Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

This is one of those pleasant surprises—a horror-comedy that's actually clever and has a beating heart underneath the blood splatter. The premise (girl gets sucked into her late mom's cheesy '80s slasher film) could've been a one-joke gimmick, but it uses the meta-framework to explore grief, regret, and mother-daughter relationships in ways that feel genuine.

The violence is there but played for laughs more than scares, and the film is self-aware enough to poke fun at horror tropes while still delivering them. It's not going to work for younger kids or anyone who can't handle even comedic slasher stuff, but for teens who are ready for that content, it's a smart entry point into horror that also teaches media literacy.

The 76% RT score feels about right—critics appreciated the cleverness and heart, though it's not perfect. The 6.5 IMDb suggests audiences found it solidly entertaining if not groundbreaking. It's aged reasonably well since 2015 and doesn't feel dated the way some meta-comedies do.

Age Fit

Best for teens 13+ who can handle horror-comedy violence and appreciate the meta-humor. The emotional core about grief makes it more mature than typical slasher fare, and the cleverness rewards viewers who understand genre conventions.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

72

The emotional core—a daughter grieving her mother and getting a second chance to connect—is genuinely touching and models healthy processing of loss. The comedy-horror blend keeps things from getting too dark, and relationships matter more than body count. However, it's still a slasher parody with deaths and some crude humor that prevents it from being fully wholesome.

Imaginative

85

The meta concept of being pulled into an '80s slasher film is genuinely clever and well-executed. It plays with genre conventions, breaks the fourth wall, and creates interesting narrative puzzles (characters aware they're in a movie, trying to rewrite the script). The film invites viewers to think about storytelling itself while delivering creative set pieces.

Safe

58

It's a horror-comedy that parodies slasher films, so there are deaths, blood, and jump scares—though played more for laughs than terror. The tone is self-aware and campy rather than genuinely frightening, but younger or sensitive kids could still find the violence (even comedic violence) unsettling. No explicit sexual content or nudity based on the PG-13 sensibility, but some innuendo typical of '80s horror parodies. The 76% RT score suggests it handles the balance reasonably well.

Enriching

68

Beyond the entertainment value, there's real substance about grief, mother-daughter relationships, and getting closure with loved ones you've lost. The meta-narrative structure teaches media literacy—how stories work, why tropes exist, how characters can subvert expectations. It's not trying to be profound, but it sneaks in genuine emotion alongside the comedy. The 6.5 IMDb rating suggests it delivers more than typical horror fare.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely clever premise that plays with movie tropes and genre conventions without being too inside-baseball
The mother-daughter relationship at the core is touching and deals with grief in a way that feels real, not manipulative
Balances comedy and horror well—scary enough to have stakes, funny enough to not traumatize
Good gateway into understanding how stories work and why certain movie formulas exist
Actually entertaining for both teens and parents, which is rare in the horror-comedy space

⚠

What to Watch For

It's still a slasher movie parody with deaths, blood, and jump scares—even if played for laughs, sensitive kids might find it too much
Some '80s horror movie innuendo and crude humor typical of the genre it's spoofing
The meta-humor works best if your kid has some familiarity with horror movie tropes (though not required)
Themes of parental death and grief are handled well but could hit hard for kids dealing with loss

Conversation Starters

"If you could jump into any movie and hang out with the characters, which one would you pick?"
"The movie plays with the idea that characters in slasher films always make dumb choices—why do you think filmmakers do that on purpose?"
"Max gets a chance to see her mom again, even though she knows it's not 'real'—would you want that if you could?"
"What movie rules or patterns have you noticed? Like how the main character never actually dies, or how certain jokes always land?"

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