Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 10+
Frequent cartoon violence in an action-packed superhero story.
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Videos and photos
Based on 1 parent review
What is the story?
Captain America (Adrian Pasdar) and Iron Man (Roger Craig Smith) are somewhat friendly rivals who engage in combat training – Captain America tends to be more deliberate and logical, Iron Man to “fly by the seat of his pants”. But when the Red Skull (Liam O’Brien) and his assistant Taskmaster are determined to create an army of Hyrdra Brutes to conquer the world, Captain America and Iron Man must work together, respect each other’s fighting styles, and find a way to stop the Red Skull from carrying out his evil plans.
Is it good?
The best aspects of IRON MAN & CAPTAIN AMERICA: HEROES UNITED include the action and animation. The action is relentless from the first minutes of the film and does not stop until the very end. That alone makes things interesting. The animation is pretty amazing, especially in the way these fight scenes are presented. If this was all there was to the film, it would still be a delight.
However, the dialogue and story part are not that strong. Some of the dialogue is corny — especially the scenes where Captain America and Iron Man mock each other in a cheeky way. The story is confusing at times: we know the Red Skull wants to conquer the world and has serious fascist leanings, but the story about “repulsor cannons” and other high-tech weapons is unnecessarily complex, especially for young superhero fans. Also, the convenient arrival (SPOILER ALERT) of the Hulk seems a little too easy. That being said, this film is worth watching for its beautiful animation and non-stop action; Fans of Iron Man and Captain America will find something to enjoy.
Talk to your kids about…
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Families can discuss cartoon violence. How is violence depicted in this film, and how is it similar and different from the way other films – animated or fiction – depict violence?
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How are Captain America and Iron Man represented in this film, and how are they similar and different from other representations in comics and films?
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In what ways do the Red Skull and the Hydra Brutes seem similar to WWII Nazis?
Did we miss something about diversity?
Research shows a connection between children’s healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in the media. That’s why we’ve added a new “Different Representations” section to our reviews that will be published on an ongoing basis. You can help us help children