Potentially scary imagery/pervasive death references (skeletons, beheaded figures, etc.) throughout the movie. Manolo fights real-life bulls, and, near the end, he also fights a scary demon bull the size of a building. Xiabalba, the king of the underworld, is scary and makes loud frightening movements that could scare some children. Manolo dies and becomes a skeleton figure and reunites with his dead ancestors, including his mother. His grandfather has his head chopped off, and Manolo's mother carries it around. Maria and Manolo are bitten by a snake that transforms from a cane. There's a battle scene at the end with punching and sword fighting. Joaquin, the town hero, fights throughout the movie. Manolo and Joaquin get in a slap fight over Maria. Throughout the movie, there are little scares where characters jump out or react loudly. At the beginning of the movie, children visiting a museum are taken through a magical door to a secret room.
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There's no consumerism in the film, which is set in the past, but there are tie-in marketing deals for clothing, jewelry, toys, etc.
Sex, Romance & Nudity
a little
Manolo and Joaquin are both in love with Maria. They try to kiss her several times, and Manolo eventually does. Manolo's mariachi friends sing "If You Think I'm Sexy" and "Just a Friend" to help Manolo court Maria.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
There's an ongoing message that doing what's right is more important than other people's expectations of you. When Manolo goes to the underworld, he learns that he's part of a bigger world. On the Day of the Dead, family members that have died are honored and remembered in a big celebration.
Positive Role Models
some
Manolo is pressured to be as great a bullfighter as his father and other ancestors were, but he defies them by not killing the bull in the ring because it’s wrong. His kindness and integrity end up saving him in the end. Maria is strong and self-sufficient; at first, she won't be pressured into marrying Joaquin just because her father wants her to and everyone in town admires him. Joaquin is egotistical and keeps a great secret about how he came to be the town's invincible hero. Xibalba is a classic villain who will stop at nothing to trade places with La Muerte.
Educational Value
a little
Kids will learn the cultural traditions of the Day of the Dead and what it was like to live in an old Mexican town without technology.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Book of Life is a refreshingly original animated film that takes viewers to the underworld and back. Smaller children might find the scenes in the Land of the Remembered scary, especially those featuring the king of the underworld, Xibalba (who's named after the Mayan name for the realm of the dead). The characters in the Land of the Remembered are traditional Day of the Dead figures, which are skeletons in brightly colored clothing. One dead character's head is separate from his body. There are some bullfighting scenes and battle sequences that are a little violent, and things get somewhat darker when the action shifts to the underworld (there's a demonic bull surrounded by fire). Expect a little bit of kissing and a few insults ("kick his butt," "lazy bum"), too. But the fun definitely outweighs the scary/iffy parts, and ultimately this is a vibrant, colorful movie about doing the right thing and the importance of family -- messages that can be appreciated by both kids and parents. It's also an invitation to explore and learn more about Mexican culture, from the details of the Day of the Dead celebrations to legendary creatures like Chupacabras. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
The Book of Life
So much hate. Non-stop insults, tons and tons of unnecessary violence. Put sexist ideas into my kids’ minds that weren’t there before. Flow was awful- just non-stop heavy action. I can’t believe this movie had an editor.
I still don’t understand why this movie was made; I don’t see any positivity coming from it, just a ton of negatives. There was almost no Mexican culture, the actors didn’t even have Mexican accents, almost all the music was old recycled music from the U.S., not Mexican. No good music in the whole movie. I’m not Mexican but I felt they really disrespected Mexicans and their culture with this movie.
It was trashy American junk, and I could not figure out the target audience. There was WAY too much violence, insults, and meanness for kids under 10, and yet I don’t see any reason for anyone older to watch it. I did not like the style/animation. I found the unrealistic wooden block characters distracting. The acting was poor as well.
We saw “Coco” last month and WOW that was spectacular, and everything this movie wasn’t. It shared some ideas such as Day of the Dead but actually very well-made, not like this junk. Coco gave an insight to Mexican life and culture, and I found that movie to be entertaining and educational. We all loved Coco, so I highly recommend it.
