Is The House with a Clock in Its Walls scary?

Only a little. The House with a Clock in Its Walls has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.

How gory is The House with a Clock in Its Walls?

No gore and some violence. Squeamish viewers are fine here.

What is The House with a Clock in Its Walls rated, and is it OK for kids?

Not for every kid. The PG undersells several jump scares.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls poster

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

Film · 1h 45m · Rated PG

Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery

A young orphan discovers his eccentric uncle is a warlock, leading to whimsical, suspenseful, and heartwarming magical adventures.

Campy, with wholesome humor. A family watch at a measured pace. Emotionally it carries some weight.

Streaming on Netflix.

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The House with a Clock in Its Walls parents guide

Several jump scares, which is more than most PG titles carry. Beyond that, a few tense moments and mild language.

Scare: Mildly scary; A few tense or eerie moments.
Jump scares: Several; More than a couple of sudden jolts.
Gore: No gore
Violence: Some violence; Some fighting or peril.
Sex and nudity: None flagged; It is a horror title, so treat our zero as unconfirmed.
Language: Mild; Mild words like damn, hell or crap.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is The House with a Clock in Its Walls scary?: Only a little. The House with a Clock in Its Walls has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.
How gory is The House with a Clock in Its Walls?: No gore and some violence. Squeamish viewers are fine here.
What is The House with a Clock in Its Walls rated, and is it OK for kids?: Not for every kid. The PG undersells several jump scares.

What is The House with a Clock in Its Walls about?

When ten-year-old Lewis is suddenly orphaned, he is sent to live with his Uncle Jonathan in a creaky (and creepy) old mansion with a mysterious ticking noise that emanates from the walls. Upon discovering that his uncle is a warlock, Lewis begins learning magic, but when he rebelliously resurrects an evil warlock he must find the secret of the house and save the world from destruction.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

Yes. It lands on a happy note.