Swashbuckling adventure has kid role model, monster attacks.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
The hunters are attacked by various sea monsters, some scary looking and causing lots of destruction with sharp teeth, long tentacles, and pincers. The monsters attempt to swallow and/or harm humans. Hunters attack, injure, kill monsters with spears, cannons, poison. Chaos and fighting leads to a child getting seriously injured. A little blood is briefly shown. Sword fights. A character points a gun at a child. Several close calls with drowning. Maisie's parents were killed while monster hunting, leaving her an orphan.
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Promotes optimism, bravery, integrity, perseverance, teamwork, and looking past the superficial. Encourages people to challenge long-standing beliefs that might be wrong; just because something has always been a certain way doesn't mean it can't (or shouldn't) change.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Maisie is a brave child who's willing to stand up for what's right and challenge anyone who stands in the way of that. She has integrity and helps those around her learn to think differently and, even as the youngest main character, is a strong leader. Jacob tries to do what he thinks is right; he's used to a certain way of doing things but is willing to learn and to listen to other/better ideas. He helps others in need and practices loyalty. Captain Crow is determined and courageous but also very set in his ways.
Diverse Representations
some
Maisie, a lead character, is a young Black girl. She has a powerful voice that she uses to educate and inspire adults. First mate on monster-hunting ship is also a Black female; she has agency and is respected. Ship's crew includes several diverse characters of all shapes, sizes, and colors; some have prosthetic limbs. Women are seen as equal leaders.
There's often more to things/situations than what meets the eye.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Sea Beast is a thrilling adventure about a young orphan who stows away on a sea-monster-hunting ship and embarks on a journey that could change history. It includes animated action violence and potentially scary images of enormous sea monsters attacking ships and causing destruction. Monster hunters attack and kill the giant creatures with a variety of weapons (spears, cannons, etc.). Chaos and fighting lead to a child getting seriously injured, and a little blood is briefly shown. There are swashbuckling sword fights and close calls with drowning, an adult points a gun at a child, and a child wields a knife. Adult characters drink, and language includes "bloody hell" and "ass." The story shows the power of young people's standing up for others and making a big difference, as well as teamwork, integrity, and looking past the surface of a situation. And the film boasts a diverse cast, including a young, strong female character who's kind, optimistic, and brave. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Great message and love the young black female lead, but the violence was more graphic and intense than similar kids movies. My 9 yo daughter asked to turn it off because it was too scary. Not a fan of the drinking or swears either… neither added much to the movie considering it’s for kids. It was a well done movie which I personally enjoyed, but probably not the best for younger kids and maybe even older depending on the child.
I think.maybe some of the reviews do not actually reflect some of the language content!! A very adult word on the beach seen between Jacob and maisie!!!! Bxxxxxxd it up !!!! Really 8n a kids movie
Not a bad film but a shame about aspects of the language
What's the Story?
In THE SEA BEAST, sea monsters have been nearly eradicated from the shores of the kingdom of Three Bridges, thanks to the help of the brave monster hunters. But there's one beast that continues to evade them: the Red Bluster. Captain Crow (voiced by Jared Harris) of the Inevitable is consumed by vengeance and wants to kill the beast that took his eye. He strikes a deal with the king and queen, who've built their own ship and threaten to fire the hunters if they aren't able to bring in the Red Bluster after one last try. When the hunters head back out to sea, they realize they have a stowaway: a young orphan named Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator), whose parents died on a monster-hunting ship. She, too, wants to be a hunter and learn from the best aboard the Inevitable. But along the way, she begins to discover that what she thought she always knew may not be as it seems. She befriends Jacob (Karl Urban), the future captain of the Inevitable, who's brave and quick on his feet. As the exciting story unfolds, the pair learn that there's sometimes more to things than meets the eye.
Anyone who loves a good swashbuckling adventure will delight in this beautifully animated tale. The Sea Beast takes a familiar story about chasing down monsters and gives it a real punch, with messages about heroes not always meeting expectations, the complicated nature of war and peace, the subjectivity of history, and other seemingly heavy themes. All are seamlessly woven into an inspiring, gripping adventure. It has a little something for everyone: Ship lovers will appreciate the nautical entertainment (including teams hanging from the sides of ships with ropes and tons of cannons firing), but there's also some humor and a particularly cute character thrown in for those who need an alternative to the larger, sometimes scary beasts.
It's also refreshing to see a diverse cast throughout the film, both aboard the ship and in town, rather than just in the background. If you pay attention, you'll notice that crew members wear attire from various cultural backgrounds, and there are many degrees of skin tones and hair texture, which all comes through clearly thanks to the movie's outstanding animation. Though the plot does feel a bit trite at times, the setting gives it fresh life, along with the somewhat haunting message about the dangers of blindly trusting history told by those in charge. It gives audiences a lot to think about and a lot to discuss after it's over.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how books, movies, and other media influence our history. How do you think the stories we consume today can shape the future?
Maisie and Jacob say that you can be a hero and still be wrong. What do you think that means? How might some heroes in our own history have been wrong in some ways?
Which characters in the movie do you consider role models? Why? How do the female characters in The Sea Beast compare to girls and women in other kids' movies?
How do the characters in The Sea Beast demonstrate integrity and perseverance? What about courage and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
What similarities do you see between the hunters in The Sea Beast and real-world whale hunters? What do you think the movie might be saying about animal conservation?
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 Jennifer Borget
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