Back to the Book of Life. I wanted to shut it off lots of times but the kids (7, 10) protested and I thought perhaps we were through the worst of it. Nope! It got even worse toward the end. Lots of “bad guys”, and they were scary! I would never let a kid five or under watch this. There were probably well over a hundred slaps, kicks and punches, people throwing each other, as well as a bomb. Lots and lots of bull-fighting with tons of close-ups of the big bull’s scary teeth. If you are concerned about your children watching violence, please preview all of this movie before showing your children. In addition to the violence, there were several bets (“wagers”) being made.
I did not appreciate at all the basis of the plot- two boys who grow up into men fighting for one woman. The woman, who is in full makeup and dressed and animated like a Disney princess, clearly states towards the beginning that she does not belong to any man, but the movie misses the mark and I think a young audience might come away with the idea that women are just meant to be beautiful trophies for their husbands. The men constantly fought for her affection and over and over again tried to prove who was more worthy of her love based on their strength, courage and fighting skills. Also did not like when they had a main character singing “If you think I’m sexy...”
My husband said he would describe this movie in four letters, starting with a “c”. I deeply regret renting, watching and sharing this movie with my children.
It seemed a little slow to get started. The story certainly built apon itself. I thought the movie was brilliant by the end. Truth, love, loyalty, bravery, and being true to oneself. So many wonderful themes.
Many scary scenes for sensitive children. My 6 yo was unsure for one part, but then decided it was Ok. I recommend watching the movie with your child if they are under 8 years of age or have a sensitive nature.
What's the Story?
In THE BOOK OF LIFE, Manolo (voiced by Diego Luna) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) have loved Maria (Zoe Saldana) all their lives. What they don't know is that the kind La Muerte (Kate del Castillo) and the evil Xibalba (Ron Perlman) -- the rulers of the underworld -- made a bet over which boy Maria would marry. She's sent away to school and comes back more confident and more beautiful. Meanwhile, Manolo grows up into a sensitive guitar player whose family wants him to be a ruthless bullfighter, while Joaquin becomes the town hero -- with a big secret and huge ego. Xibalba will go to any lengths to win the bet, so he sets his snake on Manolo. So Manolo must travel through the underworld on the Day of the Dead, the biggest party of the year, to return to his true love.
This is a beautifully animated film about Dia de los Muertos that combines essential Mexican folklore, ancient mythology, and pop culture. Luna is charming as Manolo, the guitar playing bullfighter who's too kind to kill the bull. Tatum has just the right amount of bravado to play Joaquin, who shouts his own name as he rushes into battle, and Saldana is sassy and adorable as the smart, independent Maria.
Most impressive is the visually stunning underworld that director Jorge Gutierrez has created. The Book of Life immerses viewers into the environment, traditions, colors, and sounds of Day of the Dead celebration; La Muerte is the most gorgeous animated queen since Maleficent in the original Sleeping Beauty, and Xibalba is perfect as her scary king. The characters and the music (excellent reworkings of classic and alternative pop songs) are absorbing and memorable, and you'll be thinking about the world full of color and fun that Gutierrez has created long after you've seen the movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the pressure to live up to expectations. Can you relate to Manolo and Joaquin's feeling that they can't fill the shoes of the family that came before them in The Book of Life? What's the best way to handle that type of situation? Manolo, Maria, and Joaquin all ultimately realize that they must follow their own paths. Kids: Is it ever OK to defy your parents' wishes?
How scary is The Book of Life? Is it ever fun to be scared? Why or why not?
How do the characters in The Book of Life demonstrate integrity? Why is this an important character strength?
Are you familiar with Day of the Dead? Does your culture celebrate loved ones after they've died? How could you learn more about this holiday? What other Latino traditions and values does the movie include?
Especially considering the movie's time setting (likely the early 1900s), Maria is a very progressive young woman, with a strong, determined personality. How does that make her a role model? How are her goals and dreams out of the ordinary for the world she's part of?
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 Yvonne Condes
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
