Road House (1989): Skinny Dipping and Throat Ripping
• Summer Movies 2024: What Are We Looking Forward To (and NOT Looking Forward To)? You Weigh In!
• Salt (2010) Review: Salty, Tasty Goodness
• Freelance (2023): This Film Shouldn’t Quit Its Day Job
• Books I wrote!

• True Romance (1993) Review
• 10 Best The Matrix Moments
• ‘Chinatown’ at 50 - Review
• 10 Best The Batman Moments
• The Curtain Call on Film Tragedies

Commando (1985) – Snapshot Review

Commando (1985) Director : Mark L. Lester Screenwriters :  Jeph Loeb, Matthew Weisman, Steven E. de Souza Starring : Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano, Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells, James Olsen, David Patrick Kelly, Bill Paxton

Mark L. Lester’s 80’s action romp sees Arnold Schwarzenegger take up one of his most iconic roles as the khaki-clad, tree carrying wonder that is John Matrix.

A retired Black Ops Commando, John (Schwarzenegger) enjoys the solace of a rural mountain lodge where he and his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) engage in an idyllic picture of what ‘father-daughter’ life should be.

However, their days of feeding wild deer and frolicking over peanut butter sandwiches are rudely interrupted when a group of South American criminals kidnap Jenny; forcing John to dig his war-paint out of the wardrobe for one final showdown.

Armed with a pillow and a blanket, Matrix works against the insurmountable odds to get his daughter back alive. With his trusty digital watch and a particular set of skills that would put Liam Neeson to shame, he enlists an unwitting flight attendant Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) as his perky sidekick.

The pair are confronted with host of obstacles, but armed with a positive attitude (and a rocket launcher) they overcome them with ease. Cindy’s happy-go-lucky nature and Matrix’s devil-may-care attitude form a delightful tag-team of action and comedy, worthy of any Friday night movie binge.

A screenplay with more cracks than a wonky house paired with Arnie’s blunt line delivery leaves little to the imagination, but that isn’t a bad thing. Far from it.

With classic one-liners such as “he’s dead tired,” tickling your bad joke funny bone, and continuity errors aplenty, Commando has surprisingly stood the test of time.

Plus, if you have a penchant for portly Australian (David Patrick Kelly) villains with the scare factor of a fluffy kitten, then this is definitely the movie for you.

Commando is the epitome of ‘caution to the wind, hell for leather, act first think later’ mindless 1980’s action – with another Bill Paxton cameo, see The Terminator  – and sometimes that’s all you need.

[DISPLAY_ULTIMATE_SOCIAL_ICONS]

Share with your friends / followers ...

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Austin butler to star in darren aronofsky crime thriller.

Austin Butler is to lead a new film from Sony Pictures and 'Powers'

‘The Batman Part II’ Delayed by a Year

2024 oscars winners – full list.

Jessica Alba Talks Using Dark Angel Skills for New Netflix Movie Trigger Warning

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Jessica Alba takes the action genre head-on with her newest movie, Trigger Warning , Now streaming on Netflix , the film was fun for Alba, as it gave her a chance to utilize some of the skills she'd picked up from her time filming Dark Angel at the start of her career.

Alba and Trigger Warning director Mouly Surya spoke about the Netflix movie in a new interview with CBR's Kevin Polowy. It was discussed how Alba's role had some fans thinking back to when she starred in Dark Angel , the cult classic series from the early 2000s. She shared how the series opened the door for her to take on action roles like the one she has with her newest film. Alba also said how she enjoyed getting to fall back on the skills she'd learned on Dark Angel while revealing what was totally new for her with Trigger Warning .

Netflix Unveils Branded Popcorn for Summer Movie Viewing

Netflix debuts a new line of popcorn to kick off it's summer line-up on brand new content.

"It was incredibly impactful on everything from then [on], and that was the first big role that I ever had , and it really laid the foundation for me as far as doing action," she said. "It was fun. I felt very empowered. I feel like I haven't been able to really use those skill sets that I developed so early in my career until now. I mean, this is really the first movie I get to use all that hand-to-hand combat, and also the emotion that drives the action and really infused all of that. And then I got to learn knife fighting , which I've never done, so that was cool."

"It was incredibly impactful on everything from then [on], and that was the first big role that I ever had, and it really laid the foundation for me as far as doing action."

On returning to the screen for a gritty action film like Trigger Warning , Alba also explained, "I did miss acting. I would say that this is probably the movie I've always wanted to make. This is one on my bucket list. I always wanted to do a gritty action movie with a very layered character and for the action to feel character-driven , and for you to feel attached and connected to the story."

20 Best Steamy Shows To Watch On Netflix Right Now

Netflix has plenty of series to scratch that steamy itch.

Jessica Alba Is a Special Forces Commando in Trigger Warning

In Trigger Warning , Alba plays a Special Forces commando who takes ownership of her father's bar after his death, leading to a conflict with a violent gang running amok in her hometown. Directed by Mouly Surya, the film is written by Josh Brancato, Josh Olson, and Halley Gross. It's produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, and Esther Hornstein.

Other cast members include Anthony Michael Hall , Mark Webber, Jake Weary, Tone Bell, Alejandro De Hoyos, Kaiwi Lyman, and Hari Dhillon.

Trigger Warning is now streaming on Netflix.

Source: CBR

Trigger Warning (2024)

In a tense thriller, a military veteran inherits her grandfather's bar and quickly finds herself entangled in a local conspiracy that threatens her life. As she digs deeper, she uncovers a criminal underworld that tests her combat skills and moral boundaries.

• CBR Exclusives

Find Family Movies, Movie Ratings and Movie Reviews

New movie releases.

