Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 8+
So-so story, strong girls in upbeat horse adventure; peril.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
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Violence & Scariness
some
Lucky's mother dies during a stunt; not shown, but it's clear based on how audience reacts. A group of thieves is menacing, occasionally scary. Lucky nearly dies while riding Spirit. Some perilous jumps, situations. In a fight with horse thieves, the girls each have to use their rodeo skills to rough up men and even tie some up. Main thief kicks at Lucky and the horses, tries to shoot them. The girls outwit the thieves with help from their parents, who also take on the thieves.
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Language
very little
"What the heck," "crazy," "are we insane?"
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Products & Purchases
none
Nothing on-screen, but off-screen there are merchandising tie-ins, including apparel, dolls, toys, books, even special hairstyles at Drybar.
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Positive Messages
a lot
Encourages courage, perseverance, teamwork. Also presents the importance of strong relationships with friends and open conversations with parents. Love of animals is also a major theme.
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Positive Role Models
some
Lucky and her friends are strong, brave, supportive. They're also impetuous and make iffy choices (like running away from home and not telling their parents) that land them in dangerous situations. But their motives are positive: to help Lucky and keep their friends safe. The group of friends is diverse, but there's no mention of the role of gender or race in context of time period the movie takes place in.
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Educational Value
very little
Viewers will learn a bit about horse stunt performers, as well as lessons in friendship and teamwork.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Spirit Untamed is DreamWorks Animation's reboot of their Spirit franchise (which includes both Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and the popular Spirit Riding Free series). This feature-length adventure tells the story of how young Lucky Prescott (voiced by Isabella Merced) forms a bond with a wild stallion in the Old West. Expect scenes of peril, an early parental death (not shown on-screen, but characters react), and kids making reckless choices to save Spirit and other wild horses from a band of thieves. The young characters face close calls and near injuries, and they make some iffy choices -- like running away in order to help the wild horses. But ultimately the story affirms strong relationships, the importance of caring for animals and dear friends, and the need for open communication between parents and kids. The all-star voice cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Julianne Moore, McKenna Grace, and Andre Braugher. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
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Spirit Untamed
Parent and Kid Reviews
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- Parents say (9)
- Kids say (11)
age 7+
Based on 9 parent reviews
Sierraek Parent of 9-year-old
July 1, 2021
age 10+
Movie looks good but not recommended for under 10
Story is underwhelming and typical. The main character doesn't listen to her dad. Puts herself into dangerous situations with no adults in sight. Sneaks out of the house and stays out all night while her dad worries. There was a message about treating animals with respect but that's it.
kate K. Parent of 2-year-old
December 31, 2022
age 12+
Bad main character role model making dangerous decisions
This movie has alot of violence and scary bits. In one scene one of the villains tries to hit the main character lucky with a crow bar.Lucky put herself and others in multiple dangerous situations with out consulting adults. She lies to her dad and also disobey him buy going to do exactly what he tells her not to do which is going to and riding an untamed horse. I get that this is the movie but she never gets in trouble for disobeying him. Makes lucky feel like she can make her own rules and obey the one she chooses. She is not a good role model. It's a shame because the movie had potential.
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See all 9 parent reviews
What's the Story?
SPIRIT UNTAMED follows Fortuna "Lucky" Prescott, whose mother dies while doing a stunt in a rodeo show when Lucky is very young. She's raised to be a proper lady in the city by her Aunt Cora (Julianne Moore), until an unfortunate incident forces Cora to take Lucky to visit her father, Jim (Jake Gyllenhaal), who lives in the fictional frontier bordertown of Miradero. On the way there, Lucky sees a wild mustang and instantly feels drawn to it. When the horse, whom she calls Spirit, ends up in a local rancher's corral, Lucky keeps visiting him. She overhears a group of men, who are actually a band of thieves, boasting about their plans to steal wild horses and take them across the border -- beyond the reach of the law. Lucky, who's barely ridden a horse before, manages to convince her new Miradero friends, rodeo girls Pru (Marsai Martin) and Abigail (McKenna Grace), to join her in a dangerous plan to take Spirit (and the two other girls' horses) on a rescue mission to save Spirit's family.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (9):
Kids say (11):
Horse-loving kids will enjoy this predictably sweet story about a trio of plucky girls in the Old West who defy the odds to save a pack of wild horses. Directors Elaine Bogan and Ennio Torresan's tale is part origin story for Lucky and Spirit, part "road trip" adventure (if you replace "road" with "horseback"), and part obvious setup for more about Lucky, her newfound best friends, and their horses in the little town of Miradero. There's plenty in Spirit Untamed for kids to enjoy: the horses, the vast animated frontier landscapes, the girls' daredevil personalities (particularly Lucky and Abigail; Pru usually serves as the voice of reason), and the silly duo of Abigail's entrepreneurial little brother, Snips (Lucian Perez), and his pet donkey, Señor Carrots. The girls' friendship grows quickly under the circumstances -- and thanks to their mutual affinity for horses. And any movie that includes strong female friendships (that have nothing to do with attracting boys) should be applauded.
Parents, on the other hand, may find themselves slightly underwhelmed at aspects of the plotline, particularly the lost opportunity to address and provide context around the intentionally diverse group of characters. Lucky's Latinx heritage is all but ignored, beyond the inclusion of a few Spanish words and a couple of early conversations. That aside, the movie is fun for younger audiences, and it will remind viewers about the importance of forming close friendships and strengthening parent-child trust. Parents and kids alike should also dig the soundtrack, which includes Fleet Foxes' "Ragged Wood," Taylor Swift's "Wildest Dreams," and original songs by star Merced.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the character strengths demonstrated in Spirit Untamed. Which characters demonstrate courage, perseverance, and teamwork? Why are those skills so important?
How does the movie tackle race and gender on the western frontier? Do fictional stories need to put gender roles and race relations in context for the time in which they're set? How can a story incorporate diverse voices while staying authentic?
Which characters do you consider role models? Does the story address the consequences of the girls' decisions and behavior? What do they learn from their mistakes?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 4, 2021
- On DVD or streaming: August 31, 2021
- Cast: Isabela Merced, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marsai Martin, Julianne Moore
- Directors: Elaine Bogan, Ennio Torresan
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Latino actors, Black actors
- Studio: DreamWorks Animation
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Friendship, Horses and Farm Animals
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance, Teamwork
- Run time: 88 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: some adventure action
- Last updated: September 12, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
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.
Spirit Untamed
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