Parents' Guide to

Monster High: Escape from Skull Shores

By Grace Montgomery, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Monster dolls share positive messages, wear iffy clothing.

Movie NR 2012 44 minutes
Monster High: Escape from Skull Shores Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

swampfoxsouth
swampfoxsouth Parent of 11-year-old
March 15, 2023
age 14+

Brutal, violent origin film focuses on revenge, hatred

CSM LANGUAGE GUIDE: Not much swearing, just a couple uses of "f--k," and "s--t." Red Skull is called "half-assed," once.
swampfoxsouth
swampfoxsouth Parent of 11-year-old
March 15, 2023
age 14+

Brutal, violent origin film focuses on revenge, hatred

CSM LANGUAGE GUIDE: Not much swearing, just a couple uses of "f--k," and "s--t." Red Skull is called "half-assed," once.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

It's spring break at Monster High, and Lagoona (Laura Bailey) invites her friends on a sailing trip to the Great Barrier Reef. On the way, the ship is attacked by a kraken, leaving the crew stranded until the mysterious Bartleby Farnum (Keith Silverstein) rescues them and takes them to Skull Island. While the kids from Monster High enjoy the island retreat, Farnum is secretly plotting to use Frankie (Kate Higgins) to lure a rare and elusive beast into his clutches. Little does he know that Frankie has other plans for the beast, who turns out to be more than what he seems.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

It's campy and a little cheesy and full of every cringe-worthy joke and pop-culture reference about monsters they could fit in, but there's something endearing about the classmates of Monster High. They're freaky and fierce but incredibly supportive of those who are different. And, although the plot of MONSTER HIGH: ESCAPE FROM SKULL SHORES is obviously largely knocked off from King Kong, it's still a fun and entertaining adventure.

Although it's not to be expected that the ghoulish girls of Monster High would be dressed like your average teen, it's a shame they have to be decked out to the nines. With a little more clothing and a lot less makeup, many of the female characters would be stellar role models, without detracting from the plot.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the pop-culture references in the movie. Which movie and character references do you recognize?

  • A lot of the characters worry about being accepted. Do you think this is a common fear for average kids?

  • What do you think about the way the female characters are dressed? Do they dress like the girls at your school? How are they different?

Movie Details

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