Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Silly holiday story sends positive message about kindness.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
What's the Story?
In THE SPOOKY TALE OF CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS HACK-O-WEEN, best friends Harold (voiced by Jay Gragnani) and George (Ramone Hamilton) love everything about Halloween, especially the costumes and the free candy. But when Melvin (Jorge Diaz) hoodwinks the town into canceling the holiday, the boys and their favorite skivvies-clad superhero, Captain Underpants (Nat Faxon), have to come up with a plan -- and fast! -- to save the day for themselves and their friends. Can Harold and George's Hack-a-ween do the trick and make sure they still get their treats?
Is It Any Good?
With a premise like that of the Captain Underpants saga, it's not surprising the utterly absurd detours this story takes on its way to the characters' happy holiday. The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween is a lot like kids' frenzied energy levels on Halloween night, scurrying in all different directions at one time and causing a major sensory overload with the visual and auditory chaos. Of course, that's one of the things young fans love about the goofy characters and stories in the first place, even if parents don't quite get the same thrills from it.
On the upside, The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween works in a meaningful message about inclusion and kindness that's an unexpected treat at the story's end. As George and Harold discover the root cause of Melvin's grudge against Halloween, they use the knowledge to make a positive change, not because it will set right the holiday woes but because it's the right thing to do. This at least is a welcome factor in an otherwise silly and over-the-top story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about grown-up authority figures. What examples of adults caving to kids' desires do you see in the story? What messages does The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween send about how similar relationships work in the real world?
Is any content in this story scary? Do your kids like to be a little (or a lot) scared by the shows they watch, especially around Halloween? How much is too much in this regard?
What do Harold and George learn about being kind to everyone, even those who are different from them? Kids: How can you use their example to extend that same kindness to others? How does it feel when someone is kind to you?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: October 8, 2019
- Cast: Nat Faxon , Jay Gragnoni , Ramone Hamilton
- Inclusion Information: Black actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Superheroes , Book Characters , Friendship , Holidays
- Character Strengths: Compassion
- Run time: 45 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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