 | 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. |
Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space
- Review Date: October 27, 2009
- NR
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
Tame Halloween special doesn't live up to original movie.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this Halloween special is far less intense than the Monsters vs. Aliens movie. Violence is limited to the self-imposed implosion of mutant pumpkins from eating too much candy, and the only weapon in use is a machine gun that’s used to feed the “ammo” to them. Apart from a lone instance of mild language (“stupid") and some brief potty humor (it’s implied that aliens dump their urine on the pumpkins), there are no worries for most kids, though very young ones might be frightened by the somewht creepy-looking animated jack-o-lanterns.
What's the story?
In MONSTERS VS. ALIENS: MUTANT PUMPKINS FROM OUTER SPACE, those pesky space dwellers are back with a new evil plot for taking down the human race. It’s Halloween, and unsuspecting trick-or-treaters are out en force in Modesto, Calif., unaware that they’re surrounded by mutant pumpkins whose sights are set on their sugary loot, which causes them to grow. Once again it’s up to Susan (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), BOB (Seth Rogen), The Missing Link (Will Arnett), and Dr. Cockroach (Hugh Laurie) to save the humans from the aliens’ wrath and restore order to the town.
Is it any good?
There’s no doubt that this holiday special is intended to capitalize on the success of its full-length predecessor rather than stand out on its own merit, as the lackluster content isn’t likely to wow any but the youngest viewers. The story is one-dimensional, the characters’ actions are predictable, and the outcome is hardly a shocker. For most of the show, the plot seems to build toward an exciting climax that never materializes, leaving older viewers (who may have loved the original movie) wondering what the point was.
That’s not to say the special is totally devoid of entertainment value. With the exception of classics like It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, holiday specials typically don’t boast great staying power anyway, and Mutant Pumpkins is just more of the same. And at least younger kids for whom the original movie was a tad too intense can tune in to this Halloween tale without parents worrying much about its very mild content.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why kids wanted to see this special -- was it because it was connected to the movie or because it looked good on its own? Did it live up to your expectations?
Kids: What other movie-related specials/sequels have you seen? Have you ever liked a sequel or follow-up special better than the original? Which movies do you wish had a sequel that don’t?
How does violence affect a show or movie? Does seeing violence in the media bother you? Which shows have you seen that have a lot of fighting? Does the realistic nature of the violence affect its impact on viewers?
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Kid, 10 years old
February 18, 2010
AGE
i love it really good
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Kid, 11 years old
January 19, 2010
AGE
It's good. But little kids...no.
I am an 8 in a half year old girl, but I loved this very very very very very much. But I'm not so sure about the little kids.
It is kind of scary, and at the end the "goo" of the pumpkins sucks down to another garden which causes a carrot version of the pumpkins. And I found out the the "goo" actually came from aliens, which is not really "goo", but alien poop.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 2, 2010
AGE
Far undesirable.
This special is far too undesirable than the movie. The movie is alot better if you asked me.
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AGE
March, Madness
This was a creative movie that was very funny, but the characters weren't that interesting. I would've liked it if it were a unique alien invasion.
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AGE
2 year old scared!
My 2 year old son is a complete boy-boy, but for some reason this scares the daylights outta him! We have it on DVR and while he normally loves action in shows and movies he will freak out before it gets past the opening scene.
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| Topics: | monsters, ghosts, and vampires, space and aliens |
| Studio: | DreamWorks Animation |
| Director: | Peter Ramsey |
| Cast: | Hugh Laurie, Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 30 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 28, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | September 13, 2011 |
| MPAA rating: | NR |
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