Monster Summer – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Monster Summer

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2024

54%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Stranger Things at home: teens vs. witch on Martha's Vineyard. Forgettable but mostly harmless if your kid can handle jump scares.

59%

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Monster Summer

movie

PG-13, 2024

54%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Stranger Things at home: teens vs. witch on Martha's Vineyard. Forgettable but mostly harmless if your kid can handle jump scares.

59%

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Screenwise Verdict

Monster Summer wants to be Stranger Things but ends up more like Stranger Things from Wish. It's got the bones of a fun tween mystery—kids teaming up with a reclusive adult (Mel Gibson, doing his thing) to fight a supernatural threat on an island—but reviewers across the board call it derivative, generic, and directionless.

The good news: it's clean enough (mild profanity, no sex/nudity) and the scares are PG-13-level, so if your 11-13 year-old is into spooky stuff without going full horror, this could work for a low-stakes movie night. The bad news: it's forgettable. A 2.5/5 on Letterboxd and 54 on Metacritic tells you everything—critics found it serviceable at best, and even the 84% audience score feels generous.

If your kid is sensitive to jump scares or witch imagery, skip it. If they're hunting for something to watch and you've already burned through the good stuff, sure, throw it on. Just don't expect anyone to remember it a week later.

Age Fit

Best for ages 11-15 who like mild teen horror and can handle jump scares without nightmares. Under-10s should skip; older teens will likely find it too generic and forgettable to bother.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

PG-13 teen mystery-adventure with positive friendship themes and cooperation against supernatural threats. Models teamwork and bravery, though includes mild profanity ('shit,' 'damn,' 'hell') and some scary/violent imagery. The core friendship dynamics are solid, but the witch-hunting premise and zombie-like transformations create an unsettling tone that may not feel emotionally safe for sensitive viewers. Pacing is reportedly uneven—reviewers note it 'goes in too many directions' without committing to any path.

Imaginative

Attempts to blend '90s nostalgia with Stranger Things-style mystery on Martha's Vineyard, but critics call it 'cut-price Stranger Things' and 'generic.' The witch-and-zombie premise offers some supernatural intrigue, but the execution is described as derivative and lacking originality. Delivers 'some enjoyably mild freakiness' but doesn't invite much creative thinking or exploration—it's a paint-by-numbers teen horror that follows familiar beats without adding fresh ideas.

Safe

PG-13 for 'some violence and terror'—includes brief bloody shootings, jump scares, supernatural threats, and zombie-like transformations that Australian reviewers flag as 'not suitable for children under 10.' No sexual content or nudity. Mild profanity and low-level substance references. The scares are real enough to warrant parental guidance for 10-11 year-olds, and sensitive kids may find the witch imagery and body-horror elements disturbing. Not a surprise-gore situation, but the horror is present and intentional.

Enriching

Lightweight entertainment with minimal takeaways. The protagonist is a 'budding investigative reporter,' which could model curiosity and problem-solving, but reviewers suggest the film never commits deeply to any theme. Mixed critical reception (59% RT critics, 54 Metacritic, 2.5/5 Letterboxd) points to a forgettable experience. It's not harmful, but it's not particularly thought-provoking or skill-building—just a serviceable teen horror that checks boxes without leaving much of an impression.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Solid friendship-and-teamwork vibes—kids rally together to solve a supernatural mystery
Very clean on language and sexual content (just mild profanity, no nudity)
If your tween loves spooky-but-not-too-spooky mysteries, this hits that sweet spot without going full horror
Audience score is 84% on Rotten Tomatoes—parents and kids found it fun enough

⚠

What to Watch For

Jump scares, witch imagery, and zombie-like transformations—Australian reviewers say not for under-10s, parental guidance for 10-11
Occasional 'shit,' 'damn,' 'crap,' 'hell'—mild but present
Critics found it generic and derivative—don't expect Stranger Things-level storytelling
Brief bloody violence (shootings) and supernatural terror that may disturb sensitive viewers

Conversation Starters

"If you and your friends had to solve a mystery like Noah's crew, what would your roles be? Who's the detective, who's the tech person?"
"The movie has a witch as the villain—what do you know about how witches are portrayed in stories vs. real history?"
"Noah's friend gets turned into a zombie-like creature. How would you react if something scary happened to someone you care about?"
"Do you think the jump scares were effective, or did they feel cheap? What makes a good scare vs. a lazy one?"

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