Not recommended under 12, PG to 15 (Violence and scary scenes).
This topic contains:
Children under 12 | Not recommended due to violence and scary scenes particularly in the 3D version. |
Children 12-14 | Parental guidance recommended due to violence and scary scenes. |
Children 15 and over | OK for this age group |
This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.
Name of movie: | Alice in Wonderland |
Classification: | PG |
Consumer advice lines: | Fantasy violence and scary scenes |
Length: | 108 minutes |
This review of the movie contains the following information:
Tim Burton’s version of this classic story is based on both Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Alice, (Mia Wosikowska) now 19, has just been proposed to by the unappealing but correct Hamish (Leo Bill). Needing some time to frame a reply, she wanders off into the garden where she sees the White Rabbit (voiced by Martin Sheen). Running after him, Alice falls down the rabbit hole and returns to the Wonderland she had travelled to as a child, but of which she has no recollection. There she meets her old friends Tweedledum and Tweedledee (both voiced by Matt Lucas), the Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), the Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), the March Hare (Paul Whitehouse), the Cheshire cat (Stephen Fry) and the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). The friends debate as to whether Alice is the real Alice or not and if she has returned to slay the Jabberwocky (Paul Lee) as foretold in Wonderland prophesy.
Alice finds that Wonderland has become desolate under the rule of the wicked Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and the inhabitants live in fear of losing their heads. Alice has to decide whether she can confront her fears and live up to the task of facing the Jabberwocky, the fiercest of all creatures in Wonderland, and help to pass the crown to the Red Queen’s younger, gentler sister, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway).
Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.
Mental illness; war
Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.
Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.
There is some violence in this movie including:
Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.
In addition to the above-mentioned scary violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:
Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.
Children in this age group are also likely to be scared by the scenes described above, particularly if they see the 3D version.
Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.
Children in this age group are likely to be scared by some of the scenes described above, particularly if they see the 3D version.
Children over the age of thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic physical harm or threats, molestation or sexual assault and / or threats from aliens or the occult.
Most children in this age group are unlikely to be disturbed by anything in this film
None of concern
There are some sexual references in this movie, including:
There is some nudity and sexual activity in this movie, including:
There is some use of substances in this movie, including:
There is some mild coarse language in this movie, including:
Alice in Wonderland is a fantasy adventure movie, made quite intense by the amazing graphics in the 3D version. Originally written as a commentary on Victorian Britain, the story still holds much interest today. This version is darker than the original stories and the violence and numerous frightening scenes make the movie inappropriate for young children, but older children and their parents may be able to enjoy together.
The main messages from this movie are to believe in yourself and follow your dreams.
Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:
Tip: Leave out the first A, An or The
Selecting an age will provide a list of movies with content suitable for this age group. Children may also enjoy movies selected via a lower age.
Content is age appropriate for children this age
Some content may not be appropriate for children this age. Parental guidance recommended
Content is not age appropriate for children this age
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