really bad movie
i'm really stunned this is getting a "critical reevaluation". it's poorly written and directed, lame jokes, a new glaring plot hole every 5 minutes, odd tonal shifts, the kids are insanely stupid (lets read from a glowing book after we've 'defeated' the witches!) and the movie feels very made-for-tv. no wonder this bombed in theaters. it's a bad disney channel original movie that somehow found its way onto the silver screen. Millenials only worship this movie because they grew up with it on disney channel. it's very shitty. the only thing i liked were the 3 witches and their improv.
there are a couple dozen halloween-themed spooky kids movies that should be seen first, like monster house, coraline, the Addams family, frankenweenie, monster squad, and even lesser ones like scooby doo on zombie island and the haunted mansion are legitimately much better than this.