Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Alita is that movie your teen's been asking about because it looks cool, and honestly? It IS cool. The visuals are legitimately stunning, the world-building is creative, and there's something refreshing about a female action hero who's genuinely powerful without it being a whole thing.

But let's be real: this is VIOLENT. Like, really violent. Yes, they're cyborgs, so there's minimal blood, but bodies get torn apart, faces get crushed, and it's all very visceral. The PG-13 rating is doing some heavy lifting here. Common Sense Media's 14+ recommendation is more honest.

The story itself is pretty standard—amnesiac hero discovers her past, falls in love, learns to fight—but the execution is engaging enough. Critics were lukewarm (61%), but audiences loved it (91%), which tells you it's more fun than cerebral. It raises some interesting questions about identity and humanity but doesn't dive too deep.

The real bummer? It ends on a cliffhanger that's never getting resolved. The sequel isn't happening, so you're left hanging. Still, if your teen can handle the violence and you're looking for a visually impressive sci-fi action film with a strong female lead, this delivers. Just maybe not for family movie night with the 10-year-old.

Age Fit

Best for teens 14+ who can handle intense sci-fi violence and dark themes. The cyborg dismemberment is frequent enough that younger or sensitive viewers will likely be disturbed, despite the lack of blood. Action-loving teens and adults will appreciate the spectacle.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

58

The film centers on a cyborg discovering her identity and fighting for others, with themes of self-discovery and protecting the vulnerable. However, the tone is quite dark and violent, with brutal fight sequences and a dystopian setting that doesn't exactly radiate warmth. The relationship between Alita and her father-figure Dr. Ido provides some emotional grounding, but the overall atmosphere is grim rather than uplifting.

Imaginative

78

Visually stunning cyberpunk world with creative cyborg designs and the floating city of Zalem. The Motorball sequences are inventive, and the blend of human/machine aesthetics is genuinely imaginative. Based on a manga, so it brings a unique visual language to Western cinema. The world-building invites curiosity about this future society, even if the plot itself is fairly standard hero's journey stuff.

Safe

52

This is where Alita loses points. The violence is intense and frequent—limbs get ripped off, bodies are sliced apart, and while there's minimal blood (they're cyborgs), the brutality is clear. There's a particularly disturbing scene involving a dog, and the overall tone is quite dark for younger viewers. Common Sense Media rates it 14+, which tracks. PG-13 rating feels generous. No sexual content or nudity, but the violence is the real concern here.

Enriching

62

Explores themes of identity, humanity vs. technology, class inequality, and what makes someone 'real.' The protagonist is a strong female character who learns to fight for herself and others. However, the philosophical questions are somewhat surface-level, and the movie prioritizes spectacle over depth. It's entertaining and has some thought-provoking elements about consciousness and personhood, but doesn't dig as deep as it could.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely impressive visual effects and world-building that brings manga aesthetics to live-action
Strong female protagonist who fights her own battles and discovers her identity
Raises interesting questions about what makes us human and the ethics of cybernetic enhancement
The Motorball sequences are creative and exciting
Huge gap between critic and audience scores (91% audience vs 61% critics) suggests it's more fun than critics gave it credit for

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What to Watch For

Intense violence throughout—cyborg bodies are torn apart, limbs severed, faces crushed (minimal blood but maximum brutality)
A disturbing scene involving a dog that may upset animal-loving kids
Dark dystopian themes of class inequality and exploitation
The romance subplot feels a bit forced and may make teens roll their eyes
Ends on a cliffhanger that never got resolved (sequel unlikely at this point)

Conversation Starters

"If you could enhance your body with technology, what would you change? Where's the line between human and machine?"
"The movie shows a huge divide between the rich floating city and the poor ground level—what does that remind you of in our world?"
"Alita doesn't remember her past but has to figure out who she wants to be now—how much does our past define us?"
"What did you think about the Motorball sport? Would you want to compete in something that dangerous?"

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Alita: Battle Angel