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Never Cry Wolf Review

For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 13+

Suspenseful, poignant wilderness film; a few gross scenes.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this Oscar-nominated drama about a man in the wilderness includes some graphic animal eating scenes and some non-sexual nudity. Expect several perilous situations, pipe smoking, beer drinking, and a prolonged scene where man and wolf are juxtaposed eating mice. A few scenes show the main character naked while changing clothes, swimming, or running (brief full frontal, bare butt). Since the end isn't concrete, expect kids to ask questions about what happened after the credits roll.

  • Families can talk about the film's violence. This movie is based on a true story and was made in 1983. How does its violence compare to movies made today? How much violence is necessary in movies?
  • This movie is based on a man's memoirs. How faithful do you think the film is to the book? How accurate is the original story, for that matter? What questions did you have at the end, if any? How would you have chosen to end the movie?
  • Tyler tentatively sets out on a daunting mission but eventually gains confidence. Would you have been able to do what he did? Is there anything you've done that you can compare? What can you learn from this movie?

The good stuff
  • message true3

    Messages: Many lessons about how one man can overcome his fears and disprove false beliefs. Also, watching Tyler on his journey brings home the realization that animals aren't that different from humans. A strong environmental message.

  • rolemodels true4

    Role models: The main character is sent to a remote area with a mission and doubts whether he can accomplish the task. He gains confidence, comes to appreciate the beauty of his surroundings, learns to communicate with another species, dispels myths and learns more about himself.

What to watch for
  • violence false3

    Violence: Almost a plane crash. A few sad and dramatic moments. Wolves chase the main character. He falls through the ice into the water. There's a prolonged graphic scene when he starts eating mice as an experiment. This is juxtaposed with a wolf hunting and eating mice. Wolves feast on caribou and its carcass is shown. Gunshots are heard in the distance. There's also a threat of an animal tearing a man apart and talk of killing wolves for money.

  • sex false2

    Sex: No sex, but some non-sexual nudity. After Tyler falls in the ice, he has to take off his wet clothes, so his bare butt is shown. Later, he runs and jumps off a cliff naked -- briefly showing full frontal. A prolonged scene showing his bare butt as he runs with the caribou. Mike talks about a girl wanting to come home with him.

  • language false0

    Language: Not an issue

  • consumerism false0

    Consumerism: Not an issue

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false2

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Many scenes of pipe smoking, mostly by the main character. Background cigarette smoking. Discussion of "Moose Juice," which is equal parts Moose brand beer and ethyl alcohol. Tyler uses it to conquer his fear of flying. He's shown drinking it throughout the movie.

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