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Spectacular!

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 6, age appropriate for kids over 8; suggested age 8.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Musical mixes positive messages and tween appeal.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 8 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    The movie has positive messages about self confidence, self discovery, and the fulfillment of marching to the beat of your own drum. Although its view of teen life is highly sanitized, the characters face some issues that will resonate with tweens, like peer pressure and weighing personal ambition against the needs of a team. Before seeing the light, Nikko exhibits some bad-boy behavior (breaking the band's sound equipment, mouthing off to his older brother/guardian, poking fun at choir members for their choice of musical genre, etc.).
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Not an issue.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Mild flirting between teens that culminates in one kiss. "Hot" is used to describe a teen girl.
  • Language:

    "Dumb" and "stupid" are about as strong as it gets.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Spectacular!

Parents need to know that this tween-targeted musical offers positive messages about self confidence, self expression, and finding friendship and inspiration in unlikely places. The main character evolves from self-absorbed rebel to a (mostly) reliable team player who's not afraid to stand up to peer pressure. Sure, the whole thing is a sanitized view of teen life (everyone's friends in the end, and, despite his missteps, Nikko gets to realize his rocker dream after all), but on the whole, it's a tween-pleasing tale with hardly any iffy content -- unless you count a teen couple's first kiss.

Read our full review by Emily Ashby

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about peer pressure. What kinds of ways do teens put peer pressure on each other? Is it always obvious, or can subtle comments or gestures have just as much impact? Have you ever experienced peer pressure? How did you handle it? Has fear over your friends' reaction ever kept you from doing something you wanted to do?

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Our Members Say

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  • What did you think about Spectacular!?
  •  I think this movie is

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    This was a great movie you haters!

    This was a great movie. My daughters really enjoyed it and they totally loved the singing and dancing. I think that this is a great movie for all ages and it is also great for boys and girls. it gives the message that you should be yourself and be your own person.it kind of shows that you should go with the flow but also kind of go your own way. This makes a great family movie and i really liked it. i think that all you spectacular haters need to lay off!!! Spectacular is truly Spectacular!

  2. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 4 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    It's really great shows a lot of good messages. teaches you to be your own person and be yourself no matter what. i think that this is a great family movie especially if your kids like to sing or are really independant. In all this is a great movie and i think that all you haters need to get a life and re-learn what a great movie is. Spectacular was truly Spectacular.

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 1.0
    My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate sexual content

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    boring

    boring do not watch

  4. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title off for age 9 and give it 2.0

    I saw half of this movie and it is really boring! I recommend you watch High School Musical instead.

  5. I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 4.0

    Really good

    Really good movie.

  6. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 5.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models

    More better than the entire HSM series!!!

    i love it!!!!! my favorite charactors are courtney, janet, and nikko. its awesome! u should see it!!!

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in California
    I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 2.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    blah

    it ok...NOT the best film in history. high school musical did 10x better. thats all im saying! but it does have good messages to stay true your heart( same theme as every other musical movies). i give it 2 stars...for trying.

  8. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Colorado
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 5.0

    Spectacular! is really spectacular

    This movie is amazing. They have great music in this. All of the characters are played well and they stay well in character. Anyone can watch it. It also has a great message in it. I recommend this movie to all ages.

  9. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 2.0
    My concerns are:
    • Negative message

    Nothing works

    I'm sorry, but I think CSM is wrong. None of the characters are good role s. It's all on and off; one moment Nikko's right and the is wrong, then vise versa, then they're right at the same time, then also wrong, etc. There's nothing to take away here. Nobody is really that good of a character. It's kind of hard to explain, but the best way to is to say that the "good guys" aren't really that good.

  10. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Texas
    I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it 1.0

    HSM Wannabe that fails.

    My title pretty much sums up my thoughts. It is clean, but it is just no good.

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 6 and give it 5.0

    Movie helps you

    This movie helps you realize that you can go for what you want and suceed

  12. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

  13. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 5.0

    Spectacular vs. High School Musical. And the winner is....

    I am just going to write my review for this movie by comparing it to High School Musical, the movie it is meant to rival. I happen to think Spectacular did better than HSM (though no one agrees) because the plot is more mature. in HSM, everyone randomly bursts into song, making up most of the movie.In spectacular, whenever there is a song, there is a reason for the singer to be singing. (i.e. contest, kareoke, etc.) Also, the plot twists seem more serious and likely to happen, and the mean people don't turn NICE all of a sudden. The singing is also way better, and some of the jokes actually managed to make me laugh. Example: Nikko is wearing his required Spectacular! attire, which is full of lame (with an accent over the e) odd patterns, and all-around dorkiness. Humiliated to be even wearing it, Nikko says, "This is soo lame" Then one of the other members of Spectacular comes up to him and says "Actually, it's pronounced lame (accent over the e)" LOL! If you are a girl between the ages of 8 and 14, this movie is for you. Please. Go watch it. I BEG OF YOU!!!

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 17
    Lives in Nebraska
    I rate this title on for age 3 and give it 1.0

    this was really weird!

    -people I only saw a part of "Spectaculour" and i can tell you it is defenitly N-O-T Spectaculour!I think it was deffenitly not good!It was infact terrible!I think if you liked the movie you have lost your mind! thanks! :)

  15. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 3.0

    OK

    It was OK nothing special but nothing horrible.

  16. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 7 and give it 4.0

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