What age is Midway appropriate for?

Midway is rated PG-13 and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 13+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film contains sustained, realistic combat sequences including Major Parks being killed in a fighter engagement, the near-total loss of Torpedo 3's fifteen crews attacking Japanese carriers without fighter cover, and frequent strong language including 'damn' (47 times), 'hell' (19 times), and 'ass' (8 times).

Does Midway have swearing or bad language?

Midway has Strong language. Characters say 'damn' (47 times), 'hell' (19 times), 'God' used as an exclamation (18 times), 'Christ' (5 times), and 'ass' (8 times).

Midway has Moderate violence. Major Parks' fighter squadron is attacked and Parks is killed in combat during an aerial engagement.

Is Midway scary for children?

Midway has Moderate scary scenes. PBY scout pilots search for the enemy carrier fleet through clouds, with tension steadily building before contact.

Is Midway OK for Kids?

Name: Midway
Director: Roland Emmerich
Genre: War, History, Drama
Released: 2019
Duration: 138 min
Cast: Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Luke Evans, Mandy Moore

WarHistoryDrama

13+

PG-13⭐ 6.7 / 102019 · 2h 18m

Roland Emmerich

Where to Watch

United States

Stream

Rent

Rent or Buy on Amazon

Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

Major Parks' fighter squadron is attacked and Parks is killed in combat during an aerial engagement.
Torpedo 3 (Waldron's torpedo bomber squadron) attacks Japanese carriers without fighter escort and suffers catastrophic losses, with fifteen crews lost.
Multiple prolonged dogfighting sequences show pilots being shot and planes catching fire and going down.
Japanese carriers are struck by American dive-bombers and shown catching fire and sinking; the Yorktown is hit by bombs and torpedoes and loses power.
General quarters and battle stations are sounded repeatedly with explosions and implied casualties; weapons include fighter planes, torpedo bombers, dive-bombers, ship guns, and torpedoes.
Overall tone is that of a serious historical war film — combat is frequent and consequential but not gratuitously gory; deaths and injuries are implied through action rather than graphic close-ups.

💬Language

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

Characters say 'da**' (47 times), 'hell' (19 times), 'God' used as an exclamation (18 times), 'Christ' (5 times), and 'a**' (8 times).
Moderate language includes 's**t' (4 times) and 'cr*p' (1 time).
No f-words, c-words, or slurs are present in the extraction.
Profanity is frequent throughout, mostly military exclamations under pressure during combat scenes.

👻Scary Scenes

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

PBY scout pilots search for the enemy carrier fleet through clouds, with tension steadily building before contact.
American pilots suddenly discover the Japanese carrier fleet, an abrupt and startling moment of revelation.
Torpedo bombers attack Japanese carriers without fighter protection, resulting in heavy losses — a tense, dread-filled sequence.
The Yorktown comes under attack with general quarters sounded, and Admiral Nagumo receives escalating reports of multiple carrier attacks, adding to mounting tension.
American pilots run low on fuel while searching for targets, creating suspense about their survival.
Tension is resolved through the outcome of battle sequences rather than jump scares or horror imagery.

💕Romance

Very Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

Tom tells his father he has fallen in love with Haruko Sakura, a Japanese girl, and wants to marry her.
Tom's relationship with Haruko is complicated when she is arrested and refuses to see him.
Haruko tells Tom's father she cannot marry Tom because her parents forbid marrying outside their race.
Tom mentions a photo of himself and Haruko that he wants his father to bring ashore; nothing sexual is depicted or implied.

🍺Substances

Very Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

There are multiple casual references to drinking, including Joe saying 'I'll drink to that.'
Admiral Halsey is shown in the hospital scratching from a skin condition, with mentions of an oatmeal bath and medics applying paste — a medical context rather than substance abuse.
No drug use or glorified substance abuse is present in the extraction.

⚡Stimulation

Extreme▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

The first air combat sequence over Midway features multiple fighter engagements with fast-paced editing and constant action.
Torpedo bomber attacks on Japanese carriers and dive-bomber attacks with multiple direct hits create sustained, high-intensity combat sequences.
The Japanese counter-attack on American carriers, including repeated hits on the Yorktown, adds further intensity.
The climactic battle sequence features multiple simultaneous air attacks and naval engagements, rated as overwhelming in sensory intensity.
This pacing and sound design may be overwhelming for younger or sensory-sensitive children.

Midway — Heads Up for Parents

Despite being a historical war film, parents should be aware of the sheer frequency of strong language — 'da**' is used 47 times and 'hell' 19 times — which is more pervasive than the war violence itself might suggest.

About Midway

Midway is a war drama based on true events depicting the pivotal WWII Pacific naval Battle of Midway, following American pilots, intelligence officers, and admirals as they take on a numerically superior Japanese fleet. The tone is intense and reverent, focused on courage, sacrifice, and the strategic gamble that turned the tide of the war.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

The sustained combat sequences (Torpedo 3's catastrophic losses, dogfights, carrier attacks), frequent strong language, and themes of racial prejudice around Tom and Haruko's relationship benefit from a parent present to provide historical context for viewers under 15.

Family Takeaways from Midway

What it gets right

✓The film shows Captain Garth vouching for Haruko's family despite personal risk, modeling courage against racial prejudice during a fearful wartime period.
✓Admiral Nimitz's trust in his intelligence officer despite doubt from Washington highlights the value of expertise and measured risk-taking in leadership.

Midway Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Faith & Religion

●Christian themes

The film shows sailors and pilots praying before battle and includes a military chaplain conducting religious services. Faith and prayer are depicted as sources of strength for the servicemen facing mortal danger.

Values & Themes

●Traditional family values

The entire emotional core revolves around servicemen's devotion to their wives and families back home, with multiple storylines emphasizing duty, sacrifice, and protecting loved ones as the ultimate motivation for their heroism.

Cast:Ed SkreinPatrick WilsonWoody HarrelsonLuke EvansMandy Moore