The Bikeriders R Overall: C-

Theaters: A Midwestern motorcycle club in the 1960s starts as a social club for outsiders, but finds itself drawn into a criminal underworld.

Thelma PG-13 Overall: B

Theaters: 93-year-old Thelma Post gets conned by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson and sets out on a treacherous quest across Los Angeles to reclaim what was taken from her.

Kleks Academy TV-PG Overall: C

Netflix: In search of her missing father, a young girl accepts an invitation to attend a magical academy run by the eccentric and mysterious Mr. Kleks.

Ultraman: Rising PG Overall: A

Netflix: A superhero faces his greatest challenge yet: raising a baby kaiju monster as his own child.

The Watchers PG-13 Overall: D

Theaters: A young woman gets stranded in remote Ireland and finds herself trapped with a group of strangers who are watched by mysterious creatures each night.

Inside Out 2 PG Overall: A

Theaters: Riley, now 13 and setting off on new experiences, finds her brain turned upside down with the arrival of new emotions, led by Anxiety.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die R Overall: D

Theaters: To clear their captain's name, the Bad Boys go on the run.

Robot Dreams Not Rated Overall: A

Theaters (limited release): A lonely dog decides to build himself a robot companion and the two become inseparable.

Watch at Home

The Croods: A New Age PG Overall: A-

Digital on Demand: The Croods have found some new neighbors, a family called the Bettermans, who claim to be more highly evolved than the Croods. And you thought your neighbors were snooty.

Greenland PG-13 Overall: B+

Digital on Demand: A colossal comet is streaking towards Earth, and fragments are doing unspeakable damage across the globe. John, his wife Allison, and son Nathan now have to make a run for safety, while the sky falls around them and society collapses.

Toys of Terror R Overall: D

When kids find a box of toys in a creepy attic, there's no way they can be prepared for what those toys are going to do.

Love and Monsters PG-13 Overall: B

In Theaters: Although the rise of terrifying monsters and the apocalypse drove them apart, Joel was determined not to give up on Aimee. Now separated by an insurmountable 85 miles, every inch of which is crawling with dangerous monsters, Joel embarks on the journey of a lifetime for love.

News & Views

And the winner is….

2024 Oscars Nominees

Ten Clean Romantic Movies

Family friendly love stories for Valentine's Day

Best Movies of 2023

Our Top Ten

Oscar Nominated Movies 2023

Grading the films nominated for the Oscars

Period Romances

Tale as old as time...

Three Family Films for Black History Month

History without nightmares (we hope).

Best Films of 2022: Part 2

Films for families with teenagers

Best Films of 2022: Part 1

Film picks for families with children

Upcoming New Movies

The exorcism, trigger warning, drawing closer, fancy dance, upcoming blu-ray/streaming, i used to go here, the secret garden (2020), bill & ted face the music.

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘trigger warning’ review: jessica alba has the moves but netflix action thriller is strictly routine.

A former Special Forces commando runs into trouble when she returns to her hometown in Mouly Surya's female-driven star vehicle.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

Related Stories

Watch out amc netflix gets into the popcorn business, 'america's sweethearts: dallas cowboys cheerleaders' review: netflix's 'cheer' team struggles to dig deep, trigger warning.

The badass bona fides of Alba’s character Parker, a Special Forces commando, are immediately established in the opening scene in which she’s seen effortlessly dispatching several terrorist types in the desert. She’s also shown to be honorable, demonstrated by her angry reaction when one of her fellow soldiers takes it upon himself to start executing the prisoners and she violently puts him in his place.

Not long after, she’s informed that her father has been killed in a mine cave-in, prompting her return to her desert hometown with the symbolically less-than-subtle name of Creation. Not surprisingly, trouble follows her there, as she’s barely back in town a day when she single-handedly foils a robbery by subduing three bad guys, one of whom is brandishing an automatic weapon. She’s clearly an expert fighter not only with guns, but also in hand-to-hand combat, with knives, and, as later prominently showcased, machetes.

Her suspicions turn out to be correct, as she uncovers a criminal scheme to use the mine to steal weapons from a nearby military depot. Prominently figuring in the scheme is Jesse’s father (former teen star Anthony Michael Hall , who’s aged into his villainous looks), a corrupt senator — of a conservative bent, natch — and Jesse’s volatile brother Elvis (Jake Weary).

For support, Parker enlists the help of her covert ops colleague Spider (stand-up comedian/actor Tone Bell), an expert computer hacker, and Mike (Gabriel Basso), a local drug dealer who’s like a younger brother to her.

The by-the-numbers storyline unfolds exactly as you’d expect, despite the trio of screenwriters’ attempts to lend some quirkiness to the proceedings with such moments as the senator telling Parker that his great-grandfather was Native American. “It’s where I get my lactose intolerance from,” he snidely points out.

Mostly, it’s an excuse for Alba to display her impressive physical fitness in a series of intense fight scenes, expertly choreographed in the sort of manner that allows you to see bodies in motion rather than mere flying limbs in frenzied jump cuts.

Unfortunately, Alba, although more than competent, doesn’t quite have the full-bore charisma to make her character particularly interesting, or, as Netflix presumably hopes, the catalyst for a new action franchise. By the time the generically titled Trigger Warning reaches its predictable conclusion, you’ll be hankering to see what the streamer’s all-knowing algorithms have in store for you next.  

Full credits

Thr newsletters.

