Pete's Dragon
Pete's Dragon
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
This live action and animation family musical has a warm, playful adventure tone, with a friendly dragon and plenty of comic energy, even though its starting situation is more upsetting than the overall mood suggests. The main sensitive element is Pete's abuse by his adoptive family, which is described clearly enough to feel real to a child, along with a few chase scenes, greedy villains, moments of danger near the sea, and sadness connected to a missing loved one. The film is not graphic, and many tense moments are softened by fantasy or slapstick, yet younger viewers may still react strongly to the idea of a child being hunted, blamed, or treated unfairly by adults. For most children, it becomes truly engaging around age 6, and co viewing is helpful if your child is especially sensitive to injustice, threatening adults, or scenes where the young hero seems alone and unprotected.
Synopsis
Pete, a young orphan, runs away to a Maine fishing town with his best friend a lovable, sometimes invisible dragon named Elliott! When they are taken in by a kind lighthouse keeper, Nora, and her father, Elliott's prank playing lands them in big trouble. Then, when crooked salesmen try to capture Elliott for their own gain, Pete must attempt a daring rescue.
Difficult scenes
At the beginning, Pete is shown as an orphan running away from an abusive adoptive family. The adults chasing him talk about harsh punishment and treat him more like property than a child, which can feel upsetting for young viewers even though the presentation stays broadly child friendly. In town, Pete is repeatedly blamed for the chaos caused by his invisible dragon friend. This pattern of unfair treatment may affect sensitive children, because the young hero is isolated, not believed by many adults, and punished for things he did not truly do. Doctor Terminus and his allies try to capture Elliott for selfish reasons, and their pursuit gives the story some genuine tension at several points. These scenes remain within a family adventure register, yet the idea of a magical friend being trapped and exploited can still worry some children. The film also includes sadness connected to a man lost at sea, which adds more emotional weight than many light children's comedies. There is no heavy or graphic treatment of death, but the absence and the hope surrounding it may lead to questions from younger viewers.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 1977
- Runtime
- 2h 8m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Directed by
- Don Chaffey
- Main cast
- Sean Marshall, Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, Shelley Winters, Jane Kean, Jim Backus, Charles Tyner, Gary Morgan
- Studios
- Walt Disney Productions
Content barometer
Violence
2/5
Moderate
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
1/5
Mild
Narrative complexity
2/5
Moderate
Adult themes
1/5
Mild
Expert review
This live action and animation family musical has a warm, playful adventure tone, with a friendly dragon and plenty of comic energy, even though its starting situation is more upsetting than the overall mood suggests. The main sensitive element is Pete's abuse by his adoptive family, which is described clearly enough to feel real to a child, along with a few chase scenes, greedy villains, moments of danger near the sea, and sadness connected to a missing loved one. The film is not graphic, and many tense moments are softened by fantasy or slapstick, yet younger viewers may still react strongly to the idea of a child being hunted, blamed, or treated unfairly by adults. For most children, it becomes truly engaging around age 6, and co viewing is helpful if your child is especially sensitive to injustice, threatening adults, or scenes where the young hero seems alone and unprotected.
Synopsis
Pete, a young orphan, runs away to a Maine fishing town with his best friend a lovable, sometimes invisible dragon named Elliott! When they are taken in by a kind lighthouse keeper, Nora, and her father, Elliott's prank playing lands them in big trouble. Then, when crooked salesmen try to capture Elliott for their own gain, Pete must attempt a daring rescue.
Difficult scenes
At the beginning, Pete is shown as an orphan running away from an abusive adoptive family. The adults chasing him talk about harsh punishment and treat him more like property than a child, which can feel upsetting for young viewers even though the presentation stays broadly child friendly. In town, Pete is repeatedly blamed for the chaos caused by his invisible dragon friend. This pattern of unfair treatment may affect sensitive children, because the young hero is isolated, not believed by many adults, and punished for things he did not truly do. Doctor Terminus and his allies try to capture Elliott for selfish reasons, and their pursuit gives the story some genuine tension at several points. These scenes remain within a family adventure register, yet the idea of a magical friend being trapped and exploited can still worry some children. The film also includes sadness connected to a man lost at sea, which adds more emotional weight than many light children's comedies. There is no heavy or graphic treatment of death, but the absence and the hope surrounding it may lead to questions from younger viewers.