The Wild Thornberrys
The Wild Thornberrys is an animated adventure-comedy television series and film that follows the eccentric Thornberry family as they travel the world in their ComVee, documenting wildlife. The central character, Eliza, possesses a magical ability to communicate with animals, a power she gained from a shaman. The show aims to educate viewers about diverse cultures and animal species while promoting empathy and environmental preservation. It often features Eliza and her family encountering various challenges in the wilderness, from natural dangers to human antagonists like poachers. The narrative frequently emphasizes themes of family, bravery, and compassion, highlighting Eliza's determination to protect animals and solve environmental issues.
Concerns
Violence
MediumThe media contains numerous instances of animated violence, including animal endangerment, intense chases, kidnappings, and direct threats to characters. While explicit gore is generally avoided, the situations are often perilous and can be frightening, especially for younger viewers.
In 'The Wild Thornberrys Movie,' a baby cheetah cub, Tally, is forcibly abducted by poachers in a helicopter, with its mother shown pouncing and clawing at a poacher before being thrown off. A rhinoceros is depicted as having been shot by poachers, with Eliza hearing its cries as it lies 'bleeding to death,' and later poachers possessing rhino horns, implying the animal's death. Eliza's sister, Debbie, is violently grabbed by a poacher named Slone and dragged towards a cliff, where he threatens to throw her over unless Eliza reveals information.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumA central premise of the media involves Eliza's magical ability to communicate with animals, which she receives from a pagan shaman. While not involving dark rituals or explicit sorcery, the positive portrayal of a supernatural power granted by a non-Christian spiritual figure may be a concern for some Christian families.
Eliza gains her ability to talk to animals from 'the magical shaman Mnyambo' after rescuing him when he was disguised as a warthog. Movieguide explicitly highlights this as a concern for Christian children, stating that 'a pagan shaman or witch-doctor is the one who gives Eliza her magical power to talk with the animals. God condemns such sorcery in the Bible.'
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe series and film contain frequent scenes of peril and suspense, often involving life-threatening situations for humans and animals. These include chase scenes, kidnappings, animal attacks, and dramatic music, which can create an intense atmosphere for younger viewers.
Scenes depicting the wounded rhinoceros crying for help as it lies dying and Tally the cheetah cub being forcibly taken by poachers are noted as 'particularly disturbing' for young viewers due to the distress shown to helpless animals. Eliza is subjected to extreme peril, such as being thrown from a helicopter into a fast-moving river by a poacher. In 'The Wild Thornberrys Movie,' Eliza experiences a frightening dream sequence in which she tries to save Tally from a 'vast, raging ocean,' accompanied by intense music and pitiful sounds.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe media frequently portrays a teenage character, Debbie, exhibiting disrespect and rebellious behavior towards her family and their lifestyle. Eliza also shows instances of disobedience in challenging authority.
Debbie Thornberry consistently displays a 'surly attitude' towards her family's nomadic life, often complaining about missing 'normal teenage things' and making sarcastic remarks. In 'The Wild Thornberrys Movie,' Eliza disobeys her parents and boarding school rules by cutting classes and hitching a ride back to Africa to pursue her own agenda.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumThe primary anti-Christian concern stems from the central plot device of Eliza receiving her magical ability to speak with animals from a pagan shaman. This element, while not overtly hostile, introduces a spiritual concept that directly conflicts with Christian theological views on sources of power and guidance.
Movieguide specifically addresses this, stating, 'a pagan shaman or witch-doctor is the one who gives Eliza her magical power to talk with the animals. God condemns such sorcery in the Bible,' making the movie 'not appropriate for children, not to mention Christian children.' The show presents shamanism as a positive and beneficial source of supernatural power for Eliza's abilities.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowComprehensive searches for LGBTQ+ content within 'The Wild Thornberrys' TV series and film did not yield any verified instances of LGBTQ+ characters, themes, or representation. The media appears to contain no explicit or implied LGBTQ+ or gender identity topics.
Explicit searches for 'The Wild Thornberrys' combined with terms like 'lgbtq', 'gay', 'lesbian', 'transgender', 'queer representation', and 'LGBTQ characters' returned no relevant information or confirmed examples of such content. Creator searches also did not indicate any LGBTQ+ themes for this specific production.
Romance and Sexual Content
LowThe content in 'The Wild Thornberrys' is largely devoid of romantic or sexual themes. There are no explicit sexual acts or human nudity. Any romantic elements are minimal and limited to mild, non-sexual affection.
The Australian Council on Children and the Media review for 'The Wild Thornberrys Movie' explicitly states there are 'no sexual references' and 'no human nudity' in the film. The only instances of affection noted are mild, such as Radcliff (Nigel's father) kissing Marianne's forehead as a gesture of love and support.
Profanity
LowThe media generally contains very mild language, with no coarse language or strong profanity. Instances of offensive speech are limited to infrequent name-calling and mild insults.
Official reviews, such as from the Australian Council on Children and the Media, state that 'The Wild Thornberrys Movie' contains 'no coarse language,' but notes 'a few instances of name-calling.' Debbie frequently refers to her sister Eliza as 'my brat sister' and has described Eliza as talking 'like a monkey and dresses like a geek.'
Substance Use
LowThe media consistently features an absence of drug and alcohol content. Reviews from parental guidance outlets confirm that there is no depiction or mention of substance use throughout the series or film.
The Australian Council on Children and the Media review clearly states, 'There is no use of drugs or alcohol in this film.' Similarly, Plugged In's review notes 'drug and alcohol content: None.'
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Recommended for ages 7+. While the series offers educational content and positive messages about nature and family, it contains sequences of intense peril, including animal endangerment, kidnapping, and threats of violence, which may be frightening for younger or more sensitive children. The inclusion of a shaman as the source of Eliza's magical abilities also presents a spiritual concern for Christian parents.
Additional Notes
The analysis primarily drew upon reviews for 'The Wild Thornberrys Movie' due to its comprehensive content breakdown, which largely mirrors the themes and character dynamics of the television series. The show emphasizes positive values such as environmentalism, bravery, compassion for animals, and family bonds, despite the identified concerns.
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