Although I was expecting it anyway, I'm glad that there was less emphasis on the 'special family unit' that shows up in all later Spielberg produced/directed movies. If I remember correctly in JP3, every single scientist/ninja died and the family came through with nary a scratch. This one at least there were other (competent) characters responsible for the general state of survival. So... a plus there.
Really there were only minor gripes with this movie. It wasn't hard to just sit back and enjoy.
As for the violence, there was only one death that could possibly be traumatic for a kid. Had more of a feel of Jaws than JP.