RocketMan

RocketMan

movie

PG, 1997

WISE
35%

WISE Score

20

Avg. Tomatometer

A painfully dated 1997 space comedy where the joke is 'annoying guy goes to Mars'—critics hated it, and your kids probably will too.

IMDb5.9
RT Critics20%
Common Sense Media
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Screenwise Verdict

Let's be honest: RocketMan is a relic of the late-90s comedy wasteland when studios thought 'annoying person in space' was peak humor. With a 20% critic score and a Letterboxd rating that screams 'why did I watch this,' it's hard to recommend with a straight face.

The 72% audience score suggests some families have nostalgia for it, but that's likely parents who saw it as kids and haven't revisited it. Modern children will be mystified by the pacing, the dated effects, and the fact that the entire joke is 'this guy is irritating.' There's a redemption arc buried in there, but you'll have to wade through a lot of unfunny slapstick to find it.

Is it safe? Sure. Will your kids learn anything? Not really. Will they enjoy it? Almost certainly not. There are dozens of better space movies (Wall-E, The Martian for older kids, even Space Chimps) that won't make you question your parenting choices. Skip this one unless you're genuinely curious about what Hollywood thought was funny in 1997.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media says 7+, and that tracks for content safety—but realistically, even young kids raised on modern animation and Marvel movies will find this painfully slow and unfunny. Best for absolutely no one, unless you're doing ironic 90s movie night.

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
55

A slapstick comedy built around an 'obnoxious geek' protagonist whose humor relies on being accident-prone and irritating. While it ultimately has a redemptive arc (he becomes the hero), the core comedy is mean-spirited and the pacing is chaotic. Common Sense Media rates it for age 7, suggesting basic family-friendliness, but the tone isn't particularly kind or cooperative—it's more about laughing at someone's incompetence.

Imaginative
45

Mars mission premise offers some space exploration appeal, but this is a broad comedy parody (likely riffing on Apollo 13 and other space films of the era) rather than genuine sci-fi imagination. The 20% critic score and 2.7/5 Letterboxd rating suggest derivative, uninspired execution. It's not inviting curiosity or creative thinking—it's just slapstick in space suits.

Safe
75

Common Sense Media rates it for 7+, and as a mid-90s family comedy, it's unlikely to have graphic content. The 'obnoxious' protagonist and 'jeopardy' situations might include some mild peril and potty humor typical of the era, but no red flags for violence, sexuality, or truly scary content. The main safety concern is more about irritating humor than actual inappropriate material.

Enriching
30

With a 20% critic score and 5.9/10 on IMDb, this is critically panned. The 72% audience score suggests some nostalgic appeal, but there's little evidence of meaningful themes, skill-building, or insight. The redemption arc (annoying guy becomes hero) is the only potentially enriching element, but it's buried in low-quality slapstick. Not cognitively stimulating or emotionally meaningful.

Parent Info
✓

Why It Might Be Great

  • Space mission setting might appeal to kids interested in Mars or astronauts
  • Underdog-becomes-hero arc has some redemptive value
  • The 72% audience score suggests some families found it harmlessly entertaining in a 'turn your brain off' way
  • No serious content concerns—it's genuinely kid-safe slapstick
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What to Watch For

  • The entire premise is laughing at an 'obnoxious' character—humor may feel mean-spirited or just plain annoying
  • Critically savaged with a 20% Rotten Tomatoes score; this is genuinely not a good movie by any objective measure
  • Late-90s comedy styling has aged poorly—expect dated jokes, pacing, and visual effects that look ancient to modern kids
  • Your kids will likely be bored or confused about why this exists

Conversation Starters

  • "What would you do if you accidentally got sent to Mars?"
  • "Do you think it's funny when someone is clumsy and makes mistakes, or does it make you feel bad for them?"
  • "If you were on a space crew, what job would you want to have?"
Stills
RocketMan — still 1
RocketMan — still 2
RocketMan — still 3
RocketMan — still 4
RocketMan — still 5
RocketMan — still 6
RocketMan — still 7

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