Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1999

68%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

The Mystery Gang meets the Hex Girls in this witchy Scooby adventure that's spookier than Saturday morning but tamer than Zombie Island.

50%

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Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost

movie

G, 1999

68%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

The Mystery Gang meets the Hex Girls in this witchy Scooby adventure that's spookier than Saturday morning but tamer than Zombie Island.

50%

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Screenwise Verdict

This is peak late-90s Scooby—when the direct-to-video movies were actually trying. The Hex Girls alone earn this movie a place in millennial nostalgia history, and the mystery is more layered than your average 'meddling kids' episode.

That said, it's definitely showing its age. The animation is decent for 1999 but won't blow away kids raised on Spider-Verse. And while it's not as dark as Zombie Island, it's still spookier than most Scooby content, so save it for kids 7+ who won't have nightmares about witch ghosts.

The Wicca misinformation is annoying but not a dealbreaker—just be ready to clarify that real witches aren't evil spell-casters trying to possess people. Overall, it's a solid Halloween season pick that's entertaining without being truly enriching. Your kid will have fun, but they're not learning much beyond 'don't trust spooky authors with family secrets.'

Age Fit

Best for ages 7-12 who can handle mild scares and aren't too young for the spookier witch imagery. The Hex Girls give it some staying power with older elementary kids, but middle schoolers will likely find it too juvenile unless they're nostalgic Scooby fans.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Classic Scooby-Doo formula with teamwork, problem-solving, and the gang working together to solve mysteries. Models cooperation and courage in the face of spooky situations. The horror novelist character adds a mentor figure. Some mildly scary scenes but nothing traumatic. The tone is lighter than Zombie Island, maintaining the franchise's balance of spooky and silly.

Imaginative

The witch mythology and Puritan history setting offer some creative world-building, and the introduction of the Hex Girls (a goth rock band) was genuinely inventive for the franchise. The mystery has more layers than typical Scooby episodes. However, it's still formula-driven with predictable beats—you know there's a twist coming, you know it's not really supernatural. The animation quality was noted as fluid and strong for 1999 direct-to-video.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it age 7, noting it's 'comic-scary' and 'action-heavy' but 'not for very young.' IMDb parents guide shows mild violence/gore and mild frightening scenes, with no sex, profanity, or substance content. The witch ghost and Puritan persecution themes might spook sensitive kids under 7, and there are chase sequences and magical attacks. Parent reviews confirm it's a 'nice spooky Halloween movie for all ages' but one reviewer notes it gets Wicca facts wrong, potentially spreading misinformation about other religions. No surprise trauma or inappropriate content, just standard Scooby spookiness.

Enriching

Light historical touches about Puritan witch trials and Salem-adjacent Massachusetts history, but it's surface-level. The mystery-solving promotes critical thinking and the 'unmask the villain' format teaches skepticism about supernatural claims. However, the misinformation about Wicca is a genuine drawback. Entertainment value is solid (7.3 IMDb, 76% RT audience) but it's not particularly deep or meaningful. The Hex Girls became cult favorites and offered alternative representation for the era, which counts for something.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

The Hex Girls are legitimately cool and became instant cult favorites—goth rock band in a kids' movie done right
Solid mystery structure with actual twists and a more involved plot than typical Scooby fare
Fluid animation that holds up surprisingly well for a 1999 direct-to-video release
Good balance of spooky atmosphere and classic Scooby humor without going too dark
Teaches healthy skepticism about supernatural claims through the 'unmask the villain' formula

⚠

What to Watch For

Witch ghost sequences and Puritan persecution themes might genuinely frighten kids under 7
Gets Wicca facts pretty wrong, so you might need to clarify that real Wicca ≠ evil witchcraft if your kid asks
Some chase scenes and magical attacks that are more intense than classic Scooby episodes
The 1999 vibe is there—not unwatchable but definitely not Pixar-level modern animation

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think the townspeople were so quick to believe the witch was real?"
"What did you think of the Hex Girls? Would you listen to their music?"
"How did the gang figure out what was really going on? What clues tipped them off?"
"Do you think it's fair that Sarah Ravencroft was accused of being a witch back in Puritan times?"

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