BACK TO THE OUTBACK Parents Guide + Movie Review

Back To The Outback, a Netflix original film, premieres on the streaming service December 10, 2021. A group of dangerously cute creatures, tired of being judged by their appearance, set off on an adventure to find their family. What they discover, is so much more. Is this animated film kid-friendly? I’m breaking down all of the thematic elements, including its PG rating, in my Back To The Outback Parents Guide and Movie Review. Here’s what parents need to know to help YOU decide if it’s appropriate for kids. As always, no spoilers!

BACK TO THE OUTBACK Parents Guide + Movie Review

I am beyond thrilled to finally be able to share this movie with you! When I interviewed co-directors  Clare Knight and Harry Cripps last month, I loved how excited they were for the world to see this film. The wait was certainly worth it, because Back To The Outback is one family friendly movie you won’t want to miss!

Back To The Outback is unique in that the main characters are deadly animals. However, rather than portray them as ugly and scary, they are ridiculously CUTE and beautiful! The cast portrays their emotions to perfection allowing the audience to really feel for them. To really put a spin on things, the world’s cutest koala, Pretty Boy (Tim Minchin), is super annoying and bratty! 

There is a wonderfully endearing message to not judge a book by its cover. Who you are on the inside is what really matters. In fact Maddie (Isla Fisher), the deadly yet beautiful Taipan snake, tries to teach Pretty Boy that there’s more to life than just being pretty. 

The Visuals

Australia is looking pretty sharp in Back To The Outback. The animators of this film should be so proud of themselves because it is visually stunning. From the elaborate details on the animals, to the vivid and crisp colors, you will want to start planning your own adventure Back To The Outback.

IS BACK TO THE OUTBACK KID-FRIENDLY? HERE’S YOUR PARENTS GUIDE:

Crazy cute yet deadly creatures, an obnoxious koala, and a father/son team hunting to capture them! Wondering just how safe Back To The Outback is for kids? Here’s what parents need to know before watching.

Back To The Outback has an MPAA rating of PG for rude suggestive material, and action. It has a runtime of 1 hour 35 minutes. I know I always say it, but this is really the perfect duration for a kids movie. Any much longer than that is really hard for little ones, and let’s face it…sometimes for adults, as well. Let’s take a closer look at some of the thematic elements.

Language

There are a few choice words in Back To The Outback  worth mentioning. I caught the use of: freaks, psycho, bonehead, suck, and unfortunately, one use of the word “d@mn.” There is also a bunch of potty humor, including a character saying he needs to “take a wizz.”

Violence

Back To The Outback is certainly action-packed from start to finish. Usually when a movie has a lot of action sequences, violence is involved. Characters in the film use knives and tranquilizer guns while attempting to “hunt” and capture the runaway animals. Animal cruelty is shown with humans hitting them with batons. There is also mention of getting “clubbed to death.” Some of these moments could be suspenseful to younger children, especially if they’re animal lovers. However, nothing it overly graphic and there is no blood or gore.

Mature Content

There is mention of the loss of a mother, which of course could be upsetting to children, as well as mention of a funeral.

One character unknowingly drinks urine. There is also the mention of a character being virile, which means they have a strong sex drive. This is brought up on more than one occasion. There mis also a reference to Satan.

I will applaud Back To The Outback for bringing mental health into the spotlight. One of the main characters experiences a very real panic attack. It’s seriously portrayed to perfection. I appreciated that the writers tied this scene into the story because I feel children will be able to relate to these feelings. Although sometimes these moments are tough to see, sometimes it can help kids to identify with an animated character and not feel so alone. 

Age Recommendation

Animal violence and virile creatures aside, Back To The Outback is truly a delightful film for the whole family. My 12 year old thought it was just okay, but my 8 year old loved it. He was laughing so hard, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially appreciated his thoughts after the movie. He learned a lot of great takeaways and had a lot of thoughts to share. I would recommend Back To The Outback for ages 5 and up. I think a lot of kids will enjoy this one. 

Overall Thoughts

Netflix’s Back To The Outback is a wildly fun adventure from start to finish. Filled with lots of laughs and heartwarming messages. Back To The Outback tells us that “family means being with people who love you no matter what.” The message that we need to celebrate our differences is powerful and something we all need to hear. Just because someone or something is different, doesn’t mean it isn’t special. You should be proud of who you are, and people will love you for YOU. Back To The Outback premieres on Netflix December 10, 2021. Don’t miss this one!!

BACK TO THE OUTBACK SYNOPSIS

Tired of being locked in a reptile house where humans gawk at them like they’re monsters, a ragtag group of Australia’s deadliest creatures plot a daring escape from their zoo to the Outback, a place where they’ll fit in without being judged for their scales and fangs.

Leading the group is Maddie (Isla Fisher), a poisonous snake with a heart of gold, who bands together with a self-assured Thorny Devil lizard Zoe (Miranda Tapsell), a lovelorn hairy spider Frank (Guy Pearce), and a sensitive scorpion Nigel (Angus Imrie). But when their nemesis — Pretty Boy (Tim Minchin), a cute but obnoxious koala — unexpectedly joins their escape, Maddie and the gang have no choice but to take him with them.

So begins a hair-raising and hilarious road trip across Australia, as they are pursued by a zookeeper Chaz (Eric Bana) and his adventure-seeking mini-me (Diesel La Torraca). Directed by Clare Knight and Harry Cripps, and also featuring the voices of Rachel House, Keith Urban, Celeste Barber, Wayne Knight, Lachlan Ross Power, and Jacki Weaver, BACK TO THE OUTBACK is an animated adventure that proves just because something’s different, doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful. 

 

I HOPE YOU FOUND THIS NETFLIX BACK TO THE OUTBACK PARENTS GUIDE AND MOVIE REVIEW HELPFUL FOR YOUR FAMILY. WILL YOU BE WATCHING?!

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