quite silly, don't waste your or your children's time

Rating: 1/10 (23 November 2002)

I watched this movie in Bavaria and was shocked that this movie was rated as suitable for 6 years old children! This movie is certainly not suitable for 6 years old children and frankly I wouldn't let my 10 years old children watch this pile of brutal and morbid trash. It's too loud, too fast and too brutal and morbid. Some scenes are really frightening and seem to be lifted directly from horror movies like the scene with the giant spiders. And such scenes where the ghost of this girl is asked "How was dying?" are quite sick, especially in a movie for children. Add some blood on the walls etc. and you have this movie. But from a director like Chris Columbus what else was to expect? I don't know the book and I really don't care about it and its writer who seems to be only interested in making money. Also this movie has no meaning, no message and is therefore as a movie for children a real waste of time (and money). But it was great to see such great actors as Maggie Smith and Richard Harris again. But I hated this little girl Hermine, she was such a know-it-all! I also think it's quite ignorant that the scenes containing writing in English weren't redone for the other language versions. If you want to see a real good movie for children, that has a message, go and see "The Last Unicorn" by Rankin/Bass.