heroes movie reviews

• Cast & crew

User reviews

Harrison Ford's range

• Jan 16, 2005

"Lay your weary head to rest/Don't you cry no more"

• moonspinner55
• Jul 1, 2005

Heroes comment

• Nov 3, 2005

Wow... I love this movie!

• texastiger2004
• Jan 18, 2008
• nataliep325
• Jun 4, 2008

crazy for you

• Apr 25, 2003

Road flick about a Vietnam vet with PTSD starring Henry Winkler and Sally Field

• Oct 9, 2017

The Fonz, Han Solo & Gidget Cross Country

• TheFearmakers
• May 18, 2018

What is this?

• May 20, 2023

Modest, yet effective

• ArtVandelayImporterExporter
• May 6, 2020

Can it really be 30 years later?

• bunchesoffun
• Feb 11, 2007

Not the best Movie I ever saw, but worth seeing

• Jun 23, 2023

Not much more than a M*A*S*H episode

• westal_sage
• May 26, 2012

The end was the saddest part

• May 15, 2001

Enjoyable buddy picture...

• Oct 23, 2008

A strong, simple story...

• Feb 10, 2000

Winkler can act

• Oct 14, 2000

Movie with a gripping story

• Sep 5, 2007

Good movie, see and hear the original, not the TV version

• Jun 1, 2005

They filmed a big scene near my house

• jameskiley-1
• Dec 11, 2006

Remarkably Touching Movie

• shocking_pink_7
• Oct 18, 2013

Heroes Theme Song

• Sep 8, 2005

Equal parts poignant and funny.

• Aug 10, 2012

Neat little film that effectively blends comedy and drama

• Woodyanders
• Jan 8, 2013

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'Heroes,' Excruciatingly Obvious Film

By Vincent Canby

• Nov. 5, 1977

"Heroes," co-starring Henry (The Fonz) Winkler and Sally (The Flying Nun) Field, brings to the motion-picture theater all of the magic of commercial television except canned laughter. Well, no truly rotten movie is perfect."Heroes" is about Jack Dunne (Mr. Winkler), a demented Vietnam veteran of repulsive winsomeness, a fellow who attempts to demonstrate the proposition that certified nuts have an exclusive franchise on truth and beauty. When we first meet Jack, skylarking around Times Square, he tries to interrupt a recruiting officer who's about to sign up six enlistees. However, Jack simply winds up back at the veterans' hospital, where he's been an off-and-on patient for five years."Heroes" is the story of Jack's flight from the hospital and his cross-country bus trip toward California, where he plans to start a worm farm. Jack is meant to be a lovable eccentric or, as one of the other characters says of him, a person who's "got rainbow, honey." It's the latter quality that apparently appeals to Carol (Miss Field), another lovable eccentric, a young woman who is taking a bus trip to Kansas City, Mo., so she can have time "to think." Instead, she falls in love with Jack."Heroes," which was written by James Carabatsos and directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan, who directed Mr. Winkler in the television film "Katherine," is something more than just a bad film. It's a frighteningly bad film because it could well be the definitive theatrical motion picture of the future.Like the medium that spawned the talents who made it, "Heroes" deals in concepts made so simple that their meanings would be obvious to the dimmest minds. Gestures and emotions are fore-shortened, truncated. Watching Mr. Winkler and Miss Fields "act" is suddenly to understand what television may eventually do to movies. Actors in television series and often in television movies simply don't have time to develop or discover characters. They must be entirely visible from the first minute they're on.One result is the sort of performance that Mr. Winkler gives in this film. It's one that seems to be aggressively cute not because he's appealing, but because the will to please is so naked and the mannerisms are so unconnected to life. Television is creating a school of acting made up entirely of signals that evoke emotions less often than they label them.I can imagine some not-too-distant time when we'll all sit around our home screens watching—and becoming emotionally involved with—comedies and dramas that show not people, but transistorized robots of the sort the Disney people have developed. They'd simplify casting, eliminate the union problem and would offer numerous merchandising possibilities.Merchandising is something else that "Heroes" deals in. By blaming Jack Dunne's emotional problems on his traumatic Vietnam experience, the movie somehow denies the true horrors of that war while purveying bitterness for easy, supposedly painless entertainment.Harrison Ford, who may be one of the most-seen movie actors of the day because of his role in "Star Wars," is effective in a supporting role too small to make the picture worth seeing."Heroes," which has been rated PG ("Parental Guidance suggested", contains some mildly vulgar language, but is otherwise almost prudish enough to be shown on television on Saturday morning.

