Much fighting, and three deaths of characters who are then shown as ghosts. Some characters willingly pass into the spirit world, thinking they can come back with the help of an invention. A character falls off a cliff to her death. Pratfalls and cartoonish violence from Casper's three cruel ghost uncles. Casper talks about how he died when he was a little boy. Ghosts vomit on a priest and turn his head 180 degrees. A woman tries to run over her lawyer with a Range Rover. Casper's uncles verbally and physically bully/taunt others.
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Adult and tween couples kiss. Casper has a crush on Kat and kisses her on the cheek. Animated breasts swing when Fatso briefly morphs into a low-cut dress, showing ample cleavage, and shimmies his shoulders. Innuendo, such as when Casper's mean uncles drop a man's trousers and comment "You're no Marky Mark."
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One of Casper's uncles kicks Casper with a Nike tennis shoe. Brief cameos include Dan Aykroyd appearing on-screen in his Ghostbusters uniform, and Fred Rogers as Casper watches Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on television. Characters mention Haagen-Dazs and Diet Pepsi.
Positive Messages
a little
Focuses on silly antics over deeper themes. But it does encourage friendship, such as the one seen between Casper and Kat -- though that message is complicated by Casper's romantic feelings for Kat.
Positive Role Models
a little
Casper is as friendly as he ever was in cartoons. Kat struggles to fit into her new school but forms a sweet bond with Casper. Kat's dad is kind, but he puts his own needs ahead of his daughter's. Villains like Carrigan and Casper's uncles Stretch, Stinkie, and Fatso act cruelly, but their bullying eventually has consequences.
Diverse Representations
a little
Most characters are White, except two minor Black characters in neutral roles as a teacher and a classmate who each have a couple lines of dialogue. Main characters are gender-balanced, including women like Kat and Carrigan alongside Casper and Kat's dad, Dr. Harvey. The film was also written by female screenwriters. The only body diversity is found among villain ghosts named Fatso and Stretch; every other character in the film follows Hollywood's conventions around body shape/size.
Parents need to know that Casper is based on the cartoon series about the adventures of the titular "friendly ghost." That cartoon and other Casper movies are milder than this one. Expect deaths and much talk about the spirit world, plus main characters grieving the loss of parents and loved ones. Casper (voiced by Malachi Pearson and played by Devon Sawa) has ghost uncles who taunt and bully ghost therapist Dr. Harvey (Bill Pullman) and his daughter, Kat (Christina Ricci). Adults drink, act drunk, and smoke. Language includes "bitch," "damn," and "hell," and a tween girl says "piss off." Adult and tween couples kiss and have crushes. There's sexual innuendo when a man's trousers are removed by ghosts who then comment "you're no Marky Mark," and animated breasts swing when a ghost morphs into a low-cut dress, showing ample cleavage, and shimmies his shoulders. Though Casper loosely encourages friendship, filmmakers focus on silly antics more than deeper underlying messages. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
I think this movie is a worthless pile. I mean I don’t expect film or tv to imbue my children with valuable life lessons and and impress important ideals into them, but this film was schlocky garbage not fit for kids. Obviously written by some industry vet with zero oversight or care for what they were broadcasting into kids minds. Sexualizes and objectifies the main character Kat throughout the film. -Casper’s one liner is “can I keep you” Also body shaming by dad about forcing her to wear t shirts at the beach Is brought up at the end (why go there?). On top of this the word bitch is used as mentioned before. However what hasn’t been mentioned is that the word is used twice during the climax of the film. During the crescendo of the film the camera zooms into the lead actor Bill Pullman’s face as he addresses the main protagonists and he yells out very clear and defined “back off bitch” directly into the camera. It is a one liner set up and it’s very abrasive. I can’t believe I let my kids watch that garbage. I had old memories of it being a wholesome movie or at least ok for kids but I won’t be trusting my memories anymore! I am coming to realize that film is generally bad and movies that are descent for kids are rare!
