A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Educational Value
none
The movie seeks to entertain rather than educate.
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Positive Messages
some
Themes include idea that children shouldn't be judged by their parents' behavior and that just because someone may seems to be a traitor or a criminal, that doesn't tell you the whole story. No one is wholly one thing. Reveals toxic way that greed and revenge can hurt a community, how brave people aren't always looked up to as heroes. Teamwork and loyalty help save the day.
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Positive Role Models
some
Artemis is a genius, and his intelligence gives him the ability to solve problems and strategize in ways that no one could anticipate. Holly is brave, problem-solving, determined to show her loyalty to her fellow fairies. The Butlers are loyal and dedicated to the Fowls. But the Fowls do do shady and technically illegal things.
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Violence & Scariness
some
Frequent danger and peril. Artemis Fowl Sr. is taken hostage and kept in a torturous stress position. His kidnapper calls Artemis Fowl II and makes demands against his father's life. A giant, scary, ravenous troll wreaks havoc on a party in one sequence. Later, it nearly kills the main characters and basically causes the near-death of one. A couple of big fights between the fairy military and residents of Fowl Manor. Frightening goblins play with fire they can summon; in one case fire is used against them. A fairy official has another officer arrested, refuses to help another fairy in need. Fairies are lost in a time freeze (it's unclear whether they die or disappear). A character is on the brink of death before being brought back to life by fairy magic. Humans and fairies use fairy guns.
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Language
very little
"Traitor," "common thief," "thief," "liar," "criminal mastermind."
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Products & Purchases
very little
Nothing on-screen, but the Artemis Fowl books are bestsellers, and the movie ties in with the book series, which has spawned games and apparel (particularly in the U.K.).
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Artemis Fowl is based on Eoin Colfer's bestselling book series about 12-year-old genius Artemis Fowl II (Ferdia Shaw), who comes from a long line of criminal masterminds. Like the books, director Kenneth Branagh's adaptation has lots of action and peril and a few violent confrontations, including scary attacks by an enormous killer troll, frightening fire-summoning goblins, and a weapons-wielding fairy army. In one scene, it looks like a character is dying or dead. Language is limited to mild insults like "traitor," "criminal mastermind," and "thief." Artemis is stirred to action when his father (Colin Farrell) is taken hostage -- the "missing parent" angle could be upsetting for younger kids. Artemis also kidnaps fairy officer Holly Short (Lara McDonnell) to help figure out where his dad is. But ultimately the story shows the value of courage, teamwork, and not making assumptions about others; no one is wholly one thing. Judi Dench and Josh Gad co-star. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, ARTEMIS FOWL is based on Irish author Eoin Colfer's bestselling, beloved books about the titular Artemis (Ferdia Shaw), a child prodigy who comes from a long line of criminal masterminds. The movie opens with a gruff man (Josh Gad) in custody, explaining to mysterious officials that Artemis Fowl II is a kid who shouldn't be underestimated. He proceeds to tell Artemis' story. When Artemis Fowl Sr. (Colin Farrell) goes missing, Artemis II quickly discovers that his father has been taken hostage and that he must now retrieve a priceless artifact that his dad stole. With the help of his family butler, Domovoi Butler (Nonso Anozie), Artemis comes to terms with the fact that a hidden magical world co-exists with the human world and that he must somehow dive into that world to save his dad. Artemis kidnaps Holly Short (Lara McDonnell), a young fairy from the Lower Elements Police (LEPrecon), to demand his own ransom. Meanwhile, Commander Root (Judi Dench), the head of the LEPrecon forces, intervenes to rescue Holly but realizes there are fairy traitors hiding among her ranks.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the amount of peril and action violence in Artemis Fowl. How does it compare to other movies in the genre? How does the fantasy element affect its impact?
For those who've read the books, what do you like best about this adaptation? What, if anything, do you think is missing?
Who is a role model in the movie? What character strengths do they display? Why is teamwork important?
What do you think about the movie's prospects for a sequel? What are your favorite page-to-screen adaptations?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: June 12, 2020
- Cast: Ferdia Shaw, Lara McDonnell, Josh Gad
- Director: Kenneth Branagh
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Middle Eastern/North African actors
- Studio: Disney+
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Book Characters
- Character Strengths: Courage, Teamwork
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: fantasy action/peril and some rude humor
- Last updated: September 20, 2023
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