Thursday 17 December 2015

Star Wars The Force Awakens - Is it okay For 5 year Olds? (NO SPOILERS Review!).

We have just got home from taking our 5 and 7 year olds to see Star Wars The Force Awakens. Before I went I was party to a lot of discussion about whether it would be suitable. Our opinion is now a 'Yes', and this is why....

Star Wars The Force Awakens - Is it okay For 5 year Olds? (NO SPOILERS Review!).
"I don't want a photo! I want to go and see the movie!"
If your child likes action movies then they've probably already seen at least one Star Wars movie. If they like Star Wars then they've probably seen more than one Star Wars movie. They're actually not going to see much that they haven't seen before.

Star Wars - it's all there in the title. People get hurt and killed and there are blasters and light sabres, and that is why it has to have a 12A rating. That 12A rating didn't exist back in 1977, but the original trilogy would have also had that rating if it existed.

Should I take my child to see the new Star Wars movie?
When's it gonna start Mum? (45 minutes of adverts!!)
It's good old-fashioned Star Wars and it's really very true to the form of the original trilogy. It was also very funny and had a million or more references to previous Star Wars movies and some other blockbuster movies. Always popular and a couple made the audience roar with laughter or 'Oooooh' out loud. These references were not lost on my children.

The storyline is your classic good versus evil and actually very Disney, so we should have known they could make it would work. Despite scary voices, masks and brooding darkness the bad guys are in no way 'real', they aren't a genuine threat, they're fairy story characters. Darth Vader would be mobbed rather than avoided if most children spotted him in the street...

The special effects are well done and don't get in the way of the film, the acting is pretty damned good, and the cast list astounding. It's amazing to see the older actors and younger fresh faces together on screen, they really worked well together and the main characters were incredibly likeable and talented.

Every single child leaving our packed cinema today was grinning, and no-one left early. If your child has never seen any Star Wars movies and is a bit sensitive then they might not like it. If they don't enjoy action movies they may not like it. But otherwise - go! Enjoy yourselves.

Star wars review from 5 and 7 year old The Force Awakens

It got the thumbs up from us! We want to see the next one now!...

Disclaimer - If your child goes to see Star Wars and is scared and you have to leave I apologise sincerely. It is our 'opinion', and may not be true for everyone.

13 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you have done this blog! I've been sat with my hubby mulling it over for days! My little man (6) is Star Wars mad, but has only sat through the Lego versions repeatedly, & not the actual movies. He's not the most patient of kids but he loves Darth Vader fiercely! I'm still not sure he'll last the duration, & if Im honest, the selfish bit of me doesn't want it spoiling if he decides to throw a strop so far through when he decides he doesn't like it, so I'm inclined to go it alone! Trouble is, I'll have to wait a good while for an available sitter! Boohoooo! X

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    1. You could try watching one of the other movies with him and see if he sits through and enjoys it :)

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  2. Thanks so much! We were worried about the 12A rating and am now happy for us all to go!!!!

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  3. I agree, my son was upset when he saw the 12A rating that we wouldn't let him see it. I agree it is a well made film and something all Star Wars fans will love, there is violence and a couple of bits that made me jump, but you know your child best and if you don't think they would cope then don't take them!

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  4. Thanks for that.

    I remember seeing the first two Star Wars moviews when I was single digit age. In fact I saw The Empire Strikes Back with a friend (and my parents) and when we exited the cinema there was a blanket of snow on the ground which had fallen during the movie. It was magical!

    I'll be taking my own 5 & 7 year olds this weekend. :-)

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    1. That is awesome. Sadly the experience didn't repeat for your children - but I hope they enjoyed the movie :)

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  5. Ooh we mulled over this for days too and we're now booked to take z on Xmas day :)

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  6. My youngest didn't like it and had nightmares, but think it was a bit over sensitive. My oldest did. We asked him about it and it's what he wanted to go and see. He was fine today. You just don't know x

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    1. Oh no! what a shame. That is the first bad experience I've known and very unfortunate. I'm glad he was fine afterwards though x

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  7. We loved it and my 10yo was fine, but the second time we saw it a woman attending with her 5yo ruined the film for everyone because her son was scared the "monsters" were real, and could only be pacified by playing with her mobile phone. Grrrrrr!

    I guess you know your child best - if fantasy creatures, violence and peril is likely to upset them, don't take them to Star Wars!

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    1. That's really poop. It's not appropriate cinema behaviour at all. I guess her son needs to mature a little before he goes to the cinema regardless of what he's going to watch. You can't spoil it for other people - she should have taken him out.

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