If you've got children at home who are minion fans, you've probably already heard the news: Everybody's favorite lovable villains will be back in town this summer, with Despicable Me 3 hitting theater screens on Friday. Catching up with Gru and the Anti-Villain League will definitely be on many families' fun to-do lists, but if you have toddlers at home, you may be wondering whether the experience is child-friendly enough for kids of all ages to enjoy. In other words, is Despicable Me 3 appropriate for kids under 5 years old?
The animated film received a PG rating from the Motion Picture Association of America for its "action and rude humor." According to the British Board of Film Classification, a Parental Guidance rating means that while kids of any age can watch the film, parents with kids under 8 years old should still carefully consider whether their kids will be upset by the movie's content. If they're frightened by action or scary scenes, or you don't want them exposed to "rude humor," you might want to screen Despicable Me 3 with the older kids first, just to be safe.
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that rates movies and other media for kids, rated both Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 as appropriate for children aged 6 and up, so parents can likely expect Despicable Me 3 to fall within the same range.
Another reviewing site, however, suggested that the PG-rated series was probably fine for most kids over 3 years old. "If you happen to be a family that has siblings that are mixed school age and younger ones, it is probably nothing the younger ones have not seen before," Parental Guide wrote in its review of Despicable Me 2. "This movie is fun for the whole family, except perhaps for children 3 and under. However, it does not contain any content that is not found in the average elementary school classroom."
Families who are planning on seeing Despicable Me 3 should be in for a treat — the film has already gotten a rating of 68 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, making it "certified fresh" (or a fun watch, if you don't speak Rotten Tomatoes jargon). The third movie in the series brings back a host of favorite characters, including Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), Lucy Wilde (Kristen Wiig), and the ever-lovable minions, of course.
Make sure to watch the trailer before you go, but it sounds like Despicable Me 3 might just be a movie the whole family can enjoy. Then get ready to rewatch the movie repeatedly — and hear requests for some minion Halloween costumes once fall rolls around.