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

‘the big bend’ review: an alluring and intimate drama steeped in edge-of-the-world peril, mike faist explains how zendaya’s cameras led him to ‘the bikeriders’, jesse plemons says ‘kinds of kindness’ has scenes that may make “a lot of people sick to their stomachs”, jennifer lawrence to star in, produce murder mystery ‘the wives’ for apple, a24, liz sargent’s sundance short ‘take me home’ to be adapted into full-length feature film, judge reinhold on returning to ‘beverly hills cop’ and annual duck-hunting trips with eddie murphy.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

The 'Inside Out' movies give kids an 'emotional vocabulary.' Therapists love that

Elizabeth Blair

6/14 Inside Out 2 (theaters)

In Inside Out 2 , Riley hits puberty and faces new intense emotions like Anxiety, Embarrassment and Ennui. Pixar/‎ hide caption

Move over Joy and Sadness. Anxiety and Embarrassment are taking over. Riley has hit puberty.

Pixar's new animated movie, Inside Out 2 , reaches theaters this weekend, nearly 10 years since the first movie became a sensation, winning an Academy Award, topping the box office and then earning millions more fans on streaming.

Movie Reviews

These are the 19 movies we're most excited about this summer.

In the sequel, as in the original movie , emotions are portrayed as anthropomorphized characters who control the mind of a spirited young hockey player named Riley. She was 11 in Inside Out . Now she's 13 and facing an onslaught of intense new emotions.

Resonating with kids

Pixar is expecting Inside Out 2 to do well at the box office, partly because the characters continue to resonate with teens and adults who saw the original as younger kids.

José, a ninth-grader who lives in New Jersey, said he saw Inside Out for the first time when it came out in 2015.

"Six-year-old me, after I saw that movie, I thought people were inside my head," he said. (NPR is using only José's first name because he attends a school for teens with social-emotional challenges.)

As he got older, José says, the movie played differently. He understood, for example, what happens when Riley pretends she's joyful when she's really sad.

"It was all like a hot mess. Like, she needed to let out her feelings," he said.

Clinical social worker Kristi Zybulewski has dressed up as Sadness for Halloween. She says most of the kids she works with have seen Inside Out . Disney/Pixar; Kristi Zybulewski hide caption

Kristi Zybulewski, a clinical social worker at Sage Alliance, Paramus, where José goes to school, said that most of the teenagers she works with have seen Inside Out , often on the recommendation of a therapist.

She said she's grateful for the movie because it gives kids an "emotional vocabulary" so they can name their feelings and because it supports what she tells her students in therapy: "All emotions are welcome. ... They're all necessary. They're all meaningful. They're all rich."

Zybulewski herself is a huge fan. She has dressed up as Sadness on Halloween and has figurines of all the emotions on her desk.

One of her favorite scenes in the first movie is when Sadness sits with tearful Bing Bong, Riley's imaginary friend from early childhood.

"The scene ... reminded me very much of being a therapist," said Zybulewski. "Sitting with sadness, sitting with difficult emotions, is something that so many people feel uncomfortable with. Understandably so. But it's such a gift we can give to each other."

Introducing … Anxiety

The idea of social-emotional learning, where students acquire the skills they need to regulate, understand and talk about their emotions, is now fairly common, but that wasn't always the case.

How social-emotional learning became a front line in the battle against CRT

"When I grew up, emotions were not talked about a lot. It was something that my generation didn't really do a lot of," said Pete Docter, Pixar’s chief creative officer. He co-wrote and co-directed Inside Out and is an executive producer on Inside Out 2 .

Still, young people today seem more comfortable talking about their feelings, he said, "which is great, because they are these powerful but largely hidden rivers that run beneath and power everything in ways that we're not even aware of."

But having emotional intelligence won't spare a child the tumult of puberty. And kids, teenagers and young adults have reported rising levels of anxiety.

Inside Out emotion figurines on Kristi Zybulewski's desk. Elizabeth Blair/NPR hide caption

In the new movie, Anxiety not only takes almost complete control of Riley's mind but also "bottles up" the characters of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, relegating them to "suppressed emotions."

Lisa Damour, one of the psychologists who consulted on both Inside Out movies, said it makes perfect sense that Anxiety would be a key character as Riley hits puberty.

"It's because they can anticipate more things that could go wrong," said Damour. "Fear tends to be the emotion that we have that reacts to immediate threats. Anxiety can imagine all of the things that can go wrong and worry about them."

Movie Interviews

It's all in your head: director pete docter gets emotional in 'inside out'.

Damour said she believes that the Inside Out movies help kids — and parents — validate emotions, including the painful ones, and show us that feeling those emotions can even make us better humans.

Fifteen-year-old José hopes the new movie helps adults too. "Not a lot of people understand teenagers," he said, "so this film will be a big help to parents [who] deal with kids becoming a teenager."

Entertainment | New films: Dramas lead the weekend’s top…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

Entertainment

• TV Listings
• Food & Drink
• Suburban Life
• Personal Tech
• Senior Living

Things To Do

Entertainment | new films: dramas lead the weekend’s top movie offerings.

A quiet week at the movie theater box office is led by “The Bikeriders,” a love story starring Jodie Comer.

Austin Butler and Tom Hardy about a woman who falls for the member of a Midwestern motorcycle club.

In the streaming world, meanwhile: Liam Neesen stars as a retired hit man called back into service in “In the Land Of Saints And Sinners” on Prime Video; Jessica Alba plays a Special Forces commando who takes over her father’s bar after he dies in Netflix’s “Trigger Warning;” and “Yellowstone” drama series star Kevin Costner hosts “Yellowstone: One-Fifty,” a documentary celebrating the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park on on Paramount+.

More in Entertainment

Entertainment | American Polish Festival off to a good start in Sterling Heights

‘Blue Lights,’ a Northern Irish spin on ‘The Wire,’ looks at perils of policing in Belfast

Entertainment | ‘Granchester’ review: A new vicar makes the longrunning murder mystery series watchable again

Entertainment | Zach Bryan shows no quit at Ford Field show

Parents Guide

Certification.

