Furry cartoon superhero actioner is funny, cute; rude humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Villain with magical powers largely comes across as silly vs. scary. Animated fantasy violence in which no one is really hurt. Jokes are made about very temporary "injuries," including electrocutions, slapping, getting hit by a car or missiles, and being shoved through walls and ceilings. Bombs and explosions. Some peril, but characters don't indicate that they're worried. A baby is separated from his parents but is quickly comforted by a pet. Part of the plot involves lab testing on animals.
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Romance and a couple of kisses; marriage proposal happens in background. Suggestive comments (e.g., Krypto mentions that sometimes Lois sleeps over in the big bed). Flirting. Glimpse of a dog licking his privates.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
One animal curses several times, with the entire word bleeped out, but older kids and adults can likely figure out the word through context clues. Other language includes "crap" and name-calling ("dorks," "dum-dum," "losers").
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FedEx is a recurring punchline. Lots of off-screen promotional/merchandising tie-ins.
Positive Role Models
a lot
The Super-Pets and the superheroes are all strong, positive role models who are willing to sacrifice themselves or something they want to help others. They demonstrate courage and teamwork.
Positive Messages
some
For kids, the message is that pet ownership is a two-way street of love and companionship. The movie's specifically stated message is that "When you love someone, you'll do anything for them, even if it means letting them go" and "even if it hurts." Kids are unlikely to fully understand this unless it's explained that love is about putting others' needs before your own.
Diverse Representations
some
The voice cast is racially diverse and includes Dwayne Johnson, who's Black/Samoan; Kevin Hart, who's Black; Jameela Jamil, who's British of Indian/Pakistani descent; and Diego Luna, who's Mexican. Some animated DC superheroes are depicted as people of color. Racial and gender diversity among background characters. Women are shown to be athletic and strong. An elderly turtle and a young kitten are as capable as the other heroic characters. A pig's large size, and power to be larger, is shown to be beneficial. An engaged lesbian couple appears in a healthy relationship.
A couple of lessons about caring for a pet, particularly that dogs can't eat chocolate and that dogs are loyal companions.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that DC League of Super-Pets is an animated comedy about Superman's dog, Krypto (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), who's worried about losing "best friend" status to Superman's girlfriend, Lois Lane. Expect animated fantasy violence and danger: crashing through ceilings, explosions, characters getting hit by a car, etc. But these scenes are quickly resolved with jokes and visual proof that no one is really injured. A turtle named Merton (Natasha Lyonne) is a bit spicy for this otherwise family-friendly film, using profanity (which is bleeped out) and on the prowl for love, with some innuendo-laced jokes. There are also jokes about dog poop, insult words ("dorks," "losers"), a kiss or two, a marriage proposal, and a suggestive reference to Lois Lane's staying overnight at Superman's house. The film's overall message -- that love is self-sacrificing -- may require parental explanation for kids to really get it. More likely to hit home are themes of courage and teamwork and the secondary message that if you choose to adopt and love a pet, it will love you forever. Characters and voice actors are diverse in terms of gender, race (Black, South Asian, Latino), age, sexuality, and body size. An engaged lesbian couple appears in a healthy relationship. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
It has all kinds of families and couples shown. Those diversity moments are brief but available!
Swearing is bleeped out fully but unexpected.
Some animal violence caused our kids to get a bit anxious, but they held it together. Our 3 year old had to be held towards the end because of the final battle scenes.
I wouldn’t recommend it for kids younger than 7-8 based on the adult jokes and subtle adult nods to themes some parents may not want their children to pick up on yet.
I wish someone had written about them before we saw it. Good movie and well done, but not quite for our kids age range.
What's the Story?
Superdog Krypto (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) fights crime in Metropolis alongside his owner, Superman (John Krasinski). When Superman is captured by a supervillain, Krypto must assemble a team to save his best friend. From invincible dog Ace (Kevin Hart) to fast turtle Merton (Natasha Lyonne), Krypto finds help via an unlikely group of fellow pets who've recently become powered. Together they form the DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS.
DC corrects its history of making superhero stories too dark, violent, and mature for kids with this animated tale focusing on the heroes' crime-fighting furry friends. Ideal for elementary school-age kids, DC League of Super-Pets isn't their parents' Justice League. The fantasy violence, paired with the work of comic actors Kevin Hart and Kate McKinnon, makes this definitely the funniest big-screen DC movie.
That said, while it's certainly funny, the story of DC League of Super-Pets is far too familiar: A villain appears, deploys an evil plan, and threatens superheroes' lives, but a ragtag group of heroes learn how to use their newly obtained powers and save the day. The film's real Kryptonite, though, is that it has too many characters to introduce: The Super-Pets may be animated in 3D, but they're written with just one dimension. All of this means that it will likely be a bit tiresome for parents. But younger kids who haven't been hit with a dozen superhero projects per year will be delighted. And since superhero marketing begins with pre-K action figures, baby books, and parents who can't wait to share their love of caped crusaders, the existence of a funny film that's appropriate for little ones is, well, heroically justified.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the DC League of Super-Pets use teamwork to defeat the villain. How do you use teamwork? Why is teamwork an important life skill?
How does Ace prove his integrity before he gets superpowers? Do we need powers to be a hero? Who are the heroes in your life? Why is integrity an important character strength?
It's said that for PB the pig to find happiness, "she needs to love herself as much as she loves others." What does this mean, and why is it important?
What's required to take care of a pet, and what do you get in return?
What's appealing about superhero stories? Which other ones have you seen, read, or played?
MPAA explanation:
action, mild violence, language and rude humor
Last updated:
August 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.
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.
By Tara McNamara
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
