Rated PG for thematic elements, scary images and action.
Starring Charlie Tahan (voice), Catherine O’Hara (voice), Martin Short (voice), Winona Ryder (voice) and Martin Landau (voice)
Directed by Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, Batman and Beetlejuice)
Heartwarming, sweet and really creepy.
Frankenweenie is a story about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments. He tries to hide his home-sewn creation, but when Sparky gets out, Victor’s fellow students, teachers and the entire town all learn that getting a new “leash on life” can be monstrous.
Tim Burton has directed over 15 full-length movies in his career – I like two of them (Batman and Beetlejuice – and truthfully I like these less and less every year). I just don’t get his creepy visuals or his infatuation with Johnny Depp. Well there is no Johnny Depp in Frankenweenie, but there are plenty of creepy visuals – way more than I expected for a children’s movie.
I mean, besides the fact that the whole movie is pretty morbid – a boy sees his dog get run over, digs him up and brings him back to life – I believe all of the characters are way too creepy for the intended younger audience. And most children would find the creatures that are created – flat out scary.
There are a few funny scenes and I can appreciate the lessons about love, friendship and sacrifice. But this is by far the most morbid kids movie I have ever seen. I’m giving it an “Only If Free”… or better yet, only if you are a fan of Tim Burton.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
The whole film is very gothic since Tim Burton makes it! It is dark and black and white throughout. ?There is a fairly intense, but brief, fight between the dog and a giant rat creature. There’s another longer fight with the dog and the boy vs. a cat/vampire bat creature, which makes several sudden and quite frightening appearances. ?Then there is also a scene where Sparky gets hit by a car.
CONVERSATION STARTER
- What is the name of your favorite pet? Tell me about him/her.
- What happened when Victor tried to reanimate Sparky?
- What happened with the other students who try the same experiment?
- What was the difference between Victor’s reanimation and the other kids’ efforts? (Try to get them to the answer “love”)
- Read 1 Corinthians 13:13
Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. - Mr. Rzykruski pointed out that Victor’s love had everything to do with the experiment’s success. “Science is not good or bad,” he said. “But it can be used both ways.” And, in fact, the attempts made by the other kids all go very wrong, seemingly because of their less-than-pure motivations.
How can we show love this week and do it with your motives?
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.