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Return from Witch Mountain

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 4, age appropriate for kids over 6; suggested age 7.
  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Creepy classic about mind control still provides thrills.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 7 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Brother and sister team treat each other with respect and kindness. They meet a rag-tag group of kids in a gang who help them survive the frightening mind control hi-jinx of Dr. Gannon and Letha.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Some frightening threats are uttered by Dr. Gannon. He tells Tony to "make that crane drop on" Tia. He also yells, "Crush her!" These commands are enacted so that heavy objects threaten to crush Tia.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Ford, GE, and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena are logos that can be recognized.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Victor and Letha command Tony to pour them a drink of red wine. Tony is injected with sedative a few times.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Return from Witch Mountain

Parents need to know that this live-action Disney classic centers around the theme of mind control. Since Tony and Tia are capable of using their psychic powers to move objects of any size, their talents are invaluable to evil geniuses. A doctor uses an implanted device to control Tony's mind. The child has no ability to refuse the doctor's whims.

Read our full review by Joly Herman

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about mind control. What is it? Who has the ability to control your mind? Have you seen someone so mesmerized by someone or something (like television or video games) that he or she is controlled? Is this healthy?

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 9
    Lives in Alabama
    I rate this title on for age 7 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Wisconsin
    I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it 3.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message

    This is OK

    This is OK, but too much violence, the only thing that wasn't really scary was "Alfred" the trained goat, who was really fun to watch.

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