• Be the first to add a certification

Sex & Nudity

Violence & gore, alcohol, drugs & smoking, frightening & intense scenes.

• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos
• User Reviews
• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

• Corrections
• Campaign 2024
• Putin's war in Ukraine
• Business & Economy
• Media Spotlight
• Waste, Fraud & Abuse
• Inside the Beltway
• Inside the Ring
• Higher Ground
• Entertainment
• Just the Headlines
• Photo Galleries
• Dive Deeper
• 40 years of The Washington Times
• Threat Status
• Energy & Environment
• Banking & Finance
• Health Care Reform
• Second Amendment
• Immigration Reform
• Homeland & Cybersecurity
• Aerospace & Defense
• Taxes & Budget
• Law Enforcement & Intelligence
• Transportation & Infrastructure
• Commentary Main
• Charles Hurt
• Cheryl K. Chumley
• Kelly Sadler
• Jennifer Harper
• Tim Constantine
• Joseph Curl
• Joseph R. DeTrani
• Billy Hallowell
• Daniel N. Hoffman
• David Keene
• Robert Knight
• Clifford D. May
• Michael McKenna
• Stephen Moore
• Tim Murtaugh
• Peter Navarro
• Everett Piper
• Scott Walker
• Black Voices
• To the Republic
• Sports Main
• Washington Commanders
• Thom Loverro
• Horse Racing
• NASCAR & Racing
• District of Sports Podcast
• Sports Photos
• Health Care on the Hill
• Invest in Portugal
• Health Care 2022
• Africa FDI Edition
• Immigration 2022
• Future of Clean Energy
• The Baltic States 2022
• Invest in Ireland
• ESG Investments
• U.S. & South Korea Alliance
• Transportation 2023
• Invest in Malta
• National Clean Energy Week
• Victorious Family
• Energy 2024
• Infrastructure 2024
• Reinventing after Globalization
• The Chiefs Forum: The Next 100 Days
• Harm Reduction and Public Health
• Subscriber Only Events
• Higher Ground Events
• All Podcasts
• The Front Page
• Politically Unstable
• History As It Happens
• Bold & Blunt
• The Higher Ground
• Court Watch
• Victory Over Communism
• District of Sports
• Capitol Hill Show
• The Unregulated Podcast
• The Rebellion Podcast
• Play Sudoku
• Crossword Puzzle
• Word Search

Listen: Today’s Front Page Get Friday’s top stories from The Washington Times

New today: Confronting the axis of authoritarians The Threat Status podcast

WATCH: Donald Trump is in a strong position to win in November Marc Lotter joins Kelly Sadler

Plugged in review: pixar delivers with ‘inside out 2,’ avoids major pitfalls for christian families.

“Inside Out 2” is fun. It’s thoughtful. And it’s a fantastic conversation starter. And it avoids the major content concerns for Christian parents. “Ultraman: Rising” isn’t perfect. But as far as positive messages go, it definitely earns the title of “ultra.”

Subscribe to have The Washington Times’ Higher Ground delivered to your inbox every Sunday.

Read on to get Plugged In on what’s beyond the movie titles and trailers for faith-filled and family-first reviews from Focus on the Family’s Plugged In .

Inside Out 2 – In Theaters

For a long while, Pixar could do no wrong.

From 1995’s “ Toy Story ” to 2015’s “ Inside Out ,” the studio churned out a steady stream of critical and commercial hits. In that 20-year span, Pixar released 15 films — and a staggering 11 of them scored 90% or better on Rotten Tomatoes.

While Pixar has still churned out its share of critical and commercial darlings since then, it’s suffered a few misfires, too — perhaps highlighted (or lowlighted?) by 2022’s “ Lightyear ,” considered the first real financial flop on Pixar’s ledger.

Be sure to listen in to The Plugged In Show , a weekly podcast with lighthearted reviews for parents and conversations about entertainment, pop culture and technology: 

Many conservative Christian families steered clear of “Lightyear” because of its LGBT content, but that’s only part of the story of why the movie failed. Truth is, Pixar’s storytelling has also been a bit uneven — at least for Pixar. And those factors — and likely others — led many to eye “Inside Out 2” with caution. “I loved the original,” you might be asking. “But will the sequel match up? Will Disney/Pixar spoil it with ‘woke’ content?”

The answers to those two questions, in order, is yes, and no.

When I reviewed “Inside Out,” it was almost a revelation to me. Not only was it funny and emotional and deeply resonant, but it provided moviegoers with practically a whole new vocabulary to consider their own emotions and those of their kids. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about my own Islands of Identity or used the language of “Inside Out” to discuss my kids’ own thoughts and feelings with them. The sequel continues on that trajectory and gives moviegoers plenty to think about — and talk about. And with so many teens struggling with various forms of mental illness, “Inside Out 2” feels quite timely.

“Inside Out 2” isn’t perhaps the creative and emotional tour-de-force that the original was. But it again introduces us to (pardon the pun) heady emotional concepts with wit and wisdom. It offers some really fun, seemingly throwaway scenes that, when you think about them on the way home from the theater, you realize they had more heft than you thought. It takes you into the mind of a 13-year-old girl and reminds you that maybe you and Riley aren’t all that different.

Riley’s battles with Anxiety reminded me of when I was 13. And they reminded me of when I was 33. Yeah, puberty reliably overturns everyone’s apple cart. But bumps in the emotional road? They know no age limit.

