Is "Star Wars" an appropriate movie for a five year old?

[driver8]

My son has never seen the movie, but is dying to -- he has seen the Star Wars characters and wants to see the movie. I haven't seen it in many years, so I'm not sure if it's appropriate for a five year old.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Deep13]

1. I think so. EDIT

It's not bloody. There's no foul language. It's not overtly sexual.

Having written that, I now remember that an alien loses an arm at one point and two charred bodies are briefly visible at Luke's house. And there is the suggestion of torture when Vader brings the floating ball thing with the big needle sticking out to Leia. And of course they do blow uo a whole planet.

[Aristus]

2. It should be. I saw it when I was eight. I was a little distressed at the time when so many

"good guys" - the X-Wing pilots, died toward the end. But other than that, it was pretty kid-safe.

[TZ]

3. I saw it when I was eight and didn't have any problems

I think it would be okay, maybe a bit scary in some parts but not horrible..

[Symarip]

9. Yeah...

But look how you turned out.

[TZ]

16. Why do you even click on Star Wars threads?

Why? BTW...I'm wondering if you think the hot chicks dressed up in the Leia metal bikinis in the other thread are geeky?

[Symarip]

20. To answer your first question with a question

Have I ever said I didn't like Star Wars?

As far as your second question, (mostly) hot girls cause hormonal imbalances which negate logic... Thank god.

[HopeHoops]

4. It depends on how well he handles gratuitous violence.

I mean there are storm troopers dropping dead all over the place in that movie. If he can distinguish between reality and fantasy then it is probably okay. It might help to at least give him the basic synopsis ahead of time (without spoilers) as I could see it being a little hard to follow at his age.

On the other hand, my wife teaches kindergarten and damn near every movie WE consider inappropriate for that age is all they are talking about for a week or so after it comes out - most go to see it.

When ours were that age, we had a solid "watch it first" rule to determine appropriateness. The ONE TIME we decided, "hey, it has the Home Alone kid and Dan Akroid in it - that should be fine without watching it first", man did we screw up. The movie was "My Girl". Dan Akroid plays an undertaker and his daughter is "the girl". The Home Alone kid fucking DIES! RED-ALERT RED-ALERT PARENTAL-SCREW-UP RED-ALERT!

The worst example of parental judgment I've seen so far was when I went to see the second Lord Of The Rings. A father walked in in front of me with about 2 and 4 year old children. I don't know if you've seen it, but it opens with the story of Gollum and shows his disgusting mouth eating a raw fish. It gets worse from there (with respect to young children). He just wanted to see the movie and was stuck with the kids so he selfishly dragged them along. There is no way a kid that age would understand what is going on. Personally, I would consider that child abuse.

So yeah, I think Star Wars is okay - at least the original movie (Episode IV - A New Hope).

[rcrush]

5. I used to watch action and violent movies when I was 8.

I only grew up to become a serial killer thats all.

[pokerfan]

6. Here's a review by a three-year-old girl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBM854BTGL0

[edbermac]

7. George Lucas: a guy with the cinematic mentality of a 5 year old.

So why not?

[fight4my3sons]

8. My 6 1/2 yr old loves it, my twins who will be 5 next week are not so into it.

They love the characters and idea of it, but don't really sit through the movie. My older son is a lot more mature than my twins are so that may be the reason. Every kid is different. I would definitely watch it with him if you decide to let him watch it.

[LynneSin]

10. I took my 5 year old nephew when they originals were re-released...

He really wanted to go so I took him and his older brother (who was 7).

He was told if it got too scary to put his head down (never did once). The biggest issue was the text - like the opening credits and I think a few subtitles. My nephew could read but it was a bit advance for his age so I had to quietly whisper it to him so he could understand it but I not annoy other movie goers.

[LanternWaste]

11. I would think the first one is...

I would think the first one is. Standard archetypes, violence is completely antiseptic (no blood or gore), zero moral ambiguity, story line is simple, and the Good Guys win in the end.

(That's if you're referring to the first movie, Star Wars-- or what the kids are calling Ep. IV... the others-- not so much)

[Orrex]

12. Whatever you do, show him the films in their order of cinematic release

If the series in watched in "episode order," the first three (in addition to being crap in their own right) will totally undercut the power of the last three.

[CreekDog]

13. I saw it when I was 6 and look how I turned out?

:wtf:

[TZ]

15. Now thats the strongest recommendation to NOT take the child

that I can think of...:rofl: :hi:

[CreekDog]

18. but my grandparents didn't take me to see Empire Strikes Back

:wtf: :rant:

[datasuspect]

14. as long as they don't turn into a whiny fuck like luke skywalker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X66jntR0MVE

god i hate luke skywalker

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. Perfect age.

Old enough to be wowed by it and not scared by it (I mean, what's going to both a five year old? The scene with the needle?), not old and cynical enough to notice the dated special effects.

[Mutley]

19. The first movie I ever saw in a theater was Return of the Jedi.

I was 3 years old. Star Wars has no excess of blood, no sex, no swearing (except maybe the word "damn"? Can't remember right now), and what fighting there is can't be worse than some of the cartoons he probably watches. The biggest problem I can think of would be that maybe some of the bad guys would be scary to him.