Rise of the Guardians parents guide

Rise of the Guardians Parent Guide

This heroic tale promotes the importance of taking responsibility and discovering the inner values that motivate us - both good messages for a rising generation.

Overall B+

When the Boogieman (voice of Jude Law) uses fear to pursue his evil intentions, a group of guardians gathers to stop him. They include Santa Claus (voice of Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny (voice of Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (voice of Isla Fisher), the mute Sandman and a new recruit -- Jack Frost (voice of Chris Pine).

Release date November 20, 2012

Violence B-
Sexual Content A
Profanity A-
Substance Use A

Why is Rise of the Guardians rated PG? The MPAA rated Rise of the Guardians PG PG for thematic elements and some mildly scary action.

Run Time: 97 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

The perpetuation of childhood dreams and hopes lies in the care of four guardians—Nicholas St. North (voice by Alec Baldwin), E. Aster Bunnymund (voice by Hugh Jackman), Tooth, the tooth fairy (voice by Isla Fisher) and the mute Sandman. However all that is good is threatened when Pitch, the bogeyman (voice by Jude Law), comes out of the shadows with the intent of instilling fear into nighttime fantasies.

Needing reinforcements against the invading evil, the Man in the Moon chooses a new guardian. Unfortunately, Jack Frost (voice by Chris Pine) is anything but enthusiastic about being selected. Carefree and given to pranks, the reckless Jack just wants to have fun.

Don’t expect a Coca Cola version of jolly Old St. Nicholas or a cuddly type of Easter Bunny in this holiday animation. These characters come with some edge. Tattooed from his wrists to his elbows, Santa sounds like a Russian Cossack and has an unabashed disdain for elves. The Easter Bunny is equally surly with an Australian accent and an ongoing grudge against the playful Jack.

Yet despite their less than personable personalities, the guardians take their duties very seriously. And Jack’s nonchalant attitude toward his new role is both frustrating and infuriating, especially when the impish iceman’s actions put the other characters, and more importantly children’s beliefs, in danger.

From the creators of How To Train Your Dragon, this film’s 3D animation and attention to detail rival anything movie audiences have seen in the recent past. Still, frequent moments of peril, the depiction of a death by drowning and unwarranted punching means this story is better suited for the oldest of children who won’t be disturbed by the dark images of nightmarish characters racing around the rooms of young sleepers.

Pitting good against evil, this plot lacks the light-hearted charm of last year’s holiday release Arthur Christmas. Yet this heroic tale of a sword-wielding Santa and a boomerang-tossing hare promotes the importance of taking responsibility and discovering the inner values that motivate us—both good messages for a rising generation.

Directed by Peter Ramsey. Starring Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher. Running time: 97 minutes. Theatrical release November 20, 2012. Updated

Rise of the Guardians
Rating & Content Info

Why is Rise of the Guardians rated PG? Rise of the Guardians is rated PG by the MPAA PG for thematic elements and some mildly scary action.

Violence: Characters are shaken, dropped, kidnapped, and shocked with electricity, as well as kicked and hit by flying objects. A character races through traffic and down busy streets on a sled. A character drowns. Some weapon use is shown, including swords and large axes. A man is punched in the face and has his tooth knocked out. A dog growls menacingly before chasing another character. Characters repeatedly punch others. A boy falls down a deep ice crevice. Frequent moments of peril and fright are shown.

Sexual Content: A female character is attracted to a boy.

Language: Some brief name-calling is included.

Alcohol / Drug Use: None noted.

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Rise of the Guardians Parents' Guide

Why is it so important for Jack to find out about his past? What does he discover about himself?

How does knowing our history help us move forward in life?

Why do these characters believe that fear can never be completely eradicated? How do they deal with it instead? What is the value of hope, wonder and fun in your life?

How does the depiction of these mythical characters differ from the usual portrayal?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Rise of the Guardians movie is March 12, 2013. Here are some details…

Home Video Notes: Rise of the Guardians

Release Date: 12 March 2013

Rise of the Guardians releases to home video (Blu-ray/DVD/Ultraviolet Digital Copy) with the following extras:

- The Croods trailer

- Sneak Peek - Turbo

- Featurette: Legendary Features

- Additional Scenes

Rise of the Guardians is also available in an Easter Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu ray/DVD/Digital Copy plus 2 Hopping Easter Eggs). The bonus features are the same in both packages.

Related home video titles:

The writers of the movie Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause assemble a similar group of legendary characters. The creative team behind this animation also worked on How to Train Your Dragon. This movie should not be confused with the film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole.

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