Intriguing new Marvel duo's adventures have violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Explosions and mass peril. Heroes largely use bows and arrows (though some of the arrows are pretty lethal); villains use guns. Hand-to-hand combat, extensive fighting with punching and kicking. Bruises, cuts, other injuries. Characters are held captive. A dead character is seen shot and bleeding out; another is stabbed.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Lots of branding/signage seen in Times Square. A main character is from a wealthy background and her family enjoys the trappings of wealth and privilege. Part of the MCU, with lots of off-screen tie-ins.
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
very little
Wine and cocktails at parties/holiday events/dinners.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Hard work, perseverance, and courage are all clear themes. You are not defined solely by your past choices and mistakes.
Positive Role Models
some
Although they have to make many sacrifices to do so, the heroes are fighting for the greater good. They demonstrate courage, teamwork, and perseverance.
Diverse Representations
some
The two main characters are White. There are supporting characters of color, and there's notable representation in the area of disability: Hawkeye has hearing damage and wears a hearing aid (he uses ASL to talk to his son), and Maya is deaf and has a prosthetic leg. The latter is a great example of authentic casting, as actor Alaqua Cox, who is of the Menominee and Mohican nation, was born deaf and is an amputee with a prosthetic. Several strong female characters with responsibility and agency.
Parents need to know that Hawkeye is a series about Marvel superhero/Avenger Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), a talented young archer who admires Hawkeye and gets tangled up in matters related to his alter-ego, Ronin, a renegade crime fighter. While on a family trip to NYC at Christmastime, Hawkeye finds himself fighting crime and mentoring Kate as she learns the superhero ropes. Expect lots of superhero-style violence, with explosions, falls, peril, and life-threatening situations. There are also physical altercations (hand-to-hand fights, beatings), weapon use (bows and a variety of fancy arrows, plus villains use guns). A character is murdered, and a pool of blood is shown around them; Kate and Hawkeye both get hurt. Language includes "hell," "damn," and "s--t." Themes include teamwork, courage, and perseverance.
I love the story line and would love to watch it with my 9 and 13 Year old but I think the small amounts of language is still too much for my 9 year old.
Katherine R.Parent of 18+, 18+, 5, 8, 9 and 14-year-old
February 25, 2024
age 14+
What's the Story?
Taking place years after the Blip/Purge (when half the world's population was decimated for five years), HAWKEYE features an MCU world that's still trying to get back to normal. Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) is a talented young archer from a privileged background who lost her dad during the events of the first Avengers movie. Meanwhile, Hawkeye, aka Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), is trying to enjoy a festive holiday trip to New York City with his three kids. When Kate finds herself in possession of the suit of mysterious renegade crime fighter Ronin (a role that was formerly Hawkeye's), her own superhero journey begins.
It doesn't feel entirely necessary in the increasingly sprawling Marvel Universe, but this miniseries is still an enjoyable holiday entertainment for superhero fans. Steinfeld is charming as a fledgling hero, and Renner brings a little more life to Hawkeye than in previous performances. Marvel fans will enjoy a few fun comic moments, like watching Hawkeye suffer through a performance of Rogers, a musical about the Avengers' earlier adventures, or Kate's discovery that the Avenger base is outfitted with Avenger-branded butterscotch. Bishop could be a solid new addition to the team, and her origin story here is a treat for the holidays and beyond.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about superheroes. Why do you think they stay popular after so many years?
How do Hawkeye and Kate show courage in the face of danger? Why do you think courage is an important character strength? Do you have to be a superhero to have it?
How do the main characters manage their complicated family relationships? How does Hawkeye feel when he has to leave his family to do superhero stuff? How does Kate feel about her family's wealth and connections?
Hawkeye has hearing damage and wears a hearing aid; Maya is deaf. Have you seen other characters who are deaf or hard of hearing on TV or in movies? How are they typically represented?
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 Polly Conway
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