HEROES, directed by Jeremy Paul Kagan; screenplay by James Carabatsos; produced by David Foster and Lawrence Turman; director of photography, Frank Stanley; music, Jack Nitzsche; editor, Patrick Kennedy; distributed by Universal Pictures. Running time: 119 minutes. At the Rivoli Theater, Broadway and 49th Street, and other theaters. This film has been rated PG.Jack Dunne . . . . . Henry WinklerCarol Bell . . . . . Sally FieldKen Boyd . . . . . Harrison FordBus driver . . . . . Val AveryJane Adcox . . . . . Olivia ColeDr. Elias . . . . . Hector EllasGus . . . . . Dennis BurkleyChef . . . . . Tony BurtonPeanuts . . . . . Michael CavanaughBus depot manager . . . . . Helen CraigMr. Monro . . . . . John P. FinneganMrs. Monro . . . . . Betty McGuire

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Parents' guide to, we can be heroes.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 23 Reviews
• Kids Say 80 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Rodriguez' superhero-kid adventure has action, humor.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that We Can Be Heroes is a follow-up to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl and is set in the same world as Spy Kids . Like those movies, it centers on kids with special powers/abilities saving the day. Expect lots of comical violence, including aliens zapping…

Why Age 8+?

Comical violence, including superheroes punching and slapping aliens. Kids perfo

"Oh my God" used as an exclamation. A child tells one of the aliens that it's th

Any Positive Content?

Main character Missy has many great qualities. She understands that for the kids

Working as a team, you can accomplish great things. Always believe in yourself a

Intended for entertainment rather than education.

Parents need to know that We Can Be Heroes is a follow-up to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl and is set in the same world as Spy Kids . Like those movies, it centers on kids with special powers/abilities saving the day. Expect lots of comical violence, including aliens zapping superheroes, and superheroes punching aliens -- but ( spoiler alert ?) no one dies or is seriously injured. A man is raising his preteen daughter solo due to his wife's death (not shown). Language includes "oh my God" as an exclamation. The movie has strong messages about teamwork and believing in yourself. The main character, Missy (Yaya Gosselin), exemplifies courage and leadership as she helps the other kids in the movie come together.

To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Violence & Scariness

Comical violence, including superheroes punching and slapping aliens. Kids perform martial arts-style combat moves on both aliens and human security guards. Several aliens get frozen and zapped with a laser. Some of the children stumble and accidently hurt one another. No one is seriously injured, no one dies. A girl's mother has died (not shown).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Oh my God" used as an exclamation. A child tells one of the aliens that it's the dumbest one he has met. One of the characters says she's a nobody.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Role Models

Main character Missy has many great qualities. She understands that for the kids to be successful, they need to work together. Though she doesn't have any superpowers, Missy shows courage, is able to inspire and encourage the other kids through great leadership qualities. Wheels (so named because he uses a wheelchair) is the first superhero kid to speak to Missy and make her feel welcome. He's good with technology, is supportive of the other kids. A single dad raises a preteen daughter thoughtfully. Cast is very diverse. Adult superheroes bicker, seem more interested in showboating than in trying to be a team.

Positive Messages

Working as a team, you can accomplish great things. Always believe in yourself and the ability of others. Lead by example.

Educational Value

Where to watch, videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (23)
• Kids say (80)

Based on 23 parent reviews

If there was a zero-star rating that would be what this movie would have gotten!

Worst. movie. ever., what's the story.

WE CAN BE HEROES centers on Missy (Yaya Gosselin), a young preteen without powers who lives with her retired superhero dad, Marcus ( Pedro Pascal ). When aliens come to the planet seemingly to destroy it, the head of the Heroic Central Agency ( Priyanka Chopra ), calls on all superheroes to fight the threat. This means that Marcus, former leader of the Heroics, must come out of retirement to join the fight, so Missy is taken to Heroic Central headquarters for protection. There she meets the rest of the superhero children (including the daughter of Sharkboy and Lavagirl) and learns that they all have pretty impressive powers: rewinding time, fast-forwarding time, super singing, control of liquid, elasticity, super strength. After the children's parents are defeated and taken back to the alien mothership and the kids learn that the aliens will be coming after them, Missy devises a plan for them all to escape ... and then the adventure really begins. Missy and the others must learn to work together, control their powers, and avoid capture by aliens in order to save their parents and Earth before time runs out.

Is It Any Good?

This follow-up to Robert Rodriguez ' other superhero-kid movies is surprisingly fun and entertaining for the whole family. Normally, sequels aren't as good as the original, but We Can Be Heroes is much better than its direct predecessor, The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl . This film's storyline -- and quality -- is more akin to Spy Kids . While some of the acting can be a bit over the top, kids will very much enjoy the movie's adventure aspect, as well as all the different superpowers on display. And parents are likely to find themselves chuckling, too.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how, in We Can Be Heroes , the adult superheroes are constantly bickering and arguing. What did the children do differently when faced with challenges? Did they do a better job working as a team ? How can adults sometimes learn from children?

All of the kids except Missy have superpowers. How did she cope when faced with challenges and not having powers? How do you think you'd react in similar situations?

How do the characters demonstrate courage ? Why is that an important character strength ?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : December 25, 2020
• Cast : Pedro Pascal , Priyanka Chopra , Yaya Gosselin
• Director : Robert Rodriguez
• Inclusion Information : Latino directors, Latino actors
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Superheroes , Adventures , Great Girl Role Models , Space and Aliens
• Character Strengths : Courage , Teamwork
• Run time : 110 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : mild action/violence
• Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

We Can Be Heroes

Among his many directorial super powers, Robert Rodriguez has the ability to glide with ease between worlds that are family-friendly (" Spy Kids ") and those that are extreme, campy, and violent ("Machete"). Each jump between genres exhibits varying degrees of success, but such high ambition works as a through-line in his unique career. With "We Can Be Heroes," the Mexican-American filmmaker returns to children's entertainment and his 2005 feature "The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D," expanding the concept behind those title characters to a whole universe of spandex-clad superhumans battling an extraterrestrial threat—or so it seems.

