We took this movie out of the library when my 5 year old son found it - he loves detective stories. We all sat down to watch it together - parents, son and 2.5 year old daughter. Within moments of the movies starting the nice image of the little girl receiving a gift was broken by this scary peg-legged bat that broke forcibly into their shop with glaring face and razor teeth and kidnapped the father. As the story progressed over the next 10 minutes, the lost and crying girl is found on the street by the Dr. Watson-type mouse and he brings her to the mouse detective - a jumping manic character shooting guns and comparing bullet striations, all the while acting without regard for them. They did not really follow what was going on and both asked us to turn it off. My son then complained of the bat-face being stuck in his head and had trouble going to bed. The next day my son said he was "going to tell the librarian that movie should be PG-13!" While PG-13 would obviously be a high rating, I find the manic and immediate scariness a less than positive experience for young ones, and I'm not sure the story line was going anywhere I wanted them to go when older.
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The Great Mouse Detective
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings(Flash is loading. If this text does not disappear you need to install the latest flash version)
Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 6. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Disney's clever Sherlock for the elementary set.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 6 and Up
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
About The Great Mouse Detective
Parents need to know that kids will see a barroom brawl and a final showdown between Basil and Ratigan featuring a duel, but both are depicted in a benign and cartoonish manner.
Read our full review by Michael Scheinfeld
Families Can Talk About
- Families can talk about why people like to watch shows about detectives solving crimes. Do you feel good when the detective figures out the mystery? Do you like trying to figure it out first? Does it feel good to know that the mystery will be solved at the end of the show?
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
Scary Peg Leg Razor Tooth Bat Kidnaps Father in first 5 minutes!
- I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
This movie is great!
Anyone can watch this!
- I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it
funny
funny comedy of the 80s but all dogs go to heaven is better
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