Casper is a wonderful, underrated film for kids and adults alike. Yes, there is some iffy language throughout but it will fly past young kids' heads, I know it did when I was a kid! Casper is basically about a paranormal expert called Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) and his teen daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) who move into a huge mansion in Whipstaff Manor that was inherited by a mean lady named Carrigan who's first intentions was to burn it down but after discovering on a map that hidden treasure lies somewhere inside the home, she changes her mind and hires Dr. Harvey to rid the home of ghosts so she can find the treasure. Meanwhile, Kat meets Casper, a friendly "teen" ghost who develops a crush on her. But Casper's rowdy & humorous uncles - Stretch, Fatso and Stinkie - are mean and constantly try to scare everyone away from the home. Later, Casper shows Kat a special machine built by his father that brings the dead back to life (if done properly) and she wants Casper to try it with only enough potion for one more use. But on Halloween, Dr. Harvey loses his life, he becomes a ghost too, and they must all choose whether to use it on her father or on Casper before Carrigan steals it for herself. The language is not too bad (used in comic ways only) but does blurt out a few words like b*tch (twice), p*ss, cr@p, d@mn). Violence has some fighting & bickering, a few deaths, Casper is picked-on frequently by his uncles, arguing and frightening situations. Carrigan is mean to her husband. A teen girl sitting on another teens shoulders as a Halloween costume falls down and he drags her as he runs. Sexual content is mild like jokes that kids won't notice, teen flirting, a tender kiss between Kat & Casper, Dr. Harvey's pants get pulled down as a joke. There is a prolonged scene of drunk ghosts including Dr. Harvey (beer shown). Overall, perfect fun for Halloween, very funny, great cast and very enjoyable for anyone 8 & up (may be too frightening for younger ones!)
What's the Story?
In CASPER, motherless Kat Harvey (Christina Ricci) and her father (Bill Pullman), a psychologist who helps spirits complete their journey onto death, move into Whipstaff Manor. The greedy Carrigan Crittenden (Cathy Moriarty) has hired Dr. Harvey to rid her recently inherited property of its ghosts so she can hunt for the treasure that's hidden somewhere within its walls. One of the ghosts, Casper (voiced by Malachi Pearson and played by Devon Sawa), develops a crush on Kat, while his rowdy ghost uncles make life comically difficult for everyone. When the Harveys throw a Halloween party, Kat and Casper discover a "resurrection machine" built by Casper's father. Carrigan wants the machine for her wicked plans, and eventually there's a mad chase about the house and in and out of spirit worlds.
Great special effects and fine acting should entertain tweens, who may also like the mild romance between Casper and Kat. Younger kids should find the haunted house in Casper pretty cool, though they might also be frightened at times. As for teens and adults? They'll likely find the scares too silly and the tone too sentimental. Parents also might not love the film's language and violence, especially if they're watching it with their kids.
That said, the relationship between Kat and her father is genuinely sweet. Moriarty is enjoyably Cruella de Vil-ish as Carrigan, and sidekick Dibs (Monty Python's Eric Idle) has funny moments. Cameos by Don Novello as the exorcist, Father Guido Sarducci, and Dan Aykroyd as Ghostbusters' Dr. Ray Stantz are good in-jokes. And the Victorian Gothic set -- with a nifty revolving panel and roller coaster ride to the basement -- is indeed cool.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about fantasies and ghost stories like Casper. What's appealing about ghost stories? Why do you think Casper is friendly, while his uncles are looking to cause trouble?
If you've seen other Casper series and movies, how does this one compare? Is it darker? Which version(s) do you prefer, and why?
How are violence and bullying depicted in the movie? Does that content seem appropriate to the story, or does it seem gratuitous?
What are some other ghost stories that take place in houses and mansions? Why do you think haunted mansions have enduring appeal?
MPAA explanation:
mild language and thematic elements
Last updated:
September 13, 2024
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