 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Finding Rin Tin Tin
- Review Date: January 6, 2012
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
Comic mayhem, potty humor in amateurish dog comedy.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this live action movie, about the exploits of a hero dog during World War I, contains numerous cartoon-style action sequences in which characters fall, slip, crash into things, and are hit by tumbling objects. Despite the level of mayhem, no one is ever hurt. There are some suspenseful moments: walking through wreckage in a bombed out city, a baby carriage trapped in a burning building, an avalanche bearing down on a town, and a brief air battle which results in the human hero being shot, but not severely injured. One mean character often threatens and verbally assaults a young child ("cockroach," "good-for-nothing"). He's also responsible for capturing, caging, and trying to sell the boy. There's lots of potty humor: dog farts, human farts, and Rin Tin Tin is shown pooping on a human toilet. The movie contains some drinking and drunkenness, including one scene in which Rin Tin Tin accidentally becomes inebriated.
What's the story?
Inspired by the true origin of Rin Tin Tin, early cinema's most famous dog, Lee Duncan (Tyler Jensen) finds "Rinty" in the wreckage of a village in France during World War I. Lee pleads with his superiors and the dog is allowed to join the American and French soldiers who live together. Lee enlists the dog training expertise of a German prisoner-of-war and Rin Tin Tin becomes a heroic, funny, and super-intelligent mascot, who plays a major part in the daily drama of the base. A special bond is formed between the dog and an orphaned French boy who is badly mistreated by the compound's cook.
Is it any good?
With its conceptual missteps: over-the-top comic pratfalls, extended mistreatment of a young victim of war by a cruel army cook, and ridiculously unbelievable rescues (Rin Tin Tin saves an entire village covered by an avalanche of snow by leading the soldiers to one rooftop), what might have been an uplifting story about a talented, brave, and almost-smarter-than-human dog and his new friends, has little to recommend it.
The amateurish special effects, wooden acting, and the simplistic-in-your-face messages, certainly don't help. The best that can be said is that the dog is lovable, the relationship between Rinty and his master is heart-warming, and it's interesting to find out how the real Rin Tin Tin came to America.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what this movie's message is about war and the relationship between soldiers. What connects Lee, the American soldier, and Nikolas, the German prisoner-of-war?
How can you tell that it's meant to be funny when people fall, crash, get hit on the head by falling objects in this movie? Would these incidents be funny in real life?
Why was Jacques unable to speak for most of the movie? What helped him regain his voice?
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| Topics: | cats, dogs, and mice, friendship, history |
| Studio: | Emmett/Furla Films |
| Director: | Danny Lerner |
| Cast: | Ben Cross, Tyler Jensen |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 15, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | September 16, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | brief action/peril and mild rude humor |
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