Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company
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Kangaroo Jack

MPA Rating: PG-Rating (MPA) for language, crude humor, sensuality and violence.
Moral Rating: not reviewed, see viewer comments below
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Teens Young-Adults Adults
Genre: Comedy
Length: 1 hr. 29 min.
Year of Release: 2003
USA Release: January 17, 2003
Jerry O'Connell and Anthony Anderson in “Kangaroo Jack”
Relevant Issues

Young man is about to become the stepson of an Italian crime boss

Beauty salon owner has mob henchmen take a majority (80%) of the salon’s profits

Accidentally running over a red kangaroo

Discovery of $50,000 in cash, and later loss of it to a kangaroo

Young man grabs woman’s breasts

Difficulties of trying to catch a very active kangaroo

Life in Australia

Click to readKANGAROOS—Where do they come from? Why do they hop? Did they evolve from some other animal? Answer

KANGAROOS—Answers to Kid’s Questions: Where do they come from? Why the pouch? Why do they hop? How fast are they? Did they evolve from some other animal?

How did animals get from the Ark to isolated places, such as Australia? Answer

Featuring Jerry O'Connell
Anthony Anderson
Christopher Walken
Estella Warren
Dyan Cannon
Director David McNally
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer
Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Castle Rock Entertainment
Warner Bros.
Distributor
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures. Trademark logo.
Warner Bros. Pictures
, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—Let’s not overreact here. The bad guys act like bad guys and get what they deserve in the end. Most of the jokes other reviewers complained about are really mild, and go right over the heads of kids anyway. Strong message on value of friendship. No sex whatsoever except two kisses. Morally neutral, weak plot, but has some laughs for the kids… hey, it’s PG. You could do worse.
My Ratings: [Average / 3]
GK, age 41
Neutral
Neutral—This was definitely not one of the BEST films of the year, but it was a fun time at the movies. Families, feel free to take your children. There was only one scene that I thought was objectionable for kiddies, which concerned a mirage. That was about it. There was mild profanity… mild. The content in this film hardly warranted an R rating, and its PG rating fit the film fine. I had a good time at the movies seeing it, so I suggest you do the same! It really was funny.
My Ratings: [Good / 3]
Adam, age 20
Neutral—On the positive side, this movie was a good kick back, relax and laugh type. The main character learns to face himself where he is inadequate and chooses to change himself for the better. His friend in the end of the movie learns what true friendship is really all about. On the negative side, the “heros” of the film are involved in criminal activity, flatulance is used for humor, sensuality is utilized (as other reviewers have reported), and in the end the “heroine” seems to totally forget about her mission to restore the endangered bilbies to be with her new love (or at least the movie could have mentioned the foundation she worked for was actually given the money the two “heros” promised to her, but it didn’t). Likewise, the movie contains bad geography. See all »
My Ratings: [Average / 2]
Deanna, age 32
Negative
Negative—My family saw “Kangaroo Jack” the day after it was released. I would definitely not recommend this movie for children under the age of 10. In fact, after reviewing the MPA ratings, I would suggest that it is inappropriately rated; it should be PG-13. There are positive aspects of friendship explored, and my children enjoyed watching the virtual kangaroo (Jack) perform. However, too much of the plot revolves around the “kosmos” worldview: criminal activity (paying off the mob to maintain a business, eluding the law, paying someone to kill) and lust (clearly grabbing a woman’s breasts, slow-motion wet t-shirt/underwear scene.)

I wish I had waited a bit longer to read reviews and speak with other parents before taking my 5 and 8-year olds to see this movie. It is another example of Hollywood pushing the limits of the rating system and attempting to expose our children to more worldly choices.
My Ratings: [Average / 3]
J. Bradon Barnes, age 35
Negative—I thought it was somewhat offensive. I took my daughter, age 4, to see it because I thought it was a good family film about a little kangaroo. I was wrong. This movie wasn’t really worth seeing. Spend your free time watching a movie like “Catch me if you can” or “Two weeks notice.” If you have young kids, go see “Larryboy and the Yodelnapper” or “The Wild Thornsberrys.”
My Ratings: [Average / 4]
Monika Shellbie, age 26
Negative—This movie is definitely not for youngsters and I resent the movie industry targeting pre-teens with their advertisements and trailers. The Lord’s name was taken in vain numerous times and profanity was obvious and muted throughout. In addition, sexual innuendo, suggestiveness and tensions were prevalent in many parts of the movie.

