 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Casper
- Review Date: May 17, 2005
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 1995
Common Sense Media says
Haunted house tale not as mild as the cartoons.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that the cartoon Casper and other Casper movies are much milder than this one. There are deaths here and much talk about the spirit world and grieving the loss of parents. The main character, Kat, sees one parent as a ghost, and another parent dies and comes back with the help of an invention. Kat also has a crush on Casper, who died as a tween boy. Casper's ghost uncles can be crude and mischievous and they take Kat's father out drinking at a bar.
What's the story?
Motherless Kat Harvey (Christina Ricci) and her father (Bill Pullman), a psychologist who helps spirits complete their journey onto death, move into Whipstaff Manor. The nasty Carrigan Crittenden has hired the doctor to rid her recently inherited property of its ghosts so she can hunt for the treasure hidden somewhere within its walls. One of the ghosts, Casper, develops a crush on Kat, while his rowdy ghost uncles make life comically difficult for everyone. When the Harveys throw a Halloween party, Kat and Casper discover a "resurrection machine" built by Casper's father, as well as the "treasure." Carrigan wants the machine for her wicked plans, and eventually there's a mad chase about the house, and in and out of spirit worlds. In the end, Casper faces a tough choice: his life, or Dr. Harvey's?
Is it any good?
Viewers on the younger side should find the haunted house in CASPER pretty cool. Great special effects and fine acting should entertain 9- to 12-year-olds, who may also like the mild romance between Casper and Kat, but teens will find the scares too mild and the tone too sentimental at times.
That said, the relationship between Kat and her father is genuinely sweet. Cathy Moriarty as Carrigan is enjoyably Cruella de Vil-ish, and sidekick Dibs (Monty Python's Idle) has funny moments. Cameos by Don Novello as the exorcist, Father Guido Sarducci, and Dan Aykroyd as Ghostbusters' Dr. Ray Stantz are good in-jokes. The Victorian Gothic set -- with a nifty revolving panel and roller-coaster-ride to the basement -- is indeed cool.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about fantasies and ghosts. What is appealing about ghost stories? Why do you think Casper is friendly while his uncles are looking to cause trouble? Why do you think so many ghost stories take place in mansions?
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 11 years old
July 1, 2009
AGE
THIS MOVIE IS AWESOME!!!!!!!
What other families should know:
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Kid, 9 years old
September 5, 2011
AGE
horror
scary but cool
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Parent of 5 year old
October 31, 2009
AGE
Cute, but not for early elemetary years.
There were some vulgar words, sexual inuendos, even 12 year olds dating was odd to me, and the issues with maternal death and being able to "come back" from ghost form could be confusing to a younster.
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Teen, 14 years old
April 9, 2008
AGE
I think Casper is an amazing movie!!!
It's the the best movie i ever saw!
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Teen, 14 years old
May 30, 2011
AGE
yeah see it !!
this movie just works, it has a good cast, nice pacing, awesome cgi, and one attractive christina ricci
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Parent of 10 and 12 year old
October 11, 2010
AGE
No need for concern
Honestly, I see nothing wrong with this movie at all. Both of mine love it and have been watching since they were toddlers.
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Parent of 4 and 6 year old
February 12, 2011
AGE
Too much bad language for PG
uses the following language:
Hell
Cut the crap
For Christs' sake
and more
not ok for my kids
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Parent
January 11, 2011
AGE
This is scary for the younger kids, but good for school-aged children. Great movie.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
could have been better
it starts out cute, but there's plenty of violence and bad language. towards the end of the movie, the villain screams out, "you b--ch!!" (referring to a female dog).
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Parent
November 10, 2011
AGE
Some language to be aware of in "Casper"
The review doesn't inform parents that the word "b*****" is used twice (and not in ref to a female dog!)I find that innapropriate for children.
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| Topics: | friendship, monsters, ghosts, and vampires |
| Studio: | Universal Pictures |
| Director: | Brad Silberling |
| Cast: | Ben Stein, Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 100 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 26, 1995 |
| DVD release date: | September 23, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | mild language and thematic elements. |
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