A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2020

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Secret society of monster-hunting babysitters sounds cool on paper, delivers meh on screen—your tween will probably forget it by morning.

70%

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A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting

movie

PG, 2020

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Secret society of monster-hunting babysitters sounds cool on paper, delivers meh on screen—your tween will probably forget it by morning.

70%

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70%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, the elevator pitch is solid: babysitters fighting monsters on Halloween? Sign me up. But the execution is where this thing falls apart—a 31 Metacritic and 2.3/5 Letterboxd rating don't lie.

The weird split between critic scores (70%) and audience scores (46%) tells the real story: reviewers gave it credit for trying, but actual families who sat through it were underwhelmed. Your tween might enjoy it in the moment if they're into the Halloween vibe, but this isn't joining anyone's rewatch rotation.

It's safe enough for the 10-12 crowd (some monster scares but nothing traumatizing), and the babysitter-as-hero angle is positive. But with so many better family adventure options on Netflix, this one's really only worth considering if you've exhausted everything else or need something specifically Halloween-adjacent that's not too scary.

Bottom line: It won't hurt anyone, but it won't wow anyone either. Perfectly mediocre seasonal filler.

Age Fit

Best for 10-13 year olds who want something Halloween-themed but aren't ready for genuinely scary horror. Younger kids will find the monsters too intense; older teens will find it juvenile and poorly executed. It's firmly in that narrow tween window where the premise sounds cool enough to overlook mediocre execution.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Models cooperation and teamwork through the secret babysitter society premise. The protagonist takes responsibility for protecting kids, showing positive values. However, the Halloween horror elements and monster battles add some chaos and intensity that may be overwhelming for sensitive viewers. Tone is generally age-appropriate for tweens but skews toward action-heavy rather than emotionally grounded.

Imaginative

The concept of a secret society of monster-hunting babysitters has creative potential and world-building opportunities. However, execution appears formulaic based on middling audience scores (46% RT audience, 5.4 IMDb, 2.3/5 Letterboxd). The premise invites some imaginative engagement with monster lore and secret organizations, but doesn't seem to deliver particularly original or memorable fantasy elements that inspire further creative play or thought.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it for age 11, suggesting moderate scary content appropriate for the Halloween monster-hunting premise. As a Netflix family film, likely avoids graphic violence, gore, or inappropriate content, but does include fantasy peril, monsters, and the Boogeyman as antagonist. The scares are telegraphed by the premise (it's literally about monster hunting), so no major surprise content. Some kids under 11 may find monster designs or chase sequences frightening.

Enriching

Limited enrichment value based on critical reception (31 Metacritic is quite poor). While themes of responsibility and protecting others have merit, the low critic and audience scores suggest shallow character development and missed opportunities for meaningful storytelling. The secret society angle could explore friendship and mentorship but appears to prioritize action over substance. Entertainment value seems compromised by execution issues.

Parent Info

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Why It Might Be Great

Fun premise that combines relatable babysitting scenarios with fantasy adventure—kids who love the idea of secret kid/teen organizations may enjoy it
Halloween timing makes it a seasonal option when you need something spooky-but-not-too-scary for the 10-12 crowd
Protagonist models responsibility and bravery, taking her babysitting job seriously enough to battle actual monsters
Could work as background viewing at a tween Halloween party where no one's really watching anyway

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What to Watch For

Monster designs and Boogeyman sequences may genuinely frighten kids under 10—Common Sense says 11+ for a reason
The 31 Metacritic score and 2.3/5 Letterboxd rating tell you this isn't going to be anyone's favorite movie—manage expectations accordingly
Audience score (46%) is way below critic score (70%), suggesting kids and families found it more disappointing than reviewers did
It's forgettable—don't expect kids to want to rewatch or talk about it much afterward

Conversation Starters

"If you could join a secret society, what would you want it to be for? Monster hunting, or something else?"
"What would be the scariest part of babysitting on Halloween night?"
"Do you think the Boogeyman in this movie was actually scary, or kind of silly?"
"If monsters were real, what rules would babysitters need to keep kids safe?"

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