Storks
Storks (2016) is an animated adventure-comedy film that reimagines the classic myth of storks delivering babies. In this modern take, storks have transitioned from baby delivery to package delivery for a massive internet retail company, Cornerstore.com. The story follows Junior, a top delivery stork, and Tulip, a human orphan raised on Stork Mountain, as they accidentally activate the defunct baby-making machine and produce an unauthorized baby girl. The duo then embarks on a perilous journey to deliver the baby to her intended family, leading to chaotic escapades and heartfelt discoveries about the meaning of family and connection. The film is targeted at a family audience, exploring themes of love, friendship, and diverse family structures. While offering humorous and touching moments, the movie includes content that warrants parental consideration regarding its themes and depictions.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
HighThe film explicitly includes depictions of same-sex couples joyfully receiving babies in the concluding montage, presenting them as normal and accepted family structures. Additionally, two prominent male wolf characters develop a parental bond with the baby, implying a same-sex co-parenting dynamic. These elements are highlighted by Christian reviews as a significant concern, referring to them as an 'intrusion of the gay agenda' and promotion of homosexuality/lesbianism.
1. In the movie's concluding montage, there are brief scenes showing both two women and two men joyfully receiving their babies from storks. 2. The Alpha and Beta wolves, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, are two male characters who become enamored with the baby, actively working together to protect and 'co-parent' her, implying a same-sex couple dynamic.
Anti-Christian Themes
HighWhile not directly anti-Christian, many Christian reviewers express significant concern that the film's worldview implicitly contradicts traditional Christian teachings. The movie's overarching message about 'love is all you need' and its depiction of diverse family structures, including same-sex couples and babies created by a machine rather than traditional biological means, are seen as undermining biblical definitions of marriage and family.
1. Christian review sites criticize the film for promoting the idea that 'love is whatever or whoever you want it to be,' arguing this message, combined with the inclusion of same-sex couples and machine-made babies, challenges traditional Christian views on family formation. 2. The portrayal of babies being produced by a mechanical 'baby-making machine' rather than through biological reproduction or divine creation is noted as a secularized view that deviates from a biblical understanding of life's origins.
Violence
MediumThe movie features frequent slapstick violence, typical of animated comedies, which is mostly played for laughs and lacks graphic detail. Characters engage in physical altercations and comedic mishaps, with injuries usually depicted in an exaggerated, non-serious manner. Initial threats are often quickly diffused or become humorous.
1. Junior, a stork, repeatedly flies into and breaks glass panes in a glass factory, demonstrating a recurring gag of slapstick collisions. 2. Hunter, the corporate boss, is seen playfully (but roughly) squeezing small birds as stress balls or using one as a golf ball, actions that are later comically retaliated against by the birds.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe film contains very mild suggestive elements and discussion-provoking themes related to human reproduction, primarily through a child's questions and parental responses. There is also one brief, non-graphic instance of partial nudity played for comedic effect. Romance between the main protagonists is absent.
1. The human child, Nate Gardner, asks his parents, Henry and Sarah, 'where did I come from?' leading to their knowing and somewhat embarrassed giggles, prompting questions about how babies are made. 2. There is a scene where a character in a sauna has his towel briefly fall off, showing the blurred bottom half of his body, intended for comedic effect.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe movie includes some suspenseful and potentially frightening situations, especially for very young children. These moments typically involve chase sequences, peril, and an antagonistic character, though they are often interspersed with comedic relief and rarely result in serious harm.
1. The protagonists, Junior and Tulip, along with the baby, are chased by a large, shape-shifting wolf pack that initially appears menacing and considers eating the baby before becoming comically affectionate. 2. Hunter, the main antagonist, is a ruthless stork CEO who prioritizes profit over lives, attempting to sabotage Junior and Tulip's mission and endanger the baby to maintain his corporate image.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe film features instances of characters displaying mild disrespect and engaging in rebellious acts against established rules and authority figures. These actions are often driven by good intentions or a desire for connection, but they involve defiance and disobedience.
1. Tulip, despite her good intentions, is repeatedly clumsy and her attempts to help disrupt the highly structured package delivery system, leading to her being relegated to the mailroom as a 'liability' by CEO Hunter. 2. Nate Gardner, feeling neglected by his busy parents, disobeys them by sending a letter to the storks requesting a baby brother, initiating the central plot of the movie.
Profanity
LowThe movie includes occasional mild coarse language and insults. These instances are generally used in comedic or non-aggressive contexts and do not involve strong profanity or frequent offensive terms. The language is limited to minor exclamations and some name-calling.
1. Characters use mild exclamations such as 'of my gosh,' 'heck,' and 'jeez'. 2. An instance of an incomplete exclamation, 'What the…' is heard, along with the phrase 'Suck it, wolves!'.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere are no elements of witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, magic rituals, or explicit supernatural beings depicted in the film. The fantastical premise of storks delivering babies is presented through a mechanical, albeit whimsical, baby-making factory, rather than magical or occult forces.
1. The baby-making machine is portrayed as a purely mechanical and technological contraption, not powered by magic or supernatural means. 2. The abilities of the storks, such as flight and organizing deliveries, are depicted as natural characteristics within the film's fantastical setting, rather than magical powers.
Substance Use
LowThe film contains no depictions or explicit mentions of alcohol, drug use, smoking, or any other substance abuse. Reviewers consistently report an absence of such content.
1. No characters are shown consuming alcohol or illicit drugs throughout the movie. 2. There are no scenes depicting smoking or any discussion related to addiction or substance abuse.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
A Christian parent's guide would recommend 'Storks (2016)' for ages 7+, with strong parental guidance. While the film features mostly mild comedic violence and themes of family and adoption, the inclusion of same-sex couples as family units and implied co-parenting dynamics, along with the fantastical depiction of baby creation outside traditional biological means, presents thematic elements that may contradict traditional Christian teachings and worldview for younger, less discerning audiences.
Additional Notes
The film largely avoids explicit mature themes, relying on slapstick humor and a heartfelt narrative about family. However, the themes surrounding diverse family structures and the origin of babies (via a machine) may prompt questions from younger viewers that parents will need to address according to their family's values. The tone remains lighthearted, but the underlying messages about family composition are notable.
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