Labyrinth (1986)Movie Reviews

So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 50 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
8 OK for kids 8+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 90
    The New York Times |

    Labyrinth, a fabulous film about a young girl's journey into womanhood that uses futuristic technology to illuminate a mythic-style tale, is in many ways a remarkable achievement. Read full review

  • 88
    TV Guide |

    Labyrinth packs enough surprises to captivate an audience of children and provides enough wisecracking to keep adults laughing. Read full review

  • 70
    Time | Richard Corliss

    With their technical astonishments, Director Henson and Executive Producer Lucas have been faithful to the pioneering Disney spirit. In suggesting the thrilling dilemmas that await a wise child, they have flown worlds beyond Walt. [7 July 1986, p.65] Read full review

  • 60
    Empire |

    Fabulous fantasy from the godfather of modern puppetry Jim Henson. Read full review

  • 60
    Chicago Reader | Jonathan Rosenbaum

    George Lucas produced and Jim Henson (of Muppets fame) directed this heftily budgeted 1986 fantasy, which seems to be a conscious attempt to play on the female coming-of-age themes of classic fairy tales. Read full review

  • 50
    San Francisco Chronicle | Peter Stack

    I think mature pre-teens along with immature teens might relate to this overbearing showcase of bizarre rubber duckies. Adults are bound to find it a major yawn, and young children are likely to be scared out of their wits. [27 Jun 1986, p.82] Read full review

  • 50
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    Great energy and creativity went into the construction, production and direction of this movie, but it doesn't have a story that does justice to the production. Read full review

  • 50
    Los Angeles Times | Sheila Benson

    There's more length than depth to Labyrinth. The Baryshnikov staging of "The Nutcracker" has more to tell about a girl on the edge of young womanhood, with more poignancy and a more palpable sense of transition, than all the technical wizardry Henson and crew have offered so lavishly-and without a single pop song, either. [26 Jun 1986, p.1] Read full review

  • 25
    The Globe and Mail (Toronto) | Stephen Cole

    David Bowie, flaunting a Marianne Faithfull hairdo, stars in Jim Henson's latest puppety film, the flagrantly unoriginal Labyrinth. [1 Jul 1986, p.A1] Read full review

  • 25
    Chicago Tribune | Gene Siskel

    What an enormous waste of talent and money is Labyrinth. [30 Jun 1986, p.3] Read full review

View more reviews for Labyrinth (1986) on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 8+ Surreal coming-of-age fantasy -- with Muppets.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this film, while lighthearted, deals with the theme of separation of siblings, the threat that the youngest child could be turned into a goblin, and some mostly childish dangers (like being covered in a bad smell that lasts forever). Also, some of the creatures may disturb younger kids.
  • Families can talk about other far-out fantasy tales, such as Alice in Wonderland.
  • What do fantasy stories offer us? Is it possible to become too wrapped up in fantasy?
The good stuff
  • educationalvalue true0 Educational value: Not an issue
  • message true2 Positive messages: Sarah realizes that her own creative power and imagination is stronger than the Goblin King.
  • rolemodels true1 Positive role models: Sarah is delighted to use her intellect to figure her way out of logic puzzles and dilemmas. In brief domestic scenes the young heroine is portrayed as so plunged into fairy tales and fantasies that she behaves as if her real mom were a cruel Brothers Grimm stepmother. The slightly mixed message is that she triumphs because of the same mania for make-believe.
What to watch for
  • violence false2 Violence and scariness: Monster roughhousing, tussling, sword fighting, a giant axe-wielding robot-like thing, and even a goblin machine-gunner, but no blood, and despite occasional talk of "certain death," none of the peril meant very seriously. The "Fire Gang" is a group of creatures who playfully pull their bodies apart and reassemble each other (and talk of doing the same to the fleeing heroine).
  • sex false0 Sex: Not an issue
  • language false2 Language: Mild, with a few "hells" and "damns."
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
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Labyrinth (1986) Movie Reviews + Ratings

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