And while the film has some issues (as every film does), it doesn’t come with red, blaring alarms or sirens in terms of its content. And that can allow many a parent’s own version of Anxiety to settle in a nice, comfy chair and take a deep breath.

“Inside Out 2” is fun. It’s thoughtful. And it’s a fantastic conversation starter. It might not be among Pixar’s very best, but that’s a high bar to clear.

And I’ll not lie: It had me smiling even as I wiped away a tear.

Read the rest of the review here . Watch the trailer here .

Ultraman: Rising – Streaming on Netflix

Were you to have told me that the kaiju film subgenre would release some of the most positive messages about life and family I’ve seen since I started my career at Plugged In, I’d have laughed in your face.

When “ Godzilla Minus One ” was released, for instance, I expected little more than a giant monster stomping around a city. And while such stomping did happen, I deeply enjoyed the depth of the story’s positive messages about the value of life.

“Ultraman: Rising” is the latest release in the kaiju category. And, like “Godzilla Minus One,” it’s yet another monster film that comes, somewhat surprisingly, with a lot of positive messages.

As Ken grapples with raising the orphaned baby kaiju, we see him slowly turn from being a self-absorbed baseball player to becoming a sacrificial and loving adoptive father. Of course, this baby kaiju isn’t human in any regard — but as Ken struggles with all of the baby monster’s needs, mishaps and more, we catch a glimpse of the difficulties and triumphs of parenting.

And that’s intentional. Director Shannon Tindle tweeted , “The film was inspired by my experience becoming a parent.” And in another interview , Ms. Tindle described the movie as an “honest approach to family” and “a celebration of the iconic [Ultraman] and my experiences as both a son and a father.”

That’s not to say that “Ultraman: Rising” is perfect. As much as we appreciate its positive messages, the story’s frequent misuse of God’s name remains a big strike against the family-centric film, one that parents will want to think about carefully before they decide whether to watch.

But as far as this film’s positive messages go, “Ultraman: Rising” is just about as “ultra” as it claims.

Plugged In is a Focus on the Family publication designed to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving families the essential tools they need to understand, navigate, and impact the culture in which they live. Through our reviews, articles and discussions, we hope to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.”

Reviews written by Paul Asay and Kennedy Unthank .

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission .

Please read our comment policy before commenting.

Click to Read More and View Comments

Click to Hide

Top of the Times

Anthony Michael Hall pleased to play 'slimy' senator in 'Trigger Warning'

NEW YORK, June 21 (UPI) -- Vacation, Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club icon Anthony Michael Hall says one of the reasons he wanted to star in the new revenge thriller, Trigger Warning , was the fact a female-led cast and crew meant "a super group of really cool women leading the charge."

Directed by Mouly Surya and premiering Friday on Netflix, the movie follows Special Forces commando Parker ( Jessica Alba ), who returns to her crime-ridden, Southwest hometown to take over her family bar after her father dies. Advertisement

Adding to her grief and suspicion that her dad didn't die in an accident as alleged, Parker quickly realizes her former boyfriend Jesse ( Mark Webber ), who is now the sheriff, his hot-tempered brother Elvis (Jake Weary) and their father, Senator Ezekiel Swann (Hall) are deeply connected to the town's violence and corruption. Advertisement

Erica Lee and Esther Hornstein were producers on the film, while Zoe White was the cinematographer.

"A lot of times people overlook this sense of adventure that comes with taking on a role and doing this for a living," Hall said, adding he enjoyed the fight training and choreography he learned for the film while in New Mexico, a state he always wanted to visit. "It was just really cool to work on a picture with that level of action."

Hall, who is known for his youthful appearance and the father of a 1-year-old son in real life, admitted it is still surprising when he is cast as the parent of adults.

"It is kind of funny because here I am now, 56 years old, so it's like you get to the set, you got two grown-ass men playing your sons, i'm going, 'Alright, these guys are cool,'" Hall laughed. "They're excellent. They're dynamic, good actors."

Hall likened Jesse and Elvis' contentious relationship to the Bible story of Cain and Abel, and described his own character as a "slimy senator." Advertisement

"I wasn't inspired by any one particular politician. It's kind of like there are too many to name," he joked, adding his character's style of dress resembles that of media mogul Ted Turner in the 1980s a bit.

"What I wanted to do is to be honest with this. I kind of worked on texturing my voice," Hall said. "Sometimes I used tea and coffee and just warmed up and then I wanted to give him sort of a nondescript, nebulous southern background and a little bit of a southern snarl to him."

He tried not to judge the character, even though many will see him as the villain of the piece.

"The whole family is kind of complicit," Hall said, adding he likes the film's stark good versus bad theme -- a popular, relatable and effective narrative that is used time and again, from ancient myths to the writings of Joseph Campbell to the Batman movie The Dark Knight .

"The hero goes on the journey," Hall noted, "and then defeats some form of evil."

Next up for Hall is a recurring role in Season 3 of the Prime Video series Reacher , which will be based on Lee Child's mystery novel, Persuader. Advertisement

"it's a very dynamic season. There's a father-son story line. I can't really delve too far into it, but, basically, that's the foray into the story. My son kind of gets saved by Reacher in a weird situation," Hall said.

"He brings Reacher to me, and then this bigger sort of A-story line unfolds, which is really interesting. Now, on the surface, he's like a wholesale rug dealer, but he's living like the 'Great Gatsby,' so there's a lot going on here, a lot of stuff at play. I can't give too much away or some 'Men in Black' from Amazon might show up at my door."

UPI's interview with Hall took place last week just as millions of viewers were watching Andrew McCarthy 's Hulu documentary BRATs , which is about the group of 1980s teen idols, including Hall, who were collectively known as the "Brat Pack."

