Parental Review of Charlotte's Web

Charlotte’s Web

A Parental Review of "Charlotte’s Web" for Concerned Parents:

aRating: G
bScary: In the first moments you see the shadow of Fern's dad wielding an axe to do away with Wilbur
cSad: At the end Charlotte dies, and that is a sniffly moment, but handled very, very tactfully
eMeanness or Bullying: Crows try to swoop down and grab the rat (but fail)
fViolence: Crows try to dive bomb rat (but fail)
gAnimal Death: Charlotte dies at the end, but it is handled very, very tactfully
nOther Issues: It is clear that all spring pigs go to the smokehouse for Christmas, and Wilbur faces that same fate if Charlotte's words can't save him
oWeapons Seen: Shadow of father with axe to do away with baby piglet, but he is stopped
rRecommend?: Yes

Review Type: Animated, Live Action, Movies, Posted by: Annie

I have to be honest; I had some serious reservations about “Charlotte’s Web”. I mean, I already knew that the story starts with a baby piglet about to be slaughtered, and that he is destined for the same but for the intervention of one tiny spider. Not the most gentle of storylines. And then, of course, the heroine, Charlotte, dies in the end.

But I have to say that it was all handled very tactfully, and we happily took our son to see it not just once, but twice, once with friends to whom we recommended it.

There is a bit of bathroom humour (fairly mild) when one of the cows passes gas, and Charlotte speaks pretty straightforwardly about catching flies with her web and eating them, but as mainstream movies go this one was really quite mild, and very sweet.

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