MouseHunt – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

MouseHunt

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1997

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Two bumbling brothers wage elaborate war against one impossibly clever mouse in this 1997 slapstick comedy that's basically Home Alone meets Tom & Jerry.

50%

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MouseHunt

movie

PG, 1997

52%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Two bumbling brothers wage elaborate war against one impossibly clever mouse in this 1997 slapstick comedy that's basically Home Alone meets Tom & Jerry.

50%

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Screenwise Verdict

MouseHunt is one of those '90s family comedies that seemed fine at the time but feels pretty rough in 2025. The premise is clever and the mouse is genuinely charming, but the execution is just relentless slapstick for 98 minutes with minimal story or heart.

The critical reception tells you everything—50% across the board means it's perfectly divisive. Some kids will laugh at the cartoonish violence and root for the tiny mouse. Others will get bored watching two guys get beaten up over and over. Parents will mostly be enduring it rather than enjoying it.

It's safe enough for elementary schoolers who like physical comedy, but there's almost zero enrichment value here. If your kid loves Home Alone or old Tom & Jerry cartoons, this might land. But honestly, there are dozens of better family comedies from the past 20 years that are funnier, smarter, and more watchable. This one's really showing its age.

Age Fit

Best for kids 7-12 who enjoy physical comedy and don't mind repetitive slapstick. The Common Sense Media age of 8 is spot-on—younger kids might find some sequences scary or intense, while teens will likely find it too juvenile and dated. Adults watching with kids will probably be checking their phones.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Classic slapstick comedy with two brothers working together (eventually) against a common foe. The tone is cartoonish rather than mean-spirited, though there's plenty of physical comedy and frustration. Models persistence and problem-solving, even if the brothers bicker. The pacing is frenetic in typical '90s family comedy style, which can feel chaotic but isn't malicious.

Imaginative

The premise is genuinely creative—a tiny mouse outsmarting two grown men in increasingly elaborate Rube Goldberg-style sequences. It's basically a live-action cartoon with inventive physical gags and clever visual comedy. The mouse becomes almost a character with personality through creative direction. However, it doesn't invite much active participation or creative expression from viewers—it's watch-only entertainment.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it for age 8, which tracks. It's slapstick violence throughout (people getting hit, falling, trapped, etc.) but in a cartoonish Home Alone style with no blood or real injury. No sexual content, minimal language concerns. The 'scary' moments are the mouse appearing suddenly or the brothers in peril, but it's played for laughs. Some kids might find certain chase sequences intense, but there are no genuinely traumatic moments or surprise dark content.

Enriching

This is pure entertainment without much substance. There's a thin message about family and working together, and maybe something about greed versus sentimentality (the house's value vs. their father's legacy). But mostly it's just watching two guys get beaten up by a mouse for 98 minutes. No real skill-building, limited empathy development, minimal takeaways. It's funny physical comedy, not a learning experience.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely creative physical comedy and Rube Goldberg-style gag sequences that showcase impressive practical effects for 1997
The mouse is legitimately charming and clever—kids will root for the tiny underdog against the hapless humans
Nathan Lane and Lee Evans commit fully to the physical comedy, making the slapstick work even when the script doesn't
Safe, cartoonish violence means younger kids can laugh at people getting bonked without real consequences
Short enough (98 min) that it doesn't overstay its welcome

⚠

What to Watch For

Relentless slapstick violence—people get hit, trapped, electrocuted, and pummeled constantly (all cartoonish, but it's basically the entire movie)
The pacing is extremely frenetic and chaotic, which might be overstimulating for some kids or just exhausting for adults
This is 1997 humor that hasn't aged particularly well—the jokes are broad and the tone is very '90s family comedy schmaltz
Zero educational value—this is pure silly entertainment with no real lessons or growth

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the mouse was so hard to catch? What made it smarter than the brothers?"
"If you were trying to catch that mouse, what would you do differently?"
"The brothers fought a lot at first but had to work together. When have you had to work with someone even when you didn't want to?"
"Was it okay for them to try so hard to get rid of the mouse, or should they have just let it stay?"

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