Is America: The Motion Picture right for your family?

This review covers common concerns — screen for what YOUR family cares about.

America: The Motion Picture

Movie

America: The Motion Picture is an adult animated comedy film that reimagines the American Revolutionary War with an anachronistic and ahistorical approach for comedic effect. The story follows a chainsaw-wielding George Washington as he assembles a team of historical figures, including a cocaine-using Abraham Lincoln, a beer-chugging Samuel Adams, a female Thomas Edison, Paul Revere, and Geronimo, to fight against a tyrannical King James and his werewolf Benedict Arnold. This parody blends historical figures with modern sensibilities and absurd plotlines, featuring exaggerated violence, crude humor, and mature themes throughout its narrative. The film aims to entertain with its irreverent take on foundational American events and figures. Targeted towards mature audiences, particularly older teenagers and adults, the movie is characterized by its explicit content across various categories. It delivers a fast-paced, action-comedy style that prioritizes shock value and gross-out humor over historical accuracy or profound social commentary. Parents should be aware that the film contains a high frequency of strong language, graphic violence, sexual content, and substance use, making it unsuitable for younger viewers. Its comedic style often relies on pushing boundaries and subverting expectations of historical narratives.

Content concerns found:Click to jump

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Concerns

LGBTQ & Gender Identity

High

The film includes explicit references to same-sex relationships, implied homosexual acts between main characters, and a scene depicting anti-LGBTQ discrimination. It also features a gender-flipped historical figure (Thomas Edison). These elements are central to some jokes and character dynamics.

Sexual jokes constantly reference same-sex relationships. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are implied to have had homosexual feelings, and George recounts losing his virginity with Abe, to which Martha winks, implying understanding. Samuel Adams and his drunken male friends are implied to engage in homosexual acts. During a scene depicting social turmoil after America's founding, an elderly woman brandishes a Bible and beats a same-sex couple, calling them 'sinners'.

Violence

High

The movie features pervasive and graphic animated violence, including dismemberment, decapitation, copious blood, and massacres. The action is exaggerated for comedic effect but remains visually intense and bloody, often involving chainsaws and explosions.

George Washington uses chainsaws to slice through redcoats, resulting in body parts and blood flying across the screen. The signing of the Declaration of Independence is ambushed, leading to a massacre where colonists lose body parts, and one man is decapitated with his head flying through a window. Benedict Arnold, in werewolf form, rips out Abe Lincoln's throat, causing blood to spew like a fountain, and Lincoln's head falls off. Geronimo amputates his own arm with an axe to prevent turning into a werewolf, depicted with blood splatters and spewing.

Romance and Sexual Content

High

The film contains explicit sexual content, including nudity, suggestive jokes, and scenes set in a strip club. Sexual references are constant and often crude, contributing significantly to the film's R-rating.

A brief sexual scene between George Washington and Martha Dandridge features 'comedically exaggerated motions and sounds,' with Martha shown 'almost completely nude' and full nudity appearing later. Women are shown topless at a horse race and during the final battle. Several scenes take place at a strip club, featuring scantily clad dancers performing. Sexual jokes are constant throughout the film, including references to masturbation and semen.

Profanity

High

Profanity is extremely frequent and strong, with multiple explicit curse words used consistently throughout the movie. The language contributes heavily to the film's adult rating and shock humor.

The f-word is used more than 70 times, and the s-word over 30 times. Other strong expletives like 'd--n,' 'a--,' 'b--ch,' and 'd--k' also appear frequently, with 'd--k' being used 15 times. God and Jesus' names are collectively taken in vain 25 times.

Substance Use

High

The film frequently depicts and references substance use, including heavy alcohol consumption, illegal drug use, and discussions of addiction, often played for comedic effect or as character traits.

Samuel Adams is introduced at a fraternity party where characters chug beer, and he continues to drink throughout the film, even bragging about brewing his own. References are made to Abraham Lincoln doing cocaine, which George Washington initially reacts to with shock but then celebrates, calling him 'Abe, you old coke hound!'. George tells Martha his father was an alcoholic. Thomas Edison's scientific ingenuity is used to turn tea into beer, which rains down on British soldiers during a conflict.

Scary & Intense Content

High

The movie contains frequent intense and disturbing scenes, primarily due to its graphic and bloody violence. The portrayal of a werewolf antagonist and instances of severe injury contribute to a high level of intensity, despite the comedic tone.

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln by a werewolf Benedict Arnold, where Lincoln's throat is ripped out and his head falls off, is a graphic and intense scene. Geronimo's self-amputation of his arm to prevent transforming into a werewolf after being bitten is depicted with significant blood and gore, contributing to intense body horror.

Disrespect & Rebellion

High

The film is fundamentally a disrespectful and rebellious parody of American history, historical figures, and traditions, employing anachronisms, crude humor, and satire to mock established narratives and societal norms.

The entire premise parodies historical figures like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, portraying them with exaggerated, often debauched, characteristics such as Washington wielding chainsaws and Lincoln doing cocaine. Samuel Adams is depicted as a 'hard-partying fraternity brother' with racist tendencies, significantly altering the historical perception of the figure for comedic effect. The movie features a scene where the newly founded America immediately devolves into a political fight among its citizens, arguing over various issues like freeing slaves and women's rights, highlighting a cynical view of American unity.

Found 7 high-concern themes. Want to set your own sensitivity levels?

Witchcraft & Occult

Medium

Occult elements are present through a major character's supernatural transformation. While another character is initially mistaken for a witch, this is quickly resolved as 'science-craft' rather than genuine magic.

Benedict Arnold is depicted as a werewolf, a supernatural antagonist who murders Abraham Lincoln. Samuel Adams initially believes Thomas Edison is a sorceress, but she clarifies her abilities are a result of 'science-craft' (scientific methods), rather than actual magic.

Anti-Christian Themes

Medium

The film includes instances that can be perceived as mocking Christian beliefs and individuals, despite some brief, ambiguous references to Christian faith from George Washington. The overall irreverent tone and specific scenes contribute to this concern.

British forces repeatedly refer to King James as 'our Lord and Savior,' which is interpreted as a clear joke intended to mock the King James Bible. During a chaotic scene representing America's decline, an elderly woman is shown using a Bible to beat a same-sex couple, yelling 'sinners,' which can be seen as a negative portrayal of Christian conservatives.

Other Notes

Target Demographic

Ages 17+ due to pervasive strong language, graphic violence, explicit sexual content and nudity, extensive substance use, and mature thematic elements. The MPAA rates this film R.

Additional Notes

America: The Motion Picture is a highly stylized, adult animated feature. Its anachronistic and satirical nature means that historical accuracy is completely disregarded for comedic effect. Parents should be aware that the film's humor is often derived from shock value and crude content, rather than sophisticated wit. The film contains no notable differences across theatrical, extended, or director's cuts as it was released directly to streaming on Netflix, with no indications of sequels or adaptations that would alter its content warnings.

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Is America: The Motion Picture right for your family?

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