Monster High: The Movie

image for Monster High: The Movie

Short takes

Not suitable under 8; parental guidance to 12 (fantasy, scary scenes)

Age
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
classification logo

This topic contains:

  • overall comments and recommendations
  • details of classification and consumer advice lines for Monster High: The Movie
  • a review of Monster High: The Movie completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 10 October 2023.

Overall comments and recommendations

Children under 8 Not suitable due to fantasy content and scary scenes.
Children aged 8–12 Parental guidance recommended due to scary scenes.
Children aged 13 and over Ok for this age group.

About the movie

This section contains details about the movie, including its classification by the Australian Government Classification Board and the associated consumer advice lines. Other classification advice (OC) is provided where the Australian film classification is not available.

Name of movie: Monster High: The Movie
Classification: PG
Consumer advice lines: n/a
Length: 91 minutes

ACCM review

This review of the movie contains the following information:

A synopsis of the story

In a world where monsters are real, half-human/half-werewolf Clawdeen Wolf (Miia Harris) is trying to figure out where she belongs. After receiving an invitation on her 15th birthday to Monster High, Clawdeen is forced to conceal her true, half-human, identity in order to attend and fulfil the dream she once shared with her mother.

At Monster High, fitting in seems easy at first, however, it becomes increasingly difficult for Clawdeen to conceal her half-human identity, as she discovers that her alternate human form can reveal itself when she feels strong emotions. This is put to the test when Clawdeen develops strong feelings for Deuce Gorgon (Case Walker).

Clawdeen befriends Frankie Stein (Ceci Balagot) and Draculaura (Nayah Damasen) who are exposed to her half-blood reality. Instead of outcasting her, they decide to help her find the formula that will transform her into a full-blooded monster. If successful, Clawdeen will need to make the hard decision of whether to remain as a half-blood or drink the potion and become a full-blood monster forever. The journey to find the potion is no easy feat, the friends will face ultimate challenges along the way, including someone else who is searching for the same outcome. Will Clawdeen return to the human world, or will she be accepted just the way she is?

Themesinfo

Children and adolescents may react adversely at different ages to themes of crime, suicide, drug and alcohol dependence, death, serious illness, family breakdown, death or separation from a parent, animal distress or cruelty to animals, children as victims, natural disasters and racism. Occasionally reviews may also signal themes that some parents may simply wish to know about.

Belonging; Fantasy; Musical; Friendship; Love; Coming of age; Courage.

Use of violenceinfo

Research shows that children are at risk of learning that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution when violence is glamourised, performed by an attractive hero, successful, has few real life consequences, is set in a comic context and / or is mostly perpetrated by male characters with female victims, or by one race against another.

Repeated exposure to violent content can reinforce the message that violence is an acceptable means of conflict resolution. Repeated exposure also increases the risks that children will become desensitised to the use of violence in real life or develop an exaggerated view about the prevalence and likelihood of violence in their own world.

There is some violence in this movie, including:

  • Lagoona Blue (Lina Lecompte) says, “Do you need me to eat him?”, as she exposes her fangs after Cleo de Nile (Jy Prishkulnik) announces she broke up with her boyfriend.
  • Mr Komos (Kyle Sellg) uses magic to attack Draculaura and take her powers, leaving her to collapse.
  • Mr Komos turns Deuce to stone.

Material that may scare or disturb children

Under fiveinfo

Children under five are most likely to be frightened by scary visual images, such as monsters, physical transformations.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children under the age of five, including the following:

  • A silhouette of a graveyard in the opening scene.
  • A skull image is above the portal and on a speaker in the High School.
  • Spooky music plays throughout the film.
  • Transformation of characters throughout film, from human to monster form.
  • Monster Characters include: Werewolf, Dracula, Frankenstein, Mummy, Sea Monsters, a Zombie.
  • Portals.
  • Coffins.
  • Characters exposing their monster traits – exposing fangs, lighting hair on fire, leaping from buildings, removing their heads, transforming into a bat, Medusa snakes on head, Cyclopes, devil horns.
  • Use of spells and potions.
  • Practicing witchcraft.
  • Sounds of ghosts and whispers.
  • Sounds of loud heartbeats.
  • Wolf howls.
  • Graveyards.
  • Zombie rising from the dirt in the graveyard.
  • Levitating.
  • A decapitated foot is seen and used as a football.

Aged five to eightinfo

Children aged five to eight will also be frightened by scary visual images and will also be disturbed by depictions of the death of a parent, a child abandoned or separated from parents, children or animals being hurt or threatened and / or natural disasters.

In addition to the above-mentioned violent scenes and scary visual images, there are some scenes in this movie that could scare or disturb children aged five to eight, including the following:

  • The words, “Expel the enemy”, appears in blood on the wall after Clawdeen walks past.

Aged eight to thirteeninfo

Children aged eight to thirteen are most likely to be frightened by realistic threats and dangers, violence or threat of violence and / or stories in which children are hurt or threatened.

  • Nothing further noted.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in this movie:

  • None noted. However, the movie is based on a fashion doll franchise, which, therefore, has accompanying merchandise.

Sexual references

There are some sexual references in this movie, including:

  • One character identifies as "they" and "them".

Nudity and sexual activity

  • None noted.

Use of substances

There is some use of substances in this movie, including:

  • The use of spells and potions.

Coarse language

  • None noted.

In a nutshell

Monster High: The Movie is a fantasy/musical film, based on the Monster High fashion doll franchise by Mattel, that focuses on the notion of belonging and being true to oneself. The film is best suited to teens and families with children aged 8 and over, with parental guidance from ages 8 to 12.

The main message from this movie is to encourage high school aged children to be true to themselves.

Values in this movie that parents may wish to reinforce with their children include:

  • Staying true to your beliefs and values and not changing who you are to fit in with others.
  • Friendship.
  • Finding your place and belonging.

This movie could also give parents the opportunity to discuss with their children the importance of the differences between reality and fantasy.