This is a tricky one. The marketing sold it as a family-friendly Jack Black comedy, but in practice it's a gothic horror-fantasy that genuinely frightened a lot of kids. The audience score (45% on RT) tells the story—parents felt blindsided.
If your tween is ready for real scares and has been asking for something spookier than Goosebumps, this could hit the spot. The production design is legitimately impressive, and the story has emotional depth around grief and belonging. But if you're looking for a cozy family movie night with an 8-year-old, absolutely not. The reanimated corpses and jump scares are no joke.
The film is competent but not exceptional—it's well-made without being memorable. Most kids who watch it will enjoy the ride in the moment but won't be quoting it or rewatching it obsessively. It's a solid rainy-day pick for the right age group, but know what you're getting into.