McCarthy asked to interview Hall on camera for the film, but Hall declined.

"Some people choose to view it as a pejorative thing," Hall said of the Brat Pack nickname.

"I didn't love it, but it didn't bother me," he said. "I hope that film turned out great. Andrew and his team asked me to be a part of it. We have the same publicist. ... I'm always just forward-thinking and moving and making new stuff. So, that was why I chose not to." Advertisement

Hall has made his peace with his 1980s fame in his own way, sending up his beloved characters in period-specific shows like The Goldbergs or alongside his former co-star Chevy Chase on Chase's former sitcom, Community .

"I wish everybody the best. I think that's the healthiest attitude to maintain, just wish everyone's success," Hall said.

"I feel better than ever. I feel more alert, more aware, more conscious, and grateful and thankful and centered. I feel great about life and I'm loving being a parent."

The actor called parenthood "a rejuvenating second start to life."

He's even visiting kids' water parks and cracking Dad jokes about going from tween Rusty to father Clark Griswold from the classic road trip comedy, Vacation .

"I'm really glad I waited to have my son because I feel much more aware and consciously there for him and my wife. It's been beautiful."

• 'Ride' star C. Thomas Howell: Cowboy culture can't be faked
• Andrew McCarthy's new doc looks past the 'Brat Pack' brand to its cultural impact
• Adjoa Andoh: Lady Danbury's past causes her to 'wobble' in 'Bridgerton' S3
• 'Bikeriders' star Austin Butler: Everyone feels need to belong
• Anthony Michael Hall
• Jessica Alba
• Andrew McCarthy
• Mark Webber

Latest Headlines

Trending Stories

‘Inside Out 2’ Review: New Feelings Propel a Pixar Sequel Enchanting Enough to Second That Emotion

Riley tries to fit in with the cool kids at hockey camp (but can she still be herself?) in a sequel that comes close to matching the high of "Inside Out."

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

• Remembering Donald Sutherland: From Cool in ‘MASH’ to Sexy in ‘Don’t Look Now’ to Tragic in ‘Ordinary People,’ He Was a Chameleon, and the Most Human of Movie Stars 22 hours ago
• ‘The Exorcism’ Review: Russell Crowe Plays a Fallen Movie Star Playing a Priest in an Exorcist Movie. Is This the Sign of a Career Gone to Hell? 1 day ago
• ‘Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story’ Review: Liza Minnelli’s Life Proves as Radiant as Her Art in Bruce David Klein’s Scintillating Documentary 3 days ago

Related Stories

Summer movie meltdown math: years of box office data reveal discouraging trends, 'ncis: tony & ziva' stars michael weatherly, cote de pablo say trust is at the core of the show, popular on variety.

“Inside Out 2” can’t shock us with its out-of-the-box imaginative daring the way “Inside Out” did. But the film’s director, Pixar animation veteran Kelsey Mann (making his feature filmmaking debut), and the screenwriters, Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, build on the earlier film’s playful brilliance and come about as close as we could have hoped for to matching it.

It’s the summer before high school, and Riley, who has just led her middle-school hockey team to the championship, is about to spend three days at hockey camp. She’s thrown for a loop when she learns that her two best friends, Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green) and Grace (Grae Lu), won’t be attending the same high school she is. But the real factor that’s about to take over Riley is her desire to make the Fire Hawks, the high-school hockey team. (The team’s coach runs the camp, so it’s like an audition.) Riley idolizes the Fire Hawks’ leader, Valentina (Lilimar), with her rock-star attitude and fire streak of hair, and she’ll do anything to get in her good graces.

At hockey camp, Riley’s need to impress Valentina and the team’s other cool kids, at the expense of anything else (like hanging out with the good friends she mistakenly thinks are abandoning her), becomes the defining drive of her existence. And that’s where Anxiety comes in. The character, voiced with antic flair by Maya Hawke, might just as well have been named Caffeinated Calculation or Desire To Belong or Obsessive-Compulsive Social-Climbing FOMO. In “Inside Out 2,” the form that Anxiety takes — the things she pushes Riley to do — amounts to a state of existence based entirely on getting ahead, on saying the things you think others want to hear, on replacing the joy of the moment with the fear of the future (or what it might turn into if you don’t heed your Anxiety and plan for it).

As all this transpires, what’s happening in Riley’s brain is that Anxiety, facing off against Joy and the other four primal emotions, is engaged in nothing less than a war over Riley’s Sense of Self. As a teenager, Riley doesn’t just have emotions or islands of identity (Family Island has grown notably smaller) but an entire Belief System, consisting of mostly reverent thoughts (“I’m a really good friend,” “I’m a winner”) that are pictured as beams of light shooting up to the sky. That’s why Anxiety, to mount her hostile takeover of Riley’s personality, has to do more than just shuttle Joy and her crew to the Vault in the back of the mind. She’s got to replace one Sense of Self with another. Riley’s beliefs now have to be things like “If I’m a Fire Hawk, I’ve won!” or “As long as we like what they like, we’ll have all the friends we need!” The emotional battle spins around a question at once topical and metaphysical: Does Riley want to be herself, or does she want herself to be who others want her to be?    

“Inside Out 2” is a transporting fable about the desire to fit in, to be validated by the Cool Culture that is, more and more, our collective seal of approval and success. And while the movie is an enchanting animated ride of the spirit (be prepared for it to help save summer at the box office), it may also be the most perceptive tale of the conundrums of early adolescence since “Eighth Grade.”