On the scale of how solemnly movies take the extraordinary protectors of the Earth, "We Can Be Heroes" places somewhere between Disney's "Sky High" and "Marvel's The Avengers," but boasts the distinct candy-colored futurism of Rodriguez's PG-rated oeuvre. Rodriguez pokes fun at the trite tropes and delivers on the action (often also lacing the fights with humor), but always with an earnest message on how adults, set in their stubborn ways, don't always know best.

Deceivingly, Rodriguez opens with Miracle Guy ( Boyd Holbrook ), your standard Superman-inspired character, and other grown up heroes confronting an armada of tentacled aliens with bad intentions. The crisis forces Marcus Moreno ( Pedro Pascal )—think Hawkeye of The Avengers—to break the promise he made to his daughter Missy ( YaYa Gosselin ) of never fighting in the field again. Outnumbered, the diverse group of demigods is captured. Infighting didn't help their cause. But this is not their story.

Fearing that the slippery invaders may go after them, the government hides the superheroes' kids in a bunker. Astute but without any powers, Missy feels out of place among the gifted bunch, all with knowingly on-the-nose-names related to what they can do: Wheels ( Andy Walken ), a tech-savvy boy in a wheelchair; A Capella ( Lotus Blossom ), a girl whose singing voice can levitate objects; Ojo ( Hala Finley ), whose name is Spanish for eye and can predict the future through her drawings. Sharkboy and Lavagirl's daughter Guppy ( Vivien Lyra Blair ) is a scene-stealer from beginning to end.

Together the brave young minds set out to rescue their parents, saving the world as a byproduct of their efforts. But Rodriguez doesn't make the plot's significance about whether or not they will accomplish their mission (we all should know the answer to that); rather it's what that victory represents. Unlike the later installments in the "Spy Kids" franchise, which lost the fresh magic of the original, "We Can Be Heroes" packs a compelling theme centered on the transfer of power, namely how the next generation is already better prepared to fight the evils that afflict human life than us.

Through the kid's assessment of their moms' and dads' jobs, Rodriguez poses comedic questions we've all asked about the comic book characters who have dominated the big screen over the last two decades, like with how fights in urban centers would cost taxpayers billions, or with regards to the ridiculous designs of their outfits that include unnecessary buckles and underwear on the outside. These aren't revelatory observations, but in the story's context, of children being unimpressed, they work for laughs.

Serving as his own cinematographer, Rodriguez curiously favors a color palette with purple tones for the alien spaceship, resembling those seen in Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande 's "Rain on Me" music video , which Rodriguez directed earlier this year. That short effort also features a futuristic aesthetic along the lines of his previous film " Alita: Battle Angel ," meaning that certain motifs and stylish trends continue to appear across multiple projects in his prolific vision.

Similar to the recent live-action reimagining of "Dora the Explorer," this adventure also manages to balance the importance of having something sophisticated to say with its feel-good elements. Both releases also include a small role for Oscar-nominated Mexican actress Adriana Barraza (" Babel ," " Amores Perros "). She is the Professor X of this universe who trains the pre-teens and guides Missy, her granddaughter, to understand that her leadership skills are as exemplary as any power. An acting alchemist, Barraza makes gold out of even the shortest part, and here she hilariously scolds Pascal and his friend in one of the movie's best scenes.  

While young YaYa Gosselin has amassed several credits over the last couple years, her lead role here is her first and hopefully the breakthrough for a long career. Her casting, along with that of Barraza and Pascal, speaks once again to Rodriguez's commitment to writing Latino characters into stories meant for mass consumption. He neither hides nor makes a big deal about them being Latinos. They simply are. That deliberate approach remains one of his greatest contributions to an industry still reluctant to do the same.

With enough enjoyable originality to differentiate it from the numerous takes on the super men and wonder women that so heavily populate film and TV these days, "We Can Be Heroes" flies Rodriguez back to one of his main areas of interest.

Available on Netflix on December 25.

Carlos Aguilar

Originally from Mexico City, Carlos Aguilar was chosen as one of 6 young film critics to partake in the first Roger Ebert Fellowship organized by RogerEbert.com, the Sundance Institute and Indiewire in 2014. 

• YaYa Gosselin as Missy Moreno
• Pedro Pascal as Marcus Moreno
• Priyanka Chopra as Ms. Granada
• Isaiah Russell-Bailey as Rewind
• Akira Akbar as
• Christian Slater as Tech-No
• Boyd Holbrook as Miracle Guy
• Adriana Barraza as
• Taylor Dooley as Lavagirl
• Vivien Lyra Blair as Guppy
• Robert Rodriguez

Cinematographer

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