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Parents' Guide to

Dennis the Menace Strikes Again!

By Andrea Beach, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Slapstick comedy has cute kids, terrible stereotypes.

Movie G 1998 75 minutes
Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

DENNIS THE MENACE STRIKES AGAIN! after his grandfather (George Kennedy) arrives and announces he's moving in with Dennis (Justin Cooper) and his parents. Next-door neighbor Mr. Wilson (Don Rickles) is thrilled that Dennis will have someone else to pester, and looks forward to some peace and quiet around his house for a change. But Mr. Wilson actually becomes jealous of Grandpa and tries to outdo him in everything. His antics attract the attention of two con artists, who try to swindle Mr. Wilson with fake anti-aging products and unneeded home repairs. Even though Dennis is spending more time with Grandpa, he still manages to accidentally find ways to make Mr. Wilson's life so miserable that he's now determined to sell his house and move far away. Meanwhile, Dennis's "frenemy" Margaret (Jaqueline Steiger) tries to lure Dennis away from his other friends, and even manages to get him to a tea party! Can Dennis's friends rescue him from Margaret's clutches? And can the con men keep Dennis away from Mr. Wilson long enough to get their hands on Mr. Wilson's money? And are Mr. and Mrs. Wilson really, finally moving out for good?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

There's a nugget of a fairly entertaining family movie in here, somewhere, but there are just too many shortcomings to make it enjoyable to viewers outside of the target age group. Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! has all the pratfalls, potty and body-part humor, giant bugs, belly flops, and ooey-gooey messes that kids will find hilarious. And there's a little bit of heart in this version of Dennis as a good, friendly kid who's trying to be helpful but who always manages to cause chaos and destruction by accident. The kids in the cast are pretty cute, but except for a very young Alexa Vega as a standout, they aren't yet very strong actors.

Unfortunately, it's also got more than enough cliches and stereotypes, even a cringe-worthy White actor in brown face, to drive older viewers away. They may also be put off by a 7-year-old character using her "feminine wiles" to catch her (also 7-year-old) man. Little kids may be confused by the subplot with the con men, and possibly a little frightened by the scary "doctors' exam" scene.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about role models and stereotypes in Dennis the Menace Strikes Again! Are there any good role models? Who? What are the stereotypes, and why are they harmful?

  • Dennis the Menace has been around since 1951. Why do you think he's lasted so long? What do people like about him?

  • What are some of your favorite comedies for family movie night?

Movie Details

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