“Inside Out 2” marks a triumphant creative return for Pixar, bringing off the thing that this studio, at its best, has done better than anyone: finding the sweet spot that merges the gaze of children and adults. The movie is really about the micro choices we all make to sculpt our personalities. Will we allow our anxiety to be greater than our joy? Will we let our need to belong overwhelm who we are? The film answers that in a way that’s heady enough to already leave you eager for another sequel, one that charts the storm inside Riley as she grows up.

Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, New York, June 11, 2024. In Annecy Animation Festival. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 100 MIN.

• Production: (Animated) A Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures release of a Pixar Animation Studios production. Producer: Mark Nielsen. Executive producers: Pete Docter, Jonas Rivera, Dan Scanlon.
• Crew: Director: Kelsey Mann. Screenplay: Dave Holstein, Meg LeFauve. Camera: Adam Habib, Jonathan Pytko. Editor: Maurissa Horwitz. Music: Andrea Datzman.
• With: Amy Poehler, Kensington Tallman, Maya Hawke, Lilimar, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, Diane Lane, Kyle McLachlan, Yvette Nicole Brown, Dave Goetz, Frank Oz, Bobby Moynihan, Paula Poundstone, John Ratzenberger, Paula Pell, Flea, June Squibb.

More from Variety

Amy winslow, artist manager who worked with guided by voices and yoko ono, dies at 59, what media & entertainment execs are saying about using gen ai: the vip+/harrisx spring 2024 survey, tony ratings have a long gap to clear, despite efforts to mimic larger shows, more from our brands, megan thee stallion shares ‘megan’ track list with victoria monét, ugk collabs, saleen is working on a hydrogen-powered supercar, diamond sports, operators ordered to divulge financial docs, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, high potential names the resident boss as new showrunner, following rob thomas’ exit from abc drama, verify it's you, please log in.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Kids' Mental Health Apps and Websites for Anxiety, Depression, Coping Skills, and Professional Support

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

The command, common sense media reviewers.

Fact-based sub disaster drama stirs outrage; peril, cursing.

A Lot or a Little?

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

A key to survival is keeping hope alive -- even in

Some strong examples of leadership, especially fro

Accidental explosions show men being blown away; d

It's inferred that a married couple had sex: Their

Profanity includes "bulls--t," "hell," "s--t," and

A side character smokes. Characters drink vodka an

Parents need to know that The Command is a disaster thriller based on the true story of a Russian nuclear submarine accident. Even those familiar with the Kursk accident will be on the edge of their seat, hoping some of the soldiers can be saved from their dire situation -- and for the unfamiliar, the…

Positive Messages

A key to survival is keeping hope alive -- even in a hopeless situation. Also, it's important to maintain safety equipment, pay attention to training exercises, and listen to lower-ranking officers; this real-life military tragedy could have been avoided (or at least had survivors) if not for characters' prideful decisions.

Positive Role Models

Some strong examples of leadership, especially from Mikhail, who prolongs lives through calm command, procedural observance, and individual bravery. Mikhail is also a loving, thoughtful husband and friend, and demonstrates perseverance, courage. But characters' prideful decisions ultimately lead to tragedy, loss of life.

Violence & Scariness

Accidental explosions show men being blown away; depictions aren't graphic or bloody, but dead bodies are strewn around the submarine. A man almost drowns during a heroic recovery operation but is saved. A press conference turns into a riot, with chairs thrown. An angry woman is sedated against her will by military police. Raised, accusatory voices are used to express distress and frustration.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

It's inferred that a married couple had sex: Their shoulders and chests are exposed, with blankets covering them up to their armpits.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Profanity includes "bulls--t," "hell," "s--t," and "shut up."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A side character smokes. Characters drink vodka and champagne; at a party, everyone is provided with quite a bit of alcohol.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Command is a disaster thriller based on the true story of a Russian nuclear submarine accident. Even those familiar with the Kursk accident will be on the edge of their seat, hoping some of the soldiers can be saved from their dire situation -- and for the unfamiliar, the end is devastating. Seismic, fiery explosions blast people across the screen, and lifeless bodies are scattered about. But, remarkably, the violence isn't bloody or graphic. While the story certainly stirs up outrage at Russian leaders (although mentions of President Vladimir Putin were scrubbed), it creates positive, empathetic feelings for the Russian working class. Expect some swearing ("s--t," "hell"), smoking, and drinking. A married couple is seen in a post-sex, under-the-sheets snuggle. The sailors are in deep distress, but the positive takeaway is that a key to survival is keeping hope alive -- even in a hopeless situation. Colin Firth and Matthias Schoenaerts co-star. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (4)
• Kids say (1)

Based on 4 parent reviews

Beautiful and engaging sad story

Kursk - such a loss, what's the story.

THE COMMAND takes place in August 2000, when explosions on the Russian nuclear submarine K-141 Kursk cause it to sink to the bottom of the Barents Sea. As the 23 survivors -- led by Mikhail Averin ( Matthias Schoenaerts ) -- slowly run out of oxygen, the Russian government continues to refuse foreign aid, even when British Navy officer David Russell ( Colin Firth ) claims they have all of the necessary tools to carry out the risky rescue mission. As time ticks down, the tension between politics and survival instincts grows.

Is It Any Good?

Military films tend to cover moments of courage under fire that conclude with rousing victory, which makes this tragic depiction feel all the more gripping, vital, and necessary. In the case of the Kursk , the incident is shocking because it was all so avoidable. The smallest bit of give by the Northern Fleet's superiors could have saved lives. Drama and suspense build moment by moment, and all seems lost when suddenly a ray of hope shines. So much hope, though, that it's crushing when the film has no Hollywood ending, but a conclusion as cold and harsh as Siberia.

