The Twits

show

2025

WISE
64%

WISE Score

Roald Dahl's nastiest couple gets the Netflix treatment—bright animation, fart jokes galore, and a sweet anti-bullying message buried under the bathroom humor.

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Screenwise Verdict

The Twits is a perfectly serviceable Netflix family movie that does what it sets out to do: deliver Roald Dahl's signature nastiness in a PG-safe package with a wholesome center. The animation is bright, the voice cast commits, and the message about kindness vs. cruelty is clear.

But here's the thing—it's also kind of exhausting. The gross-out humor is relentless, the comedy feels safe and repetitive, and there's not much here for anyone over 10. Critics are right that it preaches well to very young audiences but offers little beyond that. If your 8-year-old loves fart jokes and can handle some cartoon meanness, they'll probably enjoy it. If you're hoping for the clever wit of Paddington or the emotional depth of Pixar, look elsewhere.

It's a decent rainy afternoon watch, but not one you'll be quoting at family dinners (unless you're really into butt jokes).

Age Fit

Best for ages 8-10 who can handle mild cartoon scares and won't parrot every bathroom joke at the dinner table. The anti-bullying message is solid, but the humor is aggressively low-brow and repetitive—older kids and adults will likely zone out.

WISE Breakdown
Wholesome
68

The film centers on a positive message about kindness and teamwork triumphing over cruelty and bullying, with orphaned siblings modeling empathy. However, it's heavily padded with repetitive gross-out bathroom humor and slapstick that pushes the PG boundary—the Twits themselves are deliberately nasty and cruel throughout. The humor feels safe and low-brow rather than genuinely clever, which dilutes the wholesome core. Pacing leans chaotic with the slap-stick gags, though the emotional arc is sound.

Imaginative
62

The film expands Roald Dahl's short novel into a full-length story with bright, colorful animation and adds political satire elements (the Twits running for mayor). But critics note the comedy feels 'repetitive and safe,' lacking spontaneity and originality—it leans heavily on formulaic gross-out jokes rather than genuine creative risk. The world-building is serviceable but doesn't invite much curiosity or exploration beyond the central conflict. It's competent but not particularly inspired.

Safe
72

Rated PG with clear content warnings: mild animated violence, coarse language, crude humor, fantasy scary scenes. ACCM recommends not for under 8, parental guidance for 8-9, fine for 10+. The content is all age-appropriate within the PG framework—no surprise gore, nudity, or genuinely traumatic material. The 'scary' moments are fantasy-based and the violence is cartoon slapstick. However, the bathroom humor is pervasive enough that some families may find it excessive, and there are themes of cruelty and bullying that warrant co-viewing for younger kids.

Enriching
58

The core message—standing up to bullies and choosing kindness over cruelty—is solid and worth discussing. The political satire offers a subtle layer for older kids to unpack with parents. However, the film prioritizes low-brow laughs over meaningful character development or ethical complexity. Critics describe it as preaching a positive message to very young audiences but offering 'very little for those outside of it.' Entertainment value is middling; the repetitive gags and safe comedy don't sustain engagement beyond the target demographic.

Parent Info
✓

Why It Might Be Great

  • Strong core message about kindness and teamwork defeating cruelty—perfect for talking about standing up to bullies
  • Colorful, visually appealing animation that holds younger kids' attention
  • Expands a slim Dahl story into a full narrative with orphaned siblings as likable heroes
  • Subtle political satire (the Twits run for mayor) offers a conversation layer for older elementary kids
  • Johnny Vegas and Margo Martindale voice the delightfully disgusting villains with gusto
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What to Watch For

  • Relentless gross-out and bathroom humor—butt jokes, burps, and general nastiness that some families will find tiresome
  • Mild animated violence and fantasy scary scenes (not suitable for under 8 per ACCM)
  • The Twits are deliberately cruel and mean-spirited throughout; younger kids may need reassurance
  • Coarse language and crude humor push the PG rating; co-viewing recommended for 8-9 year-olds
  • Comedy feels repetitive and safe—don't expect Pixar-level wit or emotional depth

Conversation Starters

  • "Why do you think the Twits are so mean to everyone? What makes someone act like that?"
  • "How did Beesha and Bubsy show kindness even when the Twits were horrible to them?"
  • "If the Twits were running for mayor in our town, what would you do?"
  • "What was the grossest joke in the movie? (Let's be honest, you're going to hear about it anyway.)"
  • "Do you think people who are mean can change, or are the Twits just always going to be twits?"

Deep Dive

Roald Dahl was never interested in being "nice." He liked his villains ugly and his jokes mean. Netflix’s take on The Twits honors that spirit by being aggressively unpleasant in the way only a 9-year-old could love. If your household is currently in a phase where "butt" is a punchline and "gross" is a compliment, this is your Friday night sorted.

The Gross-Out Threshold

If you’ve spent any time in a house with a third-grader lately, you know that "gross" is a primary food group. Director Phil Johnston—who knows his way around a high-concept comedy—leans into this with a level of commitment that would make a Garbage Pail Kid blush. We’re talking 103 minutes of worms, glass eyes, and a relentless barrage of bathroom humor.

The friction for parents isn't the scares—though the recommendation to keep this away from the under-8 crowd is solid—it’s the repetition. The humor is a bit of a one-trick pony. If you’ve seen one prank involving a "bird pie," you’ve seen them all. But while the comedy feels safe and predictable to us, it’s exactly the kind of slapstick that lands with the elementary school set. It’s one of the more high-profile entries in the best animated shows and kids cartoons coming in 2025, and it sets a very specific, messy tone for the Netflix-Dahl era.

More Than Just Farts

The movie does some heavy lifting to expand a very slim book. The addition of Beesha and Bubsy, the orphaned siblings, gives the story a necessary heart. It turns a tale about two people being awful to each other into a story about teamwork.

The most interesting move here is the "Twits for Mayor" subplot. It’s a sharp bit of satire about how easily loud, mean-spirited people can trick a crowd. It’s the "parental bonus" content of the movie—a layer of commentary that might actually spark a real conversation about leadership and character after the credits roll. If your kids enjoyed the high-energy family chaos and mythology in The Casagrandes Movie, they’ll likely vibe with the pacing and the "kids vs. the world" stakes here.

How to Handle the "Ick"

Don't expect the emotional complexity of a Pixar film or the witty wordplay of Paddington. This is a movie that wants to be loud. Johnny Vegas and Margo Martindale voice the villains with a grotesque energy that makes them genuinely fun to hate, but they are consistently, unrelentingly cruel.

If you have a kid who tends to parrot what they see on screen, you might want to have a quick "we don't actually put worms in people's spaghetti" talk. Otherwise, treat it as a colorful, slightly exhausting diversion. It’s a "rainy day" movie—perfect for when you need to park the kids in front of something bright and fast-paced while you get things done in the other room. Just don't be surprised if they come back asking if they can run for mayor.

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