The Star
The Star
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
This animated retelling of the Nativity follows a small donkey and several animal companions, with a warm, playful atmosphere that stays mostly reassuring for young children. The main sensitive elements come from repeated chases, threats from a hostile king, intimidating dogs, a temporary separation, and a few sad or anxious moments linked to the danger surrounding Mary and Joseph. The intensity remains mild to moderate and highly stylized, with no graphic violence, no meaningful sexual content, and almost no harsh language, yet some pursuit scenes may unsettle very sensitive viewers, especially when characters are cornered or being hunted. Overall, it is clearly made for children and families, with frequent comedy and a safe emotional frame around the tension. Many children around age 4 can handle it, but parents may still want to watch along, reassure during the chase scenes, and help answer questions about the religious story.
Synopsis
A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the greatest story ever told: the first Christmas.
Difficult scenes
King Herod learns that a new king is to be born and sends a hunter and two fierce dogs to find the child. The presentation stays family friendly, yet the idea that a baby is being hunted to be killed may disturb some children, especially if they are not prepared for that part of the story. Several scenes show Bo and his friends being chased or cornered by the dogs and the hunter. These moments create real tension for young viewers, with characters running, hiding, and fearing capture, even though nothing graphic is shown. Bo is first overworked at the mill and is treated mainly as a labor animal, then he injures himself while escaping. The scene is not graphic, but it can still make sensitive children feel sad for him and may register as mild animal mistreatment. At one point, Joseph scolds Bo and sends him away without realizing he was trying to help. This brief unfair rejection, together with the emotional separation from Mary and his friends, may affect children who react strongly to conflict or misunderstanding.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2017
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Timothy Reckart
- Main cast
- Steven Yeun, Gina Rodriguez, Zachary Levi, Keegan-Michael Key, Kelly Clarkson, Anthony Anderson, Kris Kristofferson, Ving Rhames, Gabriel Iglesias, Patricia Heaton
- Studios
- Franklin Entertainment, Sony Pictures Animation, Columbia Pictures, The Jim Henson Company, Walden Media, Affirm Films
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
1/5
Accessible
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
This animated retelling of the Nativity follows a small donkey and several animal companions, with a warm, playful atmosphere that stays mostly reassuring for young children. The main sensitive elements come from repeated chases, threats from a hostile king, intimidating dogs, a temporary separation, and a few sad or anxious moments linked to the danger surrounding Mary and Joseph. The intensity remains mild to moderate and highly stylized, with no graphic violence, no meaningful sexual content, and almost no harsh language, yet some pursuit scenes may unsettle very sensitive viewers, especially when characters are cornered or being hunted. Overall, it is clearly made for children and families, with frequent comedy and a safe emotional frame around the tension. Many children around age 4 can handle it, but parents may still want to watch along, reassure during the chase scenes, and help answer questions about the religious story.
Synopsis
A small but brave donkey and his animal friends become the unsung heroes of the greatest story ever told: the first Christmas.
Difficult scenes
King Herod learns that a new king is to be born and sends a hunter and two fierce dogs to find the child. The presentation stays family friendly, yet the idea that a baby is being hunted to be killed may disturb some children, especially if they are not prepared for that part of the story. Several scenes show Bo and his friends being chased or cornered by the dogs and the hunter. These moments create real tension for young viewers, with characters running, hiding, and fearing capture, even though nothing graphic is shown. Bo is first overworked at the mill and is treated mainly as a labor animal, then he injures himself while escaping. The scene is not graphic, but it can still make sensitive children feel sad for him and may register as mild animal mistreatment. At one point, Joseph scolds Bo and sends him away without realizing he was trying to help. This brief unfair rejection, together with the emotional separation from Mary and his friends, may affect children who react strongly to conflict or misunderstanding.