Worst of all was the implied and overt violence. Numerous scenes of physical violence, both implied and actual, as well as threatened violence are in this movie. I do not recommend taking pre-teens to see this movie. It should have a PG-13 rating. It’s definitely not a kids’ movie.
My Ratings: [Very Offensive / 2½]
Rob, age 40
Negative—I could stand a sloppy story line—even a really corny one if it at least stood on good moral ground. That is what I thought we were going to get. Sadly—Hollywood continues to sneak in any cheap garish moments it can. What specifically we found objectionable were the following:

1) One of the “bad” guy was wearing an upside down cross.
2) The word “as*” was used once.
3) The term testicles was used and while alone that term isn’t offensive, the context they used it in was. “Drink this and the swelling will go down, but your testicles will fall off.”
4) A waterfall/spring “bath”—well endowed female character was braless in a TIGHT white sheer tee-shirt (like tank top).
5) We were subjected to one of the lead characters deciding that the female character was a mirage and after a close up of just her breasts, they showed him grabbing them with his hands—saying “they’re real!!!”
6) There was one very violent scene where 2 sets of “bad” guys decided to punch each other out, one pistol whip and a poor display of “solve your problems with guns.” Turns out that the story line is about a step-son of a mobster and the step-son’s side kick. They are sent to Australia to pass over $50K. Oh the joy when we learn [what it’s for].
My Ratings: [Excellent! / 4½]
Sheryl Lilly, age 38
Negative—I took my two children, ages 5 and 4, to see a movie that I thought was geared to children about a cute kangaroo. Well, the kangaroo was the only moral person in the movie. The human characters use some mild profanities and sexual innuendos, and in one scene a man grabs a woman’s breasts! The rating was PG. It should have been rated PG-13 or R.
My Ratings: [Very Offensive / 2½]
Sandy, age 40
Negative—I came into this movie thinking it was going to be a cute, funny family film. Well, it is funny but only in some few parts of the film. The plot is as thick as a bowl of chicken soup. Plus, the PG rating is extremely misleading. Kids aged under 10 shouldn’t see the film due to some profanity and a very sensual moment (played for laughs, though). I also wonder why Christopher Walken, with all his talent, chooses to star in B-films such as “The Country Bears” and this one. My advice is to skip this movie and wait for it to come out on video or rent something family-friendly, like “Monsters, Inc.” or “Ice Age.”
My Ratings: [Excellent! / 4½]
Comments from young people
Positive—Kangaroo Jack was a great movie. I saw previews for weeks and I wanted to see this movie pretty badly. I went on opening weekend, and the movie lived up to the previews. Kangaroo Jack was extremely hilarious, there was literally a laugh a minute. I think anyone who likes a good comedy, with slapstick humor, should see this movie. As far as being offensive, it was not. Nothing at all was offensive, unless you think some crude humor is offensive. I would recommend this movie to any family that wants some great laughs.
My Ratings: [Excellent! / 4½]
Jordan, age 15
Neutral—I thought it was a good movie. It was funny. It did have a scene of a woman wearing tight, wet clothing, but other than that, I thought it was great! (It may not be okay for kids 10 and under.)
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4½]
Natalie Barmen, age 14
Positive—I thought it was a good movie. It was funny all through the movie. There was nothing at all offensive unless you call some crude humor offensive. If you like hilarious movies, I recommend this to you.
My Ratings: [Better than Average / 4½]
Aaron Vollie, age 13
Negative—I thought that the movie had no plot and it did not keep my interest. There was one bad word. The movie was too stupid for pre-teens and adults but not a children’s movie either. The good guy thought stealing was bad. He had some morals. The bad guy got caught.
My Ratings: [Average / 2]
Kathryn Lutrick, age 11
Movie Critics
…With content inappropriate for youngsters and a story too inane for grownups, the filmmakers seem to be targeting immature adults…
Michael Elliott, Movie Parables
…mild expletives… colorful phrases and brief, sexually related dialogue… slow motion sight of a woman in wet, clingy clothes…
ScreenIt!
…Without the salacious stuff, “Kangaroo Jack” would be an essentially harmless kiddie B-movie. But apparently, that’s too square for the happening folks around the swimming pool…
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal Constitution