What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this animated 3D film only has a couple of mildly perilous scenes -- when Russian flies (one with a menacing eye patch) attack American flies, and when flies are stuck in a sample jar. The language is restricted to mild insults like "stupid" and the oft-repeated "idiot," and there are a few scenes of flies flirting and hugging. Because the film is set in 1969, there are references to the Cold War, with the Russians set up as the clear nemeses of the American astronauts/flies. Young children might be confused about the entire Moscow-set section, since most kids don't understand the political atmosphere of the 1960s.
- Families can talk about how the small flies made a big difference. Parents, if your kids are interested/need plot clarification, explain the history of the space program and explain the central role of the long-standing competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. Ask kids how they think things have changed since the '60s. Is space exploration as big a deal as it was back then? Why or why not?