Tween adventure features fun, friendship, ferocious dinos.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Teamwork can help you overcome obstacles, and it's critical to communicate what you're really thinking and feeling. Teenage friendships are important and powerful.</p>
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
A main plot point is that dinosaurs are trying to "hunt" the teenage protagonists. Dinos often cause jump scares and flash their menacing teeth. Many scenes are ominous and suspenseful and/or action packed. Dinosaurs don't often succeed in causing an on-screen injury, but it's mentioned that a rogue dinosaur killed one of the teens from Camp Cretaceous. Characters use weapons like tranquilizers and tasers on the dinosaurs.
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The teenage protagonists are courageous and try to do the right thing. They're not afraid to put themselves in danger. At the same time, they're also very emotionally vulnerable.
Diverse Representations
a lot
The teenage friends are racially diverse (with Black, Latina, Middle Eastern, Japanese, and White characters), and the voice actors' identities generally match their on-screen personas. All characters are complex and well-developed and don't fall into racial or gendered stereotypes. The teenage boy characters on the show express emotions and show vulnerability, and the girl characters have agency and take charge.
It's OK to struggle with life sometimes, and it's also OK to ask for help. Teamwork can help you overcome obstacles, and it's critical to communicate what you're really thinking and feeling. Teenage friendships are important and powerful.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Jurassic World: Chaos Theory is an animated series that picks up the plot from the Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous show. It's lots of fun, but the scare factor is pretty high, with lots of realistic-seeming dinosaurs attacking teenagers. Expect jump scares aplenty. While the dinosaurs don't succeed in harming their teenaged prey on-screen, a major plot point revolves around how one of the teenagers from Camp Cretaceous was killed by a dinosaur. It seems like dinos are hunting the rest of the former campers, so many scenes are filled with ominous suspense. Teens use weapons like tranquilizer guns and tasers on the dinosaurs. They also use mild language like "crud," "heck," "stupid," and "dork." Like Camp Cretaceous, Chaos Theory has compelling teenage characters, an interesting plot, and messages about communication, courage, and teamwork.
There are discussions about romantic relationships in this cartoon which are more appropriate for older kids. Also there is a same sex couple in this cartoon and they kiss.
On my tv this shows up for age 7 and up. It is definitely for older kids. The concept is someone trying to kill the group from previous seasons using dinosaurs. They don’t directly show people being eaten but it’s obvious that is what is happening. There is one character that is a super creepy looking robot chucky character. Definitely more mature themes. Two of the girls are in a relationship and kiss multiple times.
What's the Story?
JURASSIC WORLD: CHAOS THEORY picks up the story where Camp Cretaceous left off. The teenagers who survived being stranded on Isla Nublar with dinosaurs for a year try to move on with their lives. Darius (Paul-Mikél Williams) in particular is struggling with grief and guilt in the aftermath of his friend Brooklynn's death; she was killed by a rogue dinosaur after she returned home from the island. His fellow camper Ben (Sean Giambrone) finds Darius to warn him about a conspiracy theory: that the dinosaurs are actually hunting each of the "Nublar Six" teens who survived Camp Cretaceous. Darius thinks Ben's ideas are unfounded at first. He slowly comes around to the idea when he realizes that there's a pattern to all the "random" dinosaur attacks. Darius and Ben go on a road trip across the United States to warn their "camp fam" of the impending danger. Once again, they team up and fight for their survival in a world where dinosaurs live alongside humans.
Dino-loving tweens who are looking for more adventure than preschool dinosaur shows but aren't quite ready for the grown-up Jurassic Park/World movies will love this series. Like its predecessor Camp Cretaceous, there's constant action and adventure. (It's not necessary to have watched the Camp Cretaceous series to enjoy Chaos Theory, but knowing the backstories might add to enjoyment.) The dinosaurs look super cool and realistic, and the unpredictability of where they'll pop up baring their teeth next is half the fun. The teenage characters are compelling and nuanced; they seem like real kids, albeit kids put in tremendously challenging circumstances. The teenage boy characters are notable for their vulnerability, emotional availability, and lack of over-the-top masculine stereotypical behaviors (despite fighting dinosaurs). Plots are interesting and each episode ends in a cliffhanger, making it hard to resist bingeing. Adults and tweens will enjoy watching this dino-tastic adventure together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
The kids in Chaos Theory are excellent communicators. Can you think of an example when they share their emotions with each other, even when they're having difficult feelings?
The Camp Cretaceous kids all display tremendous courage. Do you think you could summon the same bravery when facing dinosaurs or other scary situations?
Teamwork is essential for the teens to help keep each other safe. Can you think about how they play to each other's strengths when they work together?
Families can talk about the grief the teenagers feel over their friend's death. How are the various characters working through their intense feelings?
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.
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.
By Ashley Moulton
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based on child development research. How do we rate?
