Common Sense Media Review
By Christie Cronan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kid-friendly monster movie has mild peril, some scares.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 6+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Elli and Her Monster Team
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Inspired by Klaus Baumgart's children's book, ELLI AND HER MONSTER TEAM (also known as Elli and Her Ghostly Ghost Train) follows 13-year-old ghost Elli (voiced by Dalia Schmidt-Foss in the original German and Sophie Nelisse in the English dub), a kind and empathetic ghost who refuses to scare humans. But when humans start capturing monsters, Elli must team up with a group of unlikely monster pals to rescue her family and save all of monster-kind. Can she learn to use her ghost powers and finally feel accepted in a family, just as she is?
Is It Any Good?
This "starter" monster movie has enough whimsy and visual appeal to engage its target audience without ghosting them. While the predictable story of Elli and Her Monster Team leaves little to the imagination, it's a watchable introduction to the horror genre that offers vivid animation, quirky adventures, and even a catchy tune to draw families in for a kid-friendly monster-movie night, all while teaching valuable life lessons on belonging, acceptance, and family. Hotel Transylvania meets Ralph Breaks the Internet? It's not quite as memorable as either of those, but you get the general idea.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about who Elli and Her Monster Team seems intended for. For some kids, this might be their first introduction into scary movies, monsters, and the horror genre. What makes these monsters more kid-friendly than others?
Elli demonstrates empathy and compassion throughout this film. Why are these important character strengths? When have you shown these traits in your own life?
Why is it important for films to show characters who feel they are different from the others around them? What can we learn from these characters?
Has there been a time when you felt like you didn't belong or felt different from others? How did you handle that? How can you show kindness and acceptance to someone who's very different from you?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 12, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : September 12, 2025
- Cast : Sophie Nelisse , Terrence Scammell , Caroline Dhavernas
- Directors : Piet De Rycker , Jesper Møller
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Viva Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Fantasy ( Ghosts , Magic , Monsters , Vampires ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Empathy , Teamwork
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some action
- Last updated : November 7, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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