Under Wraps Parent Guide

Marshal (Malachi Barton) is a lover of all things spooky and scary, while his best friend, Gilbert (Christian J. Simon), is the opposite. When their neighbor, Mr. Kubot (Ben Stait), starts acting suspiciously, the two boys team up with the new girl in town, Amy (Sophia Hammons), to investigate. In the process, the trio accidently awaken a 4,000-year-old mummy (Phil Wright) who isn’t as terrifying as he looks.

This is a Disney Channel Original Movie, and as such I think you all know what you’re getting into here. Low production values, cheesy acting, and awkward dialogue are all hallmarks of this type of production. I don’t mean to completely dismiss these films, as I was a fan of them as a kid and I know many kids still are today. I’m just letting you know that Under Wraps fits perfectly into the shoes of its predecessors, so there are no surprises here and adults can judge their participation in their children’s viewing accordingly.

On the positive side, the movie portrays a healthy supportive friendship between three unique kids and has some heartwarming moments and effective messaging. Scaredy-cat Gilbert learns to face his fears and be more open to new experiences and all the children learn that friendship is about having each other’s backs. Phil Wright as Harold the Mummy does a fantastic job with the physical comedy. He’s obviously going for over the top, Looney Tunes style antics, but it works, and he is a highlight of the cast.

On the other hand, as mentioned, there’s questionable acting, stilted dialogue, and unbelievable story elements to be had in abundance. But that is to be expected and I’ve seen far worse from this studio. The film is incredibly clean and very aware of its audience. Yes, this is a Halloween monster movie, but the filmmakers always keep their young audience in mind, tamping down the scares to an age-appropriate level. I would caution parents that this is too scary for the preschool crowd, but for school age children who enjoy a bit of a fright, this is sure to be a hit.