5 Things to Know about the Artemis Fowl Movie, Artemis Fowl Review , Artemis Fowl Discussion Questions
Reviewed by the Hobbit and Unicorn on 6/12/2020
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Know Before You Watch:
Movie: Artemis Fowl
Streaming Platform: Disney+
Rating: PG
Age Suggestion: 6 yrs old +
Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins
Release Date: June 12th, 2020
Themes: Family, Teamwork, Magic
Warnings: The villain would likely scare younger viewers. There are a few scary monsters. The plot is about a missing father.
Artemis Fowl Quick Summary:
Artemis Fowl is a 12 year old whose father has gone missing. To save him he must partner with the fairy world. To attract the fairies he captures one of them, Holly Short. Will the two of them learn to trust each other and will his plans succeed? Can he rescue his father and keep bedtime stories from becoming real life nightmares?
It’s not going to be our favorite summer blockbuster but it is certainly a safe, fun, family watch.
Artemis Fowl Discussion Questions:
- Have you ever wished that fairies were real? What do you think a real fairy would look like?
- What would you do if time suddenly stopped?
- In the movie, Artemis kidnaps an elf to get the attention of the fairy world. Is it OK to do a bad thing to make something good happen?
- Which characters did you like the most? Which characters did you like the least? Why?
**SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT**
**SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT**
5 Things to Know about Artemis Fowl
1. The movie is significantly different from the book.
In the book series, Artemis is a criminal who, through the series, becomes an anti-hero. In the movie he and his father are falsely accused of being criminals but are really trying to save the world. Most of the major characters are altered in some way, with one of the most notable changes being their motivations. As a result, the movie is suitable for a much younger audience than the book is.
2. It will entertain the kids but it isn’t one you have to watch with them
Our whole platform is about encouraging you to watch and discuss movies/books with your kids. But sometimes safe, light fluff is what you’re looking for as a parent and this delivers that.
3. Family is very important in the movie
Especially the role of fathers. The timing of the release, just before Father’s Day, is very appropriate. If you’ve got a strong male role model that you’re celebrating on Father’s Day- this would be a good one to watch together.
4. There’s a ton of characters and opportunity but a lot of missing plot
It seems more like an introduction to a series than a full movie in of itself. It might be that way because they were trying to make it appropriate for a younger audience, or maybe it is because they are hoping to build off of it in the future with a series or follow up movie. In the meantime, the Artemis Fowl review for this movie aren’t great because of it.
5. The music is wonderful
Patrick Doyle delivers his usual excellent work. This soundtrack is definitely one to play again and again.
Keep reading for our Artemis Fowl Movie Parent Review!!
Artemis Fowl Review:
Overall, we enjoyed Scoob and Trolls a lot more- but this is definitely a safe and fun family watch.
-Characters & Acting:
Character development is minimal. Overall they are pretty bland. Some fans of Josh Gad will enjoy his scene stealing role, but parts of what his character does are poorly explained. It was just weird, and not in the usual way that we love. The jaw reshaping, the stomach, the voice- we just didn’t get why. As far as voices go, Judi Dench’s was distracting from the character too. And in trying to make Artemis into a hero instead of an anti-hero like in the book series, they lost a lot of the character and he ends up just looking like a jerk who wants to be a criminal mastermind.
The line up of directors and actors is amazing, and individually we have loved a lot of their work- but something was missing here.
-Script & Story:
Although Artemis Fowl was planned for theatrical release, the story is pretty much Disney Plus fare- which is not bad! Just not amazing. It is typical action/adventure hero saves the world movie, it is suitable for younger viewers, and has very little that could be considered objectionable. There are also a number of plot elements that are not explained (Holly’s magic levels and healing abilities for example).
The book (and book series) are more 12+ and are more rounded, with significant character and plot development. You can also check out the new companion book the Fowl Twins for 10 +.
-Film Quality:
The scenery is stunning in places, and the effects are well done in most of the movie.
And while the effects are dazzling, they do nothing to move the story along in several spots. For instance, the fairy world is beautiful, but we learn very little about it. In the second troll fight scene “hanging off the chandelier” is repeated too often.
–Other:
Several reviewers have compared the book series to the Harry Potter franchise, and, from the ending of the movie, you can tell that they are assuming this can be replicated in the film. Alas – the movie didn’t quite hit that mark.
For fun – there is a continuity error in the time freeze – can you spot it?
What to check out next:
1) If you have a child in your life that’s over 12- the book series is definitely one to check out! You can find the first one here. You can also check out the new companion book the Fowl Twins for 10 +. If you enjoyed the Artemis Fowl books, check out Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation. For a younger reading audience- check out our Dog Man book discussion guides!
2) Make sure to check out our discussion guides for Scoob, Onward, The Willoughbys, Trolls: World Tour, Timmy Failure, and Sonic the Hedgehog.
3) Find more Disney + streaming suggestions here!
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