I'll be fair in admitting that I had very little interest in this film until I saw the negative 1-star reviews overreacting to theatrical elements in the movie. To continue being fair, I realize that not everyone sees eye-to-eye on stories involving the supernatural. It really is unfortunate that this movie is being knocked down because of its subject matter, when it's not a secret what it is about at all. If you have children or rigid viewpoints on life, I would highly recommend doing your research before trashing this film unfairly. I didn't think the film looked that great in the trailers as it is, but seeing now that a well-known horror director was attempting something a little lighter intrigued me.It's not only fantasy, but definitely a HORROR film that pulls no punches when it comes to dark material. This movie is not only better than advertised, but it's going to be a cult classic for years to come. The director is Eli Roth, which should immediately throw up a few red flags for families as I'm sure you remember hearing his name in the news around the time that Hostel came out in the mid-2000s. He is one of the named kings in the dying wave of horror torture flicks, and a simple Google search would tell you that this is his first attempt at a children's movie. So in removing all of the gratuitous violence, nudity & gore, we are left with a movie chock full of horror that apparently can cross some boundaries for audiences. I think many have been quick to criticize Roth's filmography in the past as being childish and gratuitous, but THWACIIW proves that there is some skill behind all of the shock & schlock. I would go as far as saying that this is his best film by far, and it's easily one of my new favorite horror films.The second red flag is that this movie is actually based on a children's novel of the same name, so it's already out there as being children's material available for you to research. There's a plethora of information out there already about the series of novels by John Bellairs, which could tip you off to whether or not this movie would appeal to your family. This movie isn't Hollywood shoving the devil's gospel down your child's throat in the modern era, it's a novelization of a story that couldn't have been told 45+ years ago on film because the overreaction probably would have been even stronger back then. I have yet to read the book (though I plan to), but the film really couldn't be any further from "teaching your kids satanic rituals". It really is about dealing with loss & new situations, making friends, doing the right thing, patience over gratification, and other valuable life lessons that can be learned from something as wicked as raising the dead (somewhat on accident). Necromancy, evil, and magic spells are not foreign to children's literature or film, and it should come as no surprise that they can be used as storytelling devices much the same as anything else. The screenplay is written by Eric Kripke who is a longtime show-runner for the no longer immortal television hit series, Supernatural (is that a third red flag I see?)What I love about the film is its ability to go from really funny to pretty freakin' scary at the drop of a hat. There are some automatons in the house that come to life that are pretty creepy, and even a quick scene with the demon Azazel in the spooky black forest that appears to be pretty spicy for the average viewer. These scenes are ripped straight out of classic horror movies, but they don't have the typical mainstays of an R-rated flick. They are used to tell the story, and are not gratuitous or pandering in the slightest like they could be in a horror film. If they make you feel fear, discomfort, despair, worry, anxiety or anything similar about yourself or the characters, then the film is doing what it's intended to do. They don't linger on these shots to show it off or create some visual attraction that's supposed to haunt your dreams. They're there as antagonists to our main characters, who have an understanding of magic but perhaps are now seeing that it could be used nefariously against them. There are far more instances of characters warning each other of the evils of certain magic, than there are scenes of them using magic for evil or showing that it's "okay to do". Honestly, the most terrifying and perhaps indulgent part of the film is that the main baddie wants to exterminate humanity, though I haven't seen much complaint regarding that plot.To sum it all up, this movie is downright awesome and I'm thankful to the folks' reviews who made me realize it was my kind of movie. You don't get Jack Black, and especially Cate Blanchett, if there isn't some redeeming value to the story, movie, or crew. Blanchett absolutely crushes her role and makes Florence Zimmerman a character that I'm willing to pay tons to see a solo movie for because her character was super cool. There needs to be more Cate Blanchett as Florence Zimmerman, however we can make that happen with the remaining books. Jack Black is his typical self and really plays well off of Cate as they play the type of friends that love to jab at each other. The director's commentary featuring Roth and Black was also really informative and interesting, even stating how the two main actors were both intimidated by each's other skills in their respective genres of drama & comedy. To top it off, the film is a great all-around movie with tons of heart, humor, and horror. It has a little childish humor that I'm not typically a fan of, but it's not persistent or overused throughout the film. There are a few scarier scenes that I will admit were scary for children, but they're phenomenal scenes of horror film that will amaze those that know what they're in for.Eli Roth considers this in the same vein as Amblin Entertainment, and that should also go a long way in saying not only the quality of this film, but the credibility of its presentation. It's not him just referencing it, as you'll see the Amblin card at the start of the movie... This is a great film, and it's a shame that there are reviewers here and probably elsewhere trashing it for its darker content and ability to do more than the average family fantasy film. Does the kid spill blood into a Necromancy book to perform a resurrection spell.. yeah, sure. Does he do it because he's enticed by evil and wants to see what happens? No way! There is so much more to this film than the warlocks doing magic and evil tempting good... My future children and I will enjoy this film together, as it's a complete genre classic in my eyes. Highly recommended for fans of Jack Black, Eli Roth, Cate Blanchett, horror movies, children's genre mashups, and "against the grain" type films, even fans of Kyle MacLachlan there's room for you too (who is almost a totem of the era/vibe that this film is trying to replicate).4K came in great condition with a Blu-ray and digital copy. My copy came with a slipcover that has some foily shine on the silver/gold parts. I hope there is a re-release with a cool case, or a sequel/spinoff coming from this, because it was seriously awesome. If you want a good PG horror film the likes of which we haven't seen in decades, this is it!!! 4 out of 5 stars for the film, 5 out of 5 stars for the release and to balance the negativity around this movie.