Is Haunted Mansion suitable for kids? We explain if the Disney horror is family-friendly and discuss the reasons behind the age rating.
Haunted Mansion is the latest Disney film to be based on one of their iconic rides and is the second attempt to launch a franchise in this film series. Their first try, The Haunted Mansion, released in 2003, was overshadowed by Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the other ride-based film released that year.
20 years on, Disney is attempting to reanimate this dead property and put some life back into the ghost.
The company has built its empire on maintaining a family-friendly brand for viewers, so a horror film under the Disney label is rare. Due to Disney’s careful branding, audiences might assume that even their horror films might be light enough to draw in a crowd. But Haunted Mansion might push the boat out too far for younger viewers.
Is Haunted Mansion Suitable for Kids?
While the film is only rated PG-13, and Disney is known for its family-friendly brand, Haunted Mansion looks like it won’t be suitable for some families with younger children.
The trailer gives a good indication of whether younger kids should go and see the film. In the first few seconds of the official trailer, one of the characters has his back turned to wipe some dust off a mirror when, all of a sudden, a ghost throws an axe at him. This type of threat is likely to be common throughout the film.
At another point, a ghost rises out of some furniture to scare the nine-year-old Travis (Chase Dillon), causing him to scream. He will likely be under threat from ghosts.
Throughout the trailer, an ominous voice can be heard, saying that the house is dripping with souls, but there’s always room for more. There is a sequence full of scares, including a ghoulish flooding. The designs of the ghosts might frighten some younger kids with the skulls and floating heads.
Due to the threat and peril the characters are put through, younger viewers might be disturbed.
What’s the age rating of Haunted Mansion?
Haunted Mansion carries with it a rating of PG-13. In the UK, the film has a rating of 12A. The PG-13 rating means that anyone under 13 shouldn’t watch the film. The 12A rating means that an adult must accompany someone under the age of 12.
Why is Haunted Mansion rated PG-13?
The film will have a rating of PG-13 because of the light horror elements in the film, but none of them are held for a long time, and the atmosphere never becomes too eerie. It also deals with the heavy theme of grief from many different points of view, making it a sad watch at times.
But the film’s rating won’t be stretched as far as Insidious: The Red Door, meaning that scares won’t be too overbearing. There are some elements of comedy to lighten the tone and prevent the film from wallowing in its grief. There also won’t be any blood or gore.
What is the plot of Haunted Mansion?
Haunted Mansion is the second film to be based on the theme park ride The Haunted Mansion, and will follow Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and her kid Travis (Chase W. Dillon) as they find out their dream mansion has several supernatural squatters, turning it into a nightmare.
To rid themselves of these ghouls, they enlist the help of a spectral hunting team made up of tour guide Ben (LaKeith Stanfield), a psychic called Harriet (Tiffany Haddish), Father Kent (Owen Wilson), and the historian Professor Bruce Davis (Danny DeVito).
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