IO – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

IO

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2019

28%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A glacially-paced Netflix sci-fi about Earth's last scientist that's safer for kids than it is watchable for anyone.

4.8/10

33%

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IO

movie

TV-14, 2019

28%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A glacially-paced Netflix sci-fi about Earth's last scientist that's safer for kids than it is watchable for anyone.

4.8

33%

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4.8/10

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Screenwise Verdict

IO is that rare Netflix sci-fi that's actually safe for teens but so boring you'll wish it wasn't. With a 33% on Rotten Tomatoes and a dismal 4.8 on IMDb, critics and audiences agree: this is a slog.

The premise—last scientist on dying Earth meets guy racing to catch the final shuttle off-planet—sounds promising. The execution is watching Margaret Qualley wander around slowly while nothing happens. One parent reviewer summed it up perfectly: 'suitable for kids, watchable for no one.'

Content-wise, it's genuinely mild: no violence, minimal language, no scary stuff despite being post-apocalyptic. But it's so relentlessly bleak and slow that the safety doesn't matter—no one's going to finish it anyway. Environmental themes could spark good conversations about climate change, but you'd need to stay awake first.

Skip this one. If you want dystopian sci-fi for teens, literally anything else will do.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media suggests 13+ and that tracks—the content is mild enough for middle schoolers, but honestly, they'll be bored stiff. This is technically safe for teens but realistically too slow and dreary for most viewers of any age.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Bleak post-apocalyptic setting with themes of isolation, loss, and humanity's extinction creates a persistently dark emotional tone. The relationship between the two leads is respectful and quiet, but the overall atmosphere is depressing rather than uplifting. Minimal violence or inappropriate content, but the emotional weight is heavy.

Imaginative

Post-apocalyptic Earth premise has potential, but execution is slow and ponderous. The science fiction concepts (saving Earth through adaptation, last shuttle off-planet) are familiar genre tropes without fresh takes. Visually atmospheric but narratively inert—more contemplative than creative or curiosity-sparking.

Safe

Common Sense Media confirms mild content across the board: mild sexual content, mild profanity, no violence or gore, no substance use. A pig is implied to have died, and there's some shouting, but nothing shocking or traumatic. Dark themes of extinction and environmental collapse are present but handled quietly. Safe for older kids who can handle dystopian bleakness.

Enriching

Environmental themes about climate collapse and human survival could spark discussion, but the film's glacial pacing and lack of narrative momentum make it hard to engage with. IMDb 4.8, Rotten Tomatoes 33% critic score, Metacritic 40—critics and audiences agree it fails to deliver on its ideas. Parent reviews note 'watchable for no one' and 'no messages/role models.' It's not entertaining enough to teach anything.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely mild content—no violence, gore, or scary stuff despite the apocalypse setting
Environmental themes about climate change and human impact could resonate with eco-conscious teens
Atmospheric cinematography of a dying Earth has visual appeal
Quiet, contemplative tone might work for teens who like slow-burn sci-fi

⚠

What to Watch For

Bleak, depressing atmosphere throughout—humanity is basically extinct and Earth is dying
Incredibly slow pacing that bored critics and audiences alike (33% RT, 4.8 IMDb)
A pig dies off-screen, which might upset younger animal lovers
Zero narrative momentum—it's more like watching paint dry on a dead planet

Conversation Starters

"If you were the last person on Earth, would you stay and try to save it or leave?"
"What do you think would actually happen if we couldn't breathe Earth's air anymore?"
"The movie shows someone choosing hope over escape—when is it worth fighting for something vs. knowing when to let go?"

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