It would be easy for The Command to slip into politics (*cough cough* Putin), but it chooses to instead focus on what went wrong, the bravery of the explosion's initial survivors, and the families who wouldn't be silenced. American viewers get the opportunity to feel a connection with the Russian people by seeing them how we see ourselves: loving, hardworking, and family oriented. That said, in some cases the lack of a Russian accent is distracting; for instance, viewers have to forcibly remind themselves that Max Von Sydow is playing a Russian, rather than one of the Brits. The film is aimed at adults, but the point of view continually shifts to that of Mikhail's son, Misha ( Artemiy Spiridonov , one of the few Russian-born actors), who silently observes the injustice delivered by untrustworthy military leaders. Fittingly, it's the child who gets the last word, with director Thomas Vinterberg symbolically passing the torch to the next generation as an encouragement that they can choose to put people's needs over politics.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what makes someone a good leader. What examples of leadership do you see in Mikhail? What do the British commodore and the Russian admiral do to try to save the Russian sailors? Compare their leadership style to the way the commander of the Northern Fleet handled the crisis.

How does Mikhail demonstrate perseverance and courage ? How did these character traits matter in the middle of a hopeless situation?

How did the movie's violent scenes affect you? Do all types of media violence have the same impact?

The names of the Russians were changed in the movie, and the real-life Russian president who actually met with the families isn't even mentioned, yet the film does name the real-life British commander, David Russell. Why do you think the filmmakers chose to fictionalize some of the people involved but not all?

Why do you think the filmmaker chose to begin and end with, and frequently cut to, Misha, the son of one of the submariners? What is the filmmaker trying to say?

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 21, 2019
• On DVD or streaming : August 6, 2019
• Cast : Colin Firth , Matthias Schoenaerts , Lea Seydoux
• Director : Thomas Vinterberg
• Studio : STX Entertainment
• Genre : Thriller
• Topics : History
• Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance
• Run time : 117 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : some intense disaster-related peril and disturbing images, and for brief strong language
• Last updated : June 20, 2023

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.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

The Hunt for Red October

Hunter Killer

Thriller Movies

Best action movies for kids, related topics.

• Perseverance

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

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.

'Inside Out 2' review: The battle between Joy, Anxiety feels very real in profound sequel

For teens, those who aren't yet teens, and anyone who was once a teen, the Pixar sequel “Inside Out 2” hits like an amusing, profound wrecking ball.

The original animated 2015 comedy “Inside Out” took audiences into young girl Riley’s complex mind and showcased a bevy of colorful emotions trying to keep it together for the kid’s sake, crafting an uncannily relatable movie in the process. Directed by Kelsey Mann, the next chapter (★★★½ out of four; rated PG; in theaters Friday) grows up alongside the newly minted teen and imagines the internal struggle, for all of us, when anxiety takes control.

The first "Inside Out" ended with Riley turning 12, and the sequel catches up with her (now voiced by Kensington Tallman) – as well as her core emotions Joy ( Amy Poehler ), Anger (Lewis Black), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Tony Hale) and Disgust (Liza Lapira) – a year later. Riley has gone through a growth spurt, got braces (Disgust must have loved that day) and two besties, plus is a hockey star.

Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

The high school coach (Yvette Nicole Brown) sees her play and invites her to a skills camp – do well there and she could be playing as a freshman beside her super-cool idol Val Ortiz (Lilimar). The night before, however, Riley’s mind is thrown into disarray when Joy and Co. notice the red “puberty” button flashing and a demolition crew arrives to make way for new emotions. With frizzy hair and big plans to change things around, Anxiety ( Maya Hawke ) is the leader of this bunch that also includes precocious Envy (Ayo Edebiri), disinterested Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos) – or, as she calls herself, “the boredom” – and painfully shy Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser).

The major friction within the first movie – Joy needing to find a way to deal with Sadness – seems like small potatoes compared to a battle over Riley's entire belief system. As the girl is forced to choose between hanging with her friends or making new ones like Val, Anxiety pulls a coup, ditching the conflicted youngster's Sense of Self and exiling Joy's old emotions to the back of Riley’s mind with a mountain of bad memories.

“Inside Out 2” frontloads the funny bits and then wallops you in the final act, which ambitiously depicts the desperate hopelessness when anxiety has a hold and won’t let go. (“I don’t know how to stop Anxiety," Joy says, one of the truest things you’ll ever hear in an animated fantasy.)

The middle is where it loses focus, as Joy’s group goes on a mission to set Riley right before it’s too late. The original movie took a similar tack but did it better, and the sequel misses a real chance to flesh out the intriguing new emotions more. Aside from Anxiety, a truly inspired Disney antagonist, they feel more like side characters than Anger, Fear, Disgust and Sadness did in the first outing.

The way these movies artfully create a connection between real life and a fantastical inner existence is still top-notch. Every parent of a tween or teenager will feel seen via a construction sign that reads “Puberty is messy” and get a kick out of Mount Crushmore, part of a revamped Imagination Land. And while there’s no Bing Bong around this time, the introduction of preschool cartoon canine Bloofy (Ron Funches) and the scene-stealing Nostalgia (June Squibb) showcase that signature “Inside Out” cleverness in its personalities.

Pixar has rightfully taken knocks for sequels and prequels that don’t hold up to the beloved originals. Recent films like “Turning Red,” “Luca” and “Soul” have the novel spark that's missing from, say, “Monsters University,” “Cars 3” and “Lightyear.” But “Inside Out 2” is one of the better revisits in the studio’s history because of how well it knows its audience.

Who hasn't felt anxiety getting the better of joy or a natural connection between sadness and embarrassment? With empathy, hope and a heap of metaphors, it's a matured "Inside Out" that still understands the wonders and wrinkles of being a kid.