The Canterville Ghost is a story that has been haunting and amusing readers for over a century now. And while this funny and slightly spooky story has been adapted many times over, the story originally was written for young readers around 10 years of age (and slightly older). Most of the screen adaptations throughout the years have been live-action and have mostly stayed true to the story of a ghost who isn’t as scary as he seems. But the newest movie version is animated and may actually be a version that kids will sit down and watch.

The Canterville Ghost takes place at the turn of the last century when the Otis family moves into the old Canterville estate. The American family is more modern than the locals and not at all worried about the stories of the home being haunted. And, they quickly find out that the house is haunted by Sir Simon de Canterville, a ghost who has remained there for the past 300 years – cursed and unable to leave, his goal is to drive anyone out of his home so he can be alone. But what Sir Simon isn’t expecting is a family who isn’t afraid of him or his antics and a budding love story with Virginia and someone he is destined to hate.

The movie is cute, and the animation is almost leaning toward claymation style. But overall, it seems to have a bit of an updated feeling to an older story that is really made for kids to enjoy anyhow. With ghosts, sword fights, love stories, and even ghost hunters – the story may be old, but the movie doesn’t feel like it is. Unlike the previous versions that seem to keep the story feeling dated, this seems like a story that kids will watch and enjoy watching over again. Even with a bit of a darker story premise, The Canterville Ghost isn’t scary or gory. It is something that younger kids will gravitate to, and Sir Simon can even be seen as a sympathetic and even protective character taking the scary part out of the ghost story altogether.

The Canterville Ghosts will be in theaters nationwide on October 20th.

Overall Rating:

Three and a Half Stars Review

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