If you recall, our 7 year old son and I attended a Mars Needs Moms IMAX screening not too long ago, but we ultimately did not get to see the movie because the screen size was a little too overwhelming for him. So on opening weekend, we took the whole family to see the movie not in IMAX 3D. In fact, we chose the showing that was not in 3D at all. Our children (4, 4, and 7) do not seem to care for 3D movies.
This film is rated PG, so we were not sure if it would be appropriate for our twin preschoolers. After watching the movie, I would recommend Mars Needs Moms for children 8 years old and up. Of course every child is different, but you must consider that this film is slightly dark and dreary and there is an element of danger that is almost constant. I think our 4 year old twins thought some parts were scary, but they enjoyed the movie overall. Our 7 year old son, who understood the storyline more clearly than his younger siblings, did not like the perilous situations in which Milo (Seth Green) and Gribble (Dan Fogler) found themselves while attempting to save Milo's Mom (Joan Cusack). I personally thought "The Supervisor" (played by Mindy Sterling) was extremely scary.
The Supervisor and Ki
As a mom, I think every child should see this movie at some point. The main character Milo is very easy to relate to because he does, thinks, and says what most children his age probably are . . .
This movie definitely makes children realize the value of their moms. My 4 year old son told me he loved me at least ten times today. I think the movie really affected him.
Gribble and Milo
By the way, my four year old son's favorite character was that of the female Martian named Ki (pronounced like "key") played by Elisabeth Harnois. She was very honest and pure-hearted. Gribble was my favorite character. He not only provided comic relief, but he was a very complex character who was one of the main reasons this film was so successful.
I also thought it was great that the credits ran next to behind the scenes footage showing how the movie was filmed with the live actors. So, if you go to see Mars Needs Moms in the theaters, do not forget to stay for the credits!
Although I was previously invited to a screening for this film, we purchased tickets for this showing with our own funds and did not receive compensation for sharing our thoughts about this movie with our readers. Thank you to Walt Disney Studios Publicity for providing the images and video clip included in this article.
