Parents' Guide to

Humane

By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Dystopian horror with bloody mayhem and a climate theme.

Movie R 2024 93 minutes
Humane Movie Poster: Nearly 100 black body bags arranged in a grid against a gray background; the title is in bold red

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Humane Movie: Jared (with a head wound), Rachel, and Ashley move through the house, looking scared and shocked
  • Humane Movie: Charles York gives a dinner speech to his four children (and one grandchild), his wife Dawn by his side
  • Humane Movie: Bob (right) speaks to Charles about his procedure; Charles is flanked by Jared and Ashley

Community Reviews

See all
age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Anna S.
Anna S. Parent
May 10, 2024
age 12+

See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In HUMANE, it's the near future, and climate change has worsened immeasurably. The United Nations decrees that each industrial nation must decrease its population by 20%, so the United States adopts an "enlistment" program, in which "volunteers" for euthanasia will be issued a $250,000 check for their surviving family members. The wealthy Charles York (Peter Gallagher) summons his four children to dine with him. Under duress, TV political commentator Jared (Jay Baruchel); troubled mother Rachel (Emily Hampshire); adopted piano prodigy Noah (Sebastian Chacon), who has been battling addiction; and struggling actor Ashley (Alanna Bale) all arrive. And, despite warnings, Rachel also brings along her teen daughter, Mia (Sirena Gulamgaus). Charles' second wife, professional chef Dawn (Uni Park), prepares a beautiful dinner before Charles announces that they'll be "enlisting." Dawn gets cold feet and disappears before Bob (Enrico Colantoni) shows up to perform the procedure. The siblings say goodbye to their father, and then Bob informs them that he needs a second body to replace Dawn's. And it needs to be one of theirs. They have two hours to decide.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

A dystopian sci-fi story, a darkly comic skewering of American capitalism and greed, and a gory horror tale, this bloody movie doesn't always achieve a satisfying balance, but it's never boring. The directorial debut of photographer Caitlin Cronenberg, who's also the daughter of legendary horror master David Cronenberg, Humane begins with a hauntingly realistic depiction of climate change's dire effects, including images of people carrying reflective umbrellas to protect them from deadly sunlight. That sets an effectively oppressive tone that carries through the rest of the story.

Humane's "eat the rich" elements are nothing new, with the characters' unethical, inhumane greed showing through, much as they try to hide it. (Outside of Bob, who occupies a different role here, there are no middle- or lower-class people to create a juxtaposition; there's no depiction of the "haves" versus the "have nots.") The stalking-and-killing section is competently handled, with viewers' affections directed toward Noah, who has clearly suffered and has come out the other side with a measure of empathy. But since his character was adopted, the others target him. By the end of Humane, it's abundantly clear that there are no heroes in this story and that the villain is humanity itself for its general disregard and apathy toward the future and our own kind.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Humane's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

  • What does the movie have to say about climate change? Does it offer any reasonable solutions? Is it scary enough to prompt action?

  • What's the movie's opinion on the privilege of wealthy, White Americans? Can you think of other movies that tackle this subject?

  • How is addiction portrayed in the movie? What are some of the other characters' opinions toward Noel, even though he has sought help?

  • Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes enjoy being scared?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

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.

See all recommended movie lists

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.

See how we rate