Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Burton's creepy young Frankenstein is perfect for tweens.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Frankenweenie
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 20 parent reviews
Parents say that this movie, while charming and a compelling introduction to darker themes, may not be suitable for younger children due to its creepy elements and themes of death and resurrection. Many viewers appreciate the stop-motion animation and Tim Burton's unique style but caution about its intensity and violence, recommending it primarily for children aged seven and older.
- suitable for older kids
- dark themes
- stop-motion animation
- creepy elements
- emotional content
- Tim Burton style
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 50 kid reviews
Kids say that this animated movie, while enjoyable and heartwarming, can be too intense for younger viewers due to its dark themes and scenes of violence, including the death of a pet and various manifestations of resurrected animals that may be frightening. Although some appreciate its emotional depth and stylish animation, many recommend it for older children, particularly those 8 years and older, and advise caution for sensitive viewers.
- scary for younger kids
- emotional depth
- dark themes
- recommend for older kids
- well-animated
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Charlie Tahan) isn't a popular kid; his best friend is his pet dog, Sparky (Frank Welker). The only positive thing at school -- where Victor has no pals -- is his new science teacher, Mr. Rzykruski (Martin Landau), who explains how lightning and electricity can be harnessed and assigns all the kids a science project. After Sparky is accidentally run over during a baseball game, Victor is despondent ... until he decides to experiment on Sparky's corpse during a thunderstorm. But reanimating Sparky comes with its own set of problems, most notably Victor's classmates, who want to learn his secret and try it on their own dead pets. The blu-ray release includes an original short titled Captain Sparky vs the Flying Saucers.
Is It Any Good?
FRANKENWEENIE was originally a black-and-white short film that Tim Burton directed and released in 1984, and turning it into a feature-length movie was obviously a labor of love for the director. Both an homage to classic monster movies and a tender relationship drama about the love between a boy and his dog, this is a film that works on so many levels. For kids and tweens, there's the basic story of a boy who will stop at nothing to get back his best friend; for young scary-movie buffs and adults, there are countless references to the horror genre that are seamlessly woven into the story.
What's brilliant about Burton is the emotional range his movies portray. Frankenweenie is undoubtedly frightening in parts -- particularly when the resurrected animals are unleashed onto the town festival -- but there's so much humor (a dead pet named "Colussus" turns out to be anything but) and tenderness as well. The tears that young Victor spills over Sparky are genuinely heartfelt, and, for once, Frankenstein doesn't seem like a mad genius -- just a young boy who misses his favorite creature in the world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Frankenweenie's scare factor. Are the frightening scenes too much for little kids, or are they funnier than they are scary? Who do you think they're intended to appeal to?
Do you think kids will get the movie's references to horror movie characters? Why do you think Tim Burton's signature style is so dark?
Would the movie have the same impact if Sparky was a different kind of pet? What's the appeal of dog movies?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 5, 2012
- On DVD or streaming : January 8, 2013
- Cast : Charlie Tahan , Martin Landau , Martin Short , Winona Ryder
- Director : Tim Burton
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Walt Disney Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Animals
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic elements, scary images and action
- Last updated : December 11, 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
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate