Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting Review by the Ent on 10/21/20
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Know Before You Watch
Movie: A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting (Also includes a book series)
Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery, Horror, Comedy
Streaming Service: Netflix
Age suggested : 10 and up
Release Date: October 15th, 2020
Themes: Overcoming fear, friendship, purpose, inclusiveness
Warnings: This movie contains a variety of monsters, some much scarier and creepier than others. The plot generally revolves around monsters haunting young children.
Quick Summary:
Kelly is a very smart girl who just wants to fit in. But that is difficult when the entire school knows you as “Monster Girl” because of a story you told when you were five. She is signed up for a babysitting job by her mom that ends up bringing back her past in ways that she would have never seen coming.
Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting Review: (Contains Light Spoilers)
–Why Watch It-
Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting is a very fun movie in the horror/mystery genre that is very accessible for younger viewers. Although some of the creatures are scary, most of them come off as a bit bumbling. The overall story and characters combine to make a fun watch that will keep you invested until the very end of the movie.
-Is it appropriate?-
This will very much depend on the child’s ability to deal with the ideas of monsters. The bulk of the plot revolves around the process of having intense nightmares. If this is something that the child struggles with, then this is probably a movie to skip.
Other than the nightmares and scary creatures, there isn’t a whole lot of inappropriate material. The only other minor issue is that there is a secret society which does necessitate the kids lying to their parents. Overall, we would still recommend this movie to any child 9 and up who does not struggle with nightmare or fear of monsters.
-Plot/Story-
Kelly is forced to babysit, which kicks off a series of events that sends her down the rabbit (or hobbit, if you will) hole of monster hunting. There ends up being an entire organization around the world dedicated to fighting monsters. The entire plot is very linear and is relatively simple to follow. The ending, which was done very well, also sets it up for a sequel or series.
-Characters-
The set of kids that play this ragtag group of Babysitters adds a nice variety to the movie in more ways than one. The character diversity is nice, especially in the main character. She is very much not a one note character as she is a math savant who is compassionate and very strong willed. Each character in the Order of the Babysitters adds a unique spin on what genuinely feels like very relatable people. On top of this, the main villain adds a necessary amount of creep factor without going so dark as to be too intense for pre-teens.
Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting Discussion Questions:
- Who was your favorite member of the Order of the Babysitters? Why did you like them?
- If a monster was trying to make you go to sleep, what would you do to keep yourself awake?
- If you had Kelly’s ability with math, what would you do with it?
- If you had the “Gift of Dreams,” what would now exist in the world?
If you enjoyed our Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting Review, check out our other reviews:
-Our top family friendly Netflix Streaming Suggestions
–The Sleepover: What happens when a perfectly normal family finds out that their mom is a secret ninja?
–The House with a Clock in it’s Walls: A mysterious film which has a young boy confronting a new house and all it’s secrets.
-Lessons from the Willoughbys: A group of children decide they must trek out on their own to have a truly fulfilling life.
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