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Movie · Drama, History, Thriller · 1995 · PG

Apollo 13: parents' guide

10+our pick

Best for ages 10 and up. Rated PG for language and emotional intensity.

A gripping, fact-based space drama that works well for families with kids around 10 and up who can handle long suspense and some swearing. After an explosion cripples their spacecraft on the way to the moon, three astronauts face freezing cold, failing power and rising carbon dioxide while engineers on the ground race to bring them home. No one is shown badly hurt, but the tension lasts most of the film and the families' fear is vivid. Language includes several s-words and goddamns, and people smoke constantly. The emotional intensity and language are why we suggest 10.

What's in it

Violence

Mild

An explosion blows open part of the spacecraft and the crew is thrown around, but no injuries are shown. Characters mention a launch pad fire that killed three astronauts.

Language

Moderate

Swearing is fairly frequent for a PG. One count found seven s-words, about nine damns and several uses of goddamn, plus ass, hell, bitch and piss.

Sex and nudity

Mild

Mild. A married couple briefly shares a shower, with a little moaning and only her bare back, arm and leg visible. A bachelor astronaut flirts and jokes with innuendo, and there is a passing joke about the clap.

Drinking, drugs and smoking

Moderate

Mission control staff smoke cigarettes and cigars almost constantly. Guests drink at a house party, and a married couple ends the night a bit tipsy.

Scary or intense scenes

Moderate

Sustained suspense as the astronauts' lives hang in the balance for much of the film. A wife has a nightmare of her husband being pulled into space, and families watch news reports suggesting the crew may die.

Worth talking about

The crew survives because people solve problems together under huge pressure. What helps someone stay calm and creative when everything is going wrong?

Where to stream →

On our lists

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Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, movieguide.org, moviemom.com. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.