Common Sense Media Review
Frightful fun for tweens and up.
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Monster House
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 54 parent reviews
Parents say that the movie, while intended as a children's film, contains many inappropriate themes and scenes that can be frightening for younger audiences, leading to significant fear and anxiety for some children. Despite some parents enjoying its mild horror elements and humor, many criticized its crude language, adult themes, and questionable character portrayals, deeming it unsuitable for kids, particularly under the age of 10.
- inappropriate content
- scary for children
- mixed reviews
- potential nightmares
- unsuitable for under 10
- mild horror elements
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 129 kid reviews
Kids say that the animated movie, while not overwhelmingly scary, does contain some disturbing elements, making it unsuitable for young children. Parents note its mix of crude humor and dark themes, with varying opinions on its appropriateness, suggesting it may only be suitable for older kids, generally recommending ages 9 and up for viewing.
- not suitable for young kids
- mixed opinions on appropriateness
- contains crude humor
- dark themes present
- various layered messages
- inappropriate scenes mentioned
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
You know that scary old house down the street? Turns out, it's a real live monster! This animated family horror movie –- yup, that's what it is -- centers around three kids who discover that a neighbor's house is actually a living, breathing monster. It all begins when DJ (Mitchel Musso) looks out his window at the creepy house across the street. It's old. It's run-down. And it's owned by "Old Man Nebbercracker" (Steve Buscemi), the meanest guy in town who loves terrorizing the neighborhood kids. And heaven forbid any toys should land on his lawn or he'll snatch 'em away forever. DJ starts keeping track of all the lost items, so much so that he becomes a bit of an outcast. Right before Halloween, DJ's parents (Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard) head to a convention and leave him home with a Goth babysitter, Zee (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Zee's slacker boyfriend, Bones (Jason Lee), knows all about the house. DJ's friend, Chowder (Sam Lerner) and neighbor Jenny joins in the house observations. On their watch, the kids discover that Nebbercracker isn't the only thing that's creepy about the house. The house, it seems, has a life of its own. Rounding out the cast are Skull (Jon Heder - sweet!), a pizza delivery guy and video game champ; Officer Lister (Nick Cannon), a rookie cop; Officer Landers (Kevin James), a jaded cop who's seen it all; and the house itself (Kathleen Turner, the original Jessica Rabbit).
Is It Any Good?
Monster House boasts a top-notch crew, memorable voices that fit the characters perfectly, a great story, an ingenious backstory, and a twisty-turny ending. This is one of those movies where all the planets align. The motion-capture animation is the same as that used in The Polar Express, where the characters have so much personality you feel like you're watching real people. But even more important is the story, which is approaching Pixar quality. The characters and animation revolve around the story, rather than the other way around.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what the kids could have done differently.
When the adults in their lives brush off their concerns about the house, is it okay for them to figure out a solution on their own that puts them in danger?
And where WERE the adults anyway? What should THEY have done differently to help the kids through this situation?
Movie Details
- In theaters : July 21, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : October 24, 2006
- Cast : Jon Heder , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Nick Cannon , Steve Buscemi
- Director : Gil Kenan
- Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Fantasy
- Run time : 91 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for scary images and sequences, thematic elements, some crude humor and brief language.
- Last updated : December 11, 2025
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