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Parents' Guide to

Pocahontas

By Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

Fine for kids; just don't expect a history lesson.

Movie G 2000 81 minutes
Pocahontas Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 18 parent reviews

hannah1991
hannah1991 Parent
January 23, 2021
age 6+
Native American princess Pocahontas and her people have their land taken from them by the English settlers that despite "savages," which is their name for the Native Americans in this movie. There's even an entire song about it.
Ktm1
Ktm1 Adult
July 22, 2019
age 5+
Story & music enjoyable - a couple of scary scenes best with adult support the first time or two it’s viewed by a younger audience.
See all 18 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Disney's animated POCAHONTAS centers on the titular daughter of Chief Powhatan (Russell Means, who is enrolled Oglala Sioux), who isn't happy with her upcoming arranged marriage to Kocoum (voiced by James Apaumut Fall). British colonizers arrive in the area, and Pocahontas (Irene Bedard, enrolled member of the Native Village of Koyuk) falls for John Smith (Mel Gibson). Meanwhile, greedy Governor Ratcliffe (David Ogden Stiers) is certain that the Native people have access to gold and is determined to get his hands on the treasure. Pocahontas and John Smith meet in secret, and, when they're discovered, it creates a dangerous tension between the British colonizers and the Powhatan people. The only hope for preventing war lies with Smith's and Pocahontas' actions.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (18 ):
Kids say (42 ):

Children may lean toward The Lion King's menagerie of cute talking animals before embracing this history-based tale from Disney, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own lures. A frisky raccoon and a scene-stealing hummingbird contribute nothing of import to the story but succeed in livening up what might otherwise have been a fairly somber tale.

This is a movie less concerned with booing the bad guys than with cheering on the heroes. The villain isn't a single entity; Ratcliffe embodies the type of greed, ignorance, and hostility that still hurts people today. The film's message is that peace and tolerance are goals well worth striving for, but its historical inaccuracies, anti-Native language, and use of clichés like the "magical Native" trope make for less-than-ideal representation.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's historical inaccuracies. For example, the Union Jack flag hadn't yet been adopted in the early 17th century. Do such details bother you?

  • In what ways do British colonizers harm the Indigenous Powhatan people and their land?

  • Why does knowing Pocahontas' real name, age, and story matter? Does that change how you see her relationship to John Smith?

  • What parts of Pocahontas' culture and community are important to her? How do Powhatan people show respect for one another?

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