Star Kid

Quality: *** Acceptability: +2

RATING: PG

RELEASE: January 1998

STARRING: Joseph Mazzello, Richard Gilliland, Joey Simmrin, Corinne Bohrer, Arthur Burghardt, and Alex Daniels

DIRECTOR: Manny Coto

DISTRIBUTOR: Trimark Pictures

GENRE: Science fiction/boy's adventure

CONTENT: Eclectic worldview with some moral elements; two mild profanities and one extended reference to urinating; scenes of mild action violence with punching, kicking and flipping against a scary-looking alien monster, plus accidental destruction of two houses; and miscellaneous immorality such as deliberately wrecking a man's workshop and stealing his car to defeat the monster.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Older children and families.

SUMMARY: Joseph Mazzello plays an awkward 12-year-old named Spencer Griffith, in the family-oriented Star Kid. As Spencer, Mazzello plays a nerdy new boy in school who learns to overcome his fears when he uses a talking, sentient cyber-suit to defeat a scary alien monster in this energetic and humorous but lightweight tale.

Star Kid teaches several positive messages in its frenetic, enjoyable tale. Spencer learns to face his fears and begin the healing process over the death of his mother. He also learns that his sense of responsibility and compassion for others is more heroic than having incredible super powers. Finally, both he and the school bully learn that using their brains is just as important as using their brawn. Director Manny Coto, who is also credited with writing the screenplay, has fashioned a work that, though lightweight and predictable at times, has energy and humor. Many older children and young teenagers will find Star Kid to their liking, but the alien monster may be too scary for younger children.

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Jan 30, 1998
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved