Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lots of violence, some language in female-led spy thriller.
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Heart of Stone
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 12 parent reviews
What's the Story?
Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot) is a member of a four-person team working for the British spy agency MI6, or at least that's what it appears, when HEART OF STONE opens. It turns out that Stone, who is posing as a hapless tech wizard, is actually a highly-trained elite operative for a secretive global spy network of international do-good actors called The Charter. When her MI6 foursome (played by Jamie Dornan, Jing Lusi, and Paul Ready) comes under attack, Stone must reveal her identity to save them. The Charter's secret weapon, known as The Heart, is a target of bad actors, including India-born hacker Keya Dhawan (Alia Bhatt). Stone's Charter colleagues, including Nomad (Sophie Okonedo) and tech master the Jack of Hearts (Matthias Schweighöfer), are relying on her to save The Heart, The Charter, and maybe the world.
Is It Any Good?
For fans of global agent action heroes like James Bond, Jason Bourne, or Ethan Hunt who have longed for a female version, this film is for you. Netflix, which described Heart of Stone even pre-release as an "upcoming blockbuster," clearly has a franchise in mind. That'll be just fine for Gadot's many followers, who might have been disappointed by Netflix's previous Gadot action vehicle Red Notice. Mention of Rachel Stone's troubled childhood could offer avenues for character development in sequels. There are enough other interesting characters in her orbit to create a storyline viewers might be excited to drop back into, especially hacker Keya (Bollywood star Bhatt, in her first English-language role) and fellow spies Nomad (the U.K.'s Okonedo) and Jack of Hearts (Germany's Schweighöfer).
The film's international cast is a big part of its appeal and neatly fits with the storyline's idea of a non-nation-based spy outfit. If planned sequels also repeat the globe-trotting action of this original, even better. It's always fun to glimpse real cities subjected to false action -- here, for example, buildings explode in Reykjavik and cars spin out around Lisbon's famous trams. Gadot, as always, commands the screen. She's as believable as any of her male counterparts in this film's impressive action sequences, which send the actress sailing over cliffs, hurtling down hills, jumping out of planes, speeding through cities, kicking bad guys' butts, and generally saving the day in a myriad of ways. Do you have to completely suspend belief to enjoy this film? Of course, but isn't that half the fun?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea behind Heart of Stone's The Charter group. Do you think something like this could exist in real life? Would you want it to? Why or why not?
How does Rachel demonstrate courage in this film? Is her bravery only physical? Can you think of examples?
Gal Gadot follows in the footsteps of many male action heroes in this film. How does she compare with male secret agents you recall from other movies? What other films have you seen where women are spies or superheroes?
The action in Heart of Stone travels the globe. How do you think scenes like car chases and exploded buildings in actual cities are filmed? Where could you go for more information?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: August 11, 2023
- Cast: Gal Gadot , Jamie Dornan , Alia Bhatt
- Director: Tom Harper
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Middle Eastern/North African actors, Indian/South Asian actors, Female writers
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: STEM , Sports and Martial Arts , Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Courage
- Run time: 125 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: sequences of violence and action, and some language
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: October 13, 2023
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