Unbroken tells an undeniably powerful true story, and Louis Zamperini's life deserves to be known and celebrated. The problem is that the film's second half is so relentlessly brutal—beatings, starvation, psychological torture—that it becomes genuinely hard to watch, even for adults.

Angelina Jolie directs competently, and the performances are solid, but critics weren't wrong that it feels somewhat by-the-numbers despite the extraordinary subject matter. The 53% Rotten Tomatoes score reflects that tension: great story, okay execution.

For the right mature teen—one interested in history, resilience, and true stories of survival—this can be deeply enriching and spark important conversations about forgiveness, dignity, and the human capacity to endure. But it's not entertainment in any traditional sense; it's an endurance test itself. Make sure your teen is ready for sustained, graphic depictions of cruelty before hitting play.

The WISE score reflects high enrichment value dragged down by low safety (intense violence), low imagination (straightforward biopic), and moderate wholesomeness (inspiring but brutal). It's a worthy film for the right audience, but that audience is narrow and mature.