Tears of the Sun (2003)

Tears of the Sun parents guide

It stays inside its R, with moderate sex and nudity, and brutal violence.

Scare

Mildly scary

A few tense or eerie moments.

Jump scares

A couple

One or two sudden jolts.

Gore

Graphic gore

Blood and wounds shown clearly.

Violence

Brutal violence

Our top level for violence.

Sex and nudity

Moderate

Moderate means a sex scene or nudity on screen, even brief, or sexual violence that is described or implied but never shown.

Language

Moderate

Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is Tears of the Sun scary?

Only a little. Tears of the Sun has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.

How gory is Tears of the Sun?

Graphic gore and brutal violence. If graphic gore is a dealbreaker, skip it.

What is Tears of the Sun rated, and is it OK for kids?

It is an R, with moderate sex and nudity, brutal violence, and some strong language. Keep it for adults.

What is Tears of the Sun about?

Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees. When the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is taken over by a ruthless military dictator, Waters, a fiercely loyal and hardened veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve a Doctors Without Borders physician.

Cast and crew

More like Tears of the Sun

• Hacksaw Ridge (2016)Gritty · full attention · brutal violence · extreme goreAn earnest medic in WWII refuses to kill, facing gritty combat and earning an epic honor.
• Braveheart (1995)Epic · full attention · brutal violence · graphic goreA Scottish warrior's personal tragedy ignites a gritty, epic war for freedom against English rule.
• Schindler's List (1993)Bleak · full attention · brutal violence · graphic goreA German businessman confronts the bleak realities of war, saving lives with earnest defiance and measured hope.
• Seven Samurai (1954)Epic · full attention · brutal violence · emotionally heavyA desperate village hires seven masterless samurai to prepare them for a brutal bandit attack.
• The Last Samurai (2003)Epic · full attention · strong violence · emotionally heavyA disillusioned soldier finds purpose and honor fighting alongside the samurai in an epic, gritty war.
• Lone Survivor (2013)Gritty · full attention · brutal violence · graphic goreFour Navy SEALs face relentless, gritty combat in Afghanistan after a moral decision leads to a tragic ambush.
• Dunkirk (2017)Tense · full attention · strong violence · emotionally heavyRelentless action and gritty tension define this epic, atmospheric true story of wartime survival.
• Gladiator (2000)Epic · full attention · brutal violence · graphic goreA betrayed general fights for honor in the brutal Roman arena, fueled by vengeance and sorrow.

Tears of the Sun is on our Action on Kanopy, Action on Hoopla and War lists.

More like this feeling

Prompts we typed into CouchRot, and the lists that share its tags.

• “a movie that will make me cry”
• “funny but not stupid, under two hours”
• “a thriller with a twist, no spoilers”

Lists with the same feel: Most violent.