Once again, we’re back to Halloween movies. And I’ll warn you now: there’s another 4 to come. Not sorry.
A Babysitter’s Guide To Monster Hunting was released on Netflix this year to relatively little noise. It’s possible that Vampires vs. The Bronx (review coming soon!) overshadowed it a little, being released in roughly the same week, so let’s give it the exposure it deserves. The movie centres on a young babysitter (Tamara Smart, Artemis Fowl, The Worst Witch) who was never believed when she claimed a monster came out of her closet one night when she was small. When she’s working one night, she begins to realise that the child she is looking after is also being haunted in his bedroom, leading her to be recruited by a secret society of babysitters. On Halloween, the Boogeyman kidnaps the little boy she’s taking care of, and she – with the help of the society – set out to save him.
This is clearly a movie for children, whom I’m sure will love it – especially the monsters! Whilst the CGI isn’t incredible, the little critters are really fun and adorable… a little bit like monster versions of Minions. As the end credits roll (sorry for jumping right to the end here), the creators show you how they were created, and it’s a really interesting watch. More interesting than the actual movie? Perhaps, but that’s neither here nor there.
The performances themselves here are kind of iffy too, with some glimpses of pretty good acting from Tom Felton, who is unrecognisable here. (I honestly had no idea it was him until I checked IMDb). Not forgetting Indya Moore (Pose) as the cat lady, who is also 10/10. Basically, the villains are spot on even if the good guys are a little boring.
On top of that, A Babysitter’s Guide could also have been paced better – especially for a kid’s film – but I’ve certainly seen worse. The action, though frequent, just seems a little sparse at times and is sometimes underwhelming, meaning that by the end it becomes a bit of a chore to get through.
There’s never been a more blatant call for a sequel, but if you look at this movie through an 11 year old’s eyes, it’s pretty good fun.
It’s difficult to really recommend this to anyone other than children. And yes, I know it’s a kid’s movie technically, but the best ones cater to adults as well. This is certainly not one of those movies, and while there are glimpses of talent here, it’s probably better to give it a miss.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting is available to stream on Netflix in the UK.
TQR Category Ratings:
Performance: 
Cinematography:
Soundtrack:
Costume & Set Design:
Plot:
Overall Enjoyability Rating:
The Quayside Review 