Common Sense Media Review
By Nell Minow , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Thrilling, heartwarming, scary, and superb.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Apollo 13
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 26 parent reviews
What's the Story?
Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks plays real-life astronaut-hero Jim Lovell in this true story of the APOLLO 13 mission to the moon that almost left three astronauts stranded in space when an oxygen tank exploded. Mission Control, thousands of miles away from the stranded astronauts, must figure out a way to get the men home in one piece.
Is It Any Good?
In addition to the thrilling story, masterful performances, and impeccable technical authenticity, this movie is a heartening story of the triumph of smart guys with slide rules. It should be called "Smart and Smarter," a relief in this era of movies about characters who triumph by being dumb. Even though viewers know the Apollo 13 mission turned out all right, even though the technical material is dense and the action is confined to a space smaller than an elevator, the tension is breathtaking, as the astronauts and the mission control team in Houston try to think their way back home. Everything from duct tape to the cover of the flight manual to one of the astronaut's socks is used in this pre-McGuyver story, where mission control asks simply, "What's good on that ship?" and builds from there.
The legendary "Failure is not an option," said by Gene Kranz, head of Mission Control, when most people were certain the astronauts would never make it back, is worth discussing. So are the changes since you were your children's age. Note that everyone in Mission Control is a white male (and they all smoke all the time). They are amazed that a computer is small enough to fit into one room. And you may have to explain why adults who watch the movie laugh when the engineers take out their slide rules -- for kids today, they are more exotic than an abacus.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way that Mission Control solves the problems happening thousands of miles away by re-creating the conditions inside the spaceship Apollo 13. Point out how the adults handle the strain, sometimes losing their tempers or blaming one another (or trying to escape blame), but mostly working very well together.
Discuss the real-life event that inspired the movie. Ask older family members if they remember the event. Kids who want to learn more can go to the library or conduct Internet research.
How do the astronauts and mission control team demonstrate teamwork, perseverance, and courage in Apollo 13? Why are these important character strengths?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 30, 1995
- On DVD or streaming: December 1, 2002
- Cast: Bill Paxton , Gary Sinise , Tom Hanks
- Director: Ron Howard
- Studio: Universal Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Adventures , History , Space and Aliens
- Character Strengths: Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time: 140 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: language and emotional intensity
- Last updated: July 29, 2024
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
What to Watch Next
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