The Emoji Movie
The Emoji Movie (2017) is an animated comedy-adventure film that takes audiences into the vibrant digital world inside a teenager's smartphone, Textopolis, where emojis live and are expected to express only one emotion. The story centers on Gene, a 'meh' emoji who can express multiple emotions, leading to him being deemed a malfunction. To avoid deletion, Gene, accompanied by his friends Hi-5 and Jailbreak, embarks on a journey through various apps to find a code that will make him a normal, single-expression emoji. Along their adventure, they discover the importance of self-acceptance and embracing individuality. The film is targeted at a younger audience, particularly those familiar with mobile phones and apps. It features colorful animation and a message about friendship and being true to oneself, though some aspects of its humor and thematic elements may warrant parental guidance.
Concerns
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe film's director, Tony Leondis, an openly gay man, explicitly stated that the main character Gene's struggle with conformity and self-acceptance was inspired by his own experiences growing up gay. This has led to interpretations of Gene's journey as an allegory for coming out or transgender identity, a point of concern for some Christian reviewers who describe it as 'transgender propaganda.'
Director Tony Leondis confirmed that Gene's plight of 'being different in a world that expects you to be one thing' was 'very personal' to him as a gay man. A Christian review interprets Gene's desire to be reprogrammed to fit his self-perceived identity as 'transgender propaganda,' questioning 'changing how you were originally made, if that doesn't fit who you feel that you are.'
Violence
MediumThe movie contains mild animated violence, primarily involving chase sequences and threats of deletion. Antagonistic bots pursue the main characters with lasers, and some characters are 'destroyed.' There are also some visually intimidating emojis and environments.
One emoji, a devil, spears other emojis with his fork. Bots constantly chase Gene and his friends, firing laser beams at them and destroying several characters. The antagonist, Smiler, upgrades her bots to be more lethal with rotor blades.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumRomantic content is minimal, featuring light flirting and mild physical affection. However, there are also subtle suggestive jokes and innuendo that may be overlooked by younger viewers but are present within the dialogue and visuals.
Gene's parents, Mel and Mary, share a mild kiss, and Mary expresses being 'overwhelmed with passion' for Mel, who responds his love is 'like a red-hot flame.' There is mild flirting between Gene and Jailbreak, which culminates in a kiss. Hi-5 is told by a flamenco dancer emoji not to be 'all hands' again, and Gene pulls away from hugging a pizza emoji with pepperoni slices on his chest, used as an 'anatomical wink.'
Profanity
MediumThe film includes some coarse language and a notable amount of toilet humor, primarily stemming from the character of Poop and related jokes. This contributes to the movie's PG rating for 'rude humor.'
The movie has 'some coarse language and toilet humour.' The presence of the Poop emoji as a main character (voiced by Patrick Stewart) leads to 'plenty of potty humor' and 'repeated quips connected to the poop emoji.'
Substance Use
MediumThe movie includes implied alcohol use, primarily in a scene depicting characters drinking at a party. There is a specific reference to a parody alcoholic beverage.
Characters are shown drinking at a party within the movie. The character Hi-5 orders a drink referred to as 'Hack' Daniels, a clear parody of the alcoholic beverage Jack Daniel's.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe film contains several elements that could be frightening or intense for younger children, including menacing characters, chase sequences, and the concept of permanent deletion for emojis. The overall tone can be suspenseful during conflict scenes.
Frightening scenes are noted, including the appearance of a scary devil emoji and a skull emoji with red eyes. The antagonist, Smiler, is portrayed as evil despite her perpetually smiling face, and bots are upgraded to be more lethal. Gene and Hi-5 enter the 'loser room,' described as a scary place with trolls, viruses, and spam, where bots cause chaos and 'laser' characters.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumA central theme of the movie is Gene's 'rebellion' against the societal expectation that emojis should only express one emotion. This narrative promotes individuality and self-acceptance by challenging established norms, which is portrayed positively.
Gene's entire character arc is founded on his 'malfunction' and 'defiance' of the rule that emojis must express only one emotion. This 'rebellion' against the system's expectations is a core plot point, driving his journey of self-discovery. Smiler, the antagonist, attempts to 'eliminate' Gene and other non-conforming emojis, viewing their differences as a threat, which frames Gene's actions as challenging oppressive authority for individuality.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe film does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes or direct mockery of Christian beliefs. However, one Christian review expresses concern that the movie's message of changing one's inherent nature to fit self-identity, as seen in Gene's journey, can be interpreted as 'transgender propaganda,' potentially conflicting with certain Christian viewpoints on gender and creation.
While the film lacks explicit anti-Christian content, a Christian review states, 'I think this film is obviously transgender propaganda,' linking Gene's desire to be reprogrammed to fit his self-perceived identity with a message that might challenge Christian views on inherent identity and creation. The director, Tony Leondis, stated Gene's story was 'very personal' to him as a gay man, intended as a universal theme of self-acceptance, not an attack on religious beliefs.
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThere is no explicit depiction or discussion of witchcraft, sorcery, occult practices, magic rituals, demons, or spells. While a devil emoji character exists, its actions are limited to cartoon violence and do not involve occult themes.
The character of a devil emoji is present and uses a fork to spear other emojis in a comedic, non-occult context. No other elements related to witchcraft or the occult were identified in the movie's content reviews.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
6+ with Parental Guidance. The film is rated PG for rude humor, and while generally lighthearted, it contains elements of mild cartoon violence, suggestive humor, and themes of self-acceptance that some Christian parents may interpret as allegorical to gender identity discussions. Younger children (under 5) may find some scenes, characters, or the concept of 'deletion' frightening.
Additional Notes
The film's humor often relies on familiarity with smartphone culture and apps, which may be better understood by slightly older children. The movie also features extensive product placement for various apps and services.
Related Reviews
Is The Emoji Movie right for your family?
These concerns are a starting point — what many Christian parents care about. Want to screen for other themes? Define your own concerns.
Screen any book, movie, or show — even titles no one else has reviewed.
“StoryScanner gives us clarity and confidence. It's become our go-to for checking books at the library and movies on family night.”
— Cristi & Brian, Dallas TX
“StoryScanner has been such a BLESSING for researching books for our children. You can set filters for your concerns, enter a book title, and it lets you know what's present.”
— Christian Book Reviews for Families (Facebook)
No credit card required