Parents' Guide to

Halloweentown High

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Ho-hum Halloween tween film is fine for older kids.

Movie NR 2004 86 minutes
Halloweentown High Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

Paulina M.
Paulina M. Adult
March 12, 2017
age 18+

Ok

See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown), a young witch, is convinced humans and otherworldy creatures can get along perfectly well in the real world. She wagers that her assertion is true, which lands her with a passel of monsters attending her high school to see if she's right. But what's on the line is her magical powers, which just may be too big of a bet. Especially when a war of words at a mall dissembles into chaos, and the Knight of the Iron Dagger makes an appearance.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (3 ):

What is the legendary Debbie Reynolds doing in this mediocre movie? Although in truth, she was in the previous two Halloweentown films in the Disney-produced trilogy. The special effects are so rudimentary as to be laughable, the plot, hair-thin. (It's hard to imagine Disney making a movie with awful special effects, given its history, but when you see the monsters divest themselves of their human costumes, you'll understand.) And though Reynolds is, of course, a pro, biting into her role with relish, nearly everyone else is hokey. They act as if they're on a high school stage, which, in a way, they are.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the message beneath the allegorical monsters vs. humans debate: Just because two people are different, is it automatically true that they can't get along or appreciate each other?

  • Why do most movies tap into the scary side of Halloween? Is there another side?

Movie Details

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