The Witches Parent Review written by the Hobbit on 10/23/2020 This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Watch
Movie: The Witches (Based on the 1983 Roald Dahl Book)
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Light Horror
Age suggested: 10 and up
Release Date: October 22, 2020
Streaming Platform: HBO Max
Themes: Overcoming fear, identity, contentment
Warnings: Frightening imagery (particularly in the looks of the witches), parental death, and just mild violence towards animals/children
Quick Summary of The Witches:
The story of a boy and his grandma…and a large gathering of witches. When a boy is turned into a mouse, he must figure out how to survive in this new world as well as protecting his grandmother and his new friends.
The Witches Review:
–Why Watch It-
The Witches is a very good movie that stays relatively faithful to Roald Dahl’s book. Although there are a some intense scenes, any kids who can handle the darker sides of the film will really like it. The minor lessons are also nice; in particular the one that shows you can be content no matter what. Even if you’re turned into a mouse!
-Is The Witches Appropriate?-
There is definitely some scary imagery in this movie. From the way the witches’ mouths open to the general goal of the witches (to “get rid of” all of the children). Although the movie is not as explicit as the book, it holds a very similar plot and feel to the original material. If you believe your kid can handle these topics and frightening images (just google the characters if you aren’t sure), then I believe they will enjoy the movie.
-Compared to the Book-
Roald Dahl’s book The Witches is arguably one of the darkest kids books out there. Although it is entertaining, the entire plot revolves around the witches focused on killing all of the kids of the world in evil, intense ways (i.e. turning kids into roaches and having their parents stomp them). This movie does have this plot, but takes a lighter approach at it. They do this mostly by focusing on the concept of turning kids into animals and less about killing them.
A great decision with this movie is for it to be narrated by Chris Rock. He immediately brings a level of levity to the film, which is greatly needed. They also add a new character with the female mouse Daisy which adds another dimension to the boy’s friend group. Overall, the movie plays fairly loyal to the source material, but definitely cuts out a few of the darker elements and smaller subplots in order to progress the story.
-Story of The Witches-
As previously mentioned, the overall plot of The Witches is about a boy and his grandma trying to figure out how to remove all of the witches in the hotel they are staying at. Although the story is simple, it has the power to draw you in and make you care about all of the characters.
-Characters in The Witches-
This film has a great balance between purely evil villains and fun, adventurous protagonists. It is a classic tale of good versus evil and it plays that thread perfectly. Anne Hathaway and Octavia Spencer were absolutely wonderful choices for the head witch and the grandmother, respectively. They add so much gravitas and brevity as needed. This movie was very well cast and these characters bring so much life to the screen.
The Witches Discussion Questions:
- If you had to be turned into an animal for the rest of your life, what would you choose?
- Which of your friends would you want to be with you if you were to take on a group of witches?
- The boy can always go back to his Grandma in times of need. Who do you turn to when you need help or want someone to talk with?
- If you were a different animal, what would do or say to your family so they know it was you?
- The mice learn to be content when they are stuck as mice. Tell of a time when you had to be content with something even when it was hard.
If you enjoyed The Witches review, check out these next:
-this Witches activity book from HBO Max
Our streaming suggestions for HBO Max
–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.
–Addam’s Family: The 2019 remake takes the characters from the original film and puts a moderns spin on their story.
–A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting: What happens when a normal babysitter ends up having to fight off monsters in order to protect the kid she is watching?
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