Parents' Guide to

The Sea Beast

By Jennifer Borget, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Swashbuckling adventure has kid role model, monster attacks.

Movie PG 2022 115 minutes
The Sea Beast Movie Poster

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • The Sea Beast Movie: Jacob and Maisie on a boat
  • The Sea Beast Movie: Maisie holding a small monster
  • The Sea Beast Movie: Sailors aboard ship
  • The Sea Beast Movie: Sea monster trying to grab a ship

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 23 parent reviews

David G.
David G. Parent of 9-year-old
July 16, 2022
age 10+

Great message and love the young black female lead, but the violence was more graphic and intense than similar kids movies. My 9 yo daughter asked to turn it off because it was too scary. Not a fan of the drinking or swears either… neither added much to the movie considering it’s for kids. It was a well done movie which I personally enjoyed, but probably not the best for younger kids and maybe even older depending on the child.
helendaisy
helendaisy Adult
July 28, 2022
age 13+

Language !!

I think.maybe some of the reviews do not actually reflect some of the language content!! A very adult word on the beach seen between Jacob and maisie!!!! Bxxxxxxd it up !!!! Really 8n a kids movie Not a bad film but a shame about aspects of the language
See all 23 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In THE SEA BEAST, sea monsters have been nearly eradicated from the shores of the kingdom of Three Bridges, thanks to the help of the brave monster hunters. But there's one beast that continues to evade them: the Red Bluster. Captain Crow (voiced by Jared Harris) of the Inevitable is consumed by vengeance and wants to kill the beast that took his eye. He strikes a deal with the king and queen, who've built their own ship and threaten to fire the hunters if they aren't able to bring in the Red Bluster after one last try. When the hunters head back out to sea, they realize they have a stowaway: a young orphan named Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator), whose parents died on a monster-hunting ship. She, too, wants to be a hunter and learn from the best aboard the Inevitable. But along the way, she begins to discover that what she thought she always knew may not be as it seems. She befriends Jacob (Karl Urban), the future captain of the Inevitable, who's brave and quick on his feet. As the exciting story unfolds, the pair learn that there's sometimes more to things than meets the eye.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (23 ):
Kids say (19 ):

Anyone who loves a good swashbuckling adventure will delight in this beautifully animated tale. The Sea Beast takes a familiar story about chasing down monsters and gives it a real punch, with messages about heroes not always meeting expectations, the complicated nature of war and peace, the subjectivity of history, and other seemingly heavy themes. All are seamlessly woven into an inspiring, gripping adventure. It has a little something for everyone: Ship lovers will appreciate the nautical entertainment (including teams hanging from the sides of ships with ropes and tons of cannons firing), but there's also some humor and a particularly cute character thrown in for those who need an alternative to the larger, sometimes scary beasts.

It's also refreshing to see a diverse cast throughout the film, both aboard the ship and in town, rather than just in the background. If you pay attention, you'll notice that crew members wear attire from various cultural backgrounds, and there are many degrees of skin tones and hair texture, which all comes through clearly thanks to the movie's outstanding animation. Though the plot does feel a bit trite at times, the setting gives it fresh life, along with the somewhat haunting message about the dangers of blindly trusting history told by those in charge. It gives audiences a lot to think about and a lot to discuss after it's over.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how books, movies, and other media influence our history. How do you think the stories we consume today can shape the future?

  • Maisie and Jacob say that you can be a hero and still be wrong. What do you think that means? How might some heroes in our own history have been wrong in some ways?

  • Which characters in the movie do you consider role models? Why? How do the female characters in The Sea Beast compare to girls and women in other kids' movies?

  • How do the characters in The Sea Beast demonstrate integrity and perseverance? What about courage and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?

  • What similarities do you see between the hunters in The Sea Beast and real-world whale hunters? What do you think the movie might be saying about animal conservation?

Movie Details

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