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A group of young friends, obsessed with classic horror movies, find their pastime turning into a terrifying reality when the iconic monsters they idolize—Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein’s monster, the Mummy, and the Gill-man—emerge in their town. These unlikely heroes must put aside their differences and band together to confront the creatures in an epic battle between good and evil, ultimately saving their community from impending doom.

A group of young friends, obsessed with classic horror movies, find their pastime turning into a terrifying reality when the iconic monsters they idolize—Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein’s monster, the Mummy, and the Gill-man—emerge in their town. These unlikely heroes must put aside their differences and band together to confront the creatures in an epic battle between good and evil, ultimately saving their community from impending doom.

Does The Monster Squad have end credit scenes?

No!

The Monster Squad does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of The Monster Squad

Explore the complete cast of The Monster Squad, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for The Monster Squad

See how The Monster Squad is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The Monster Squad stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

61

Metascore

7.6

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

%

TOMATOMETER

review

0%

User Score

TMDB

67

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate The Monster Squad Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of The Monster Squad with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


The Monster Squad Quiz: Test your knowledge about the beloved 1987 film 'The Monster Squad' and its iconic characters and themes.

Who leads The Monster Squad?

Awards & Nominations for The Monster Squad

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Discover all the awards and nominations received by The Monster Squad, from Oscars to film festival honors. Learn how The Monster Squad and its cast and crew have been recognized by critics and the industry alike.


15th Saturn Awards 1988

Nomination

Best Performance by a Younger Actor

Nomination

Best Music

Nomination

Best Costumes

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for The Monster Squad

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Read the complete plot summary of The Monster Squad, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


The Monster Squad is an adventurous group of pre-teens who are passionate fans of classic Universal monster films. The leader, Sean Crenshaw (Tom Noonan), finds himself in a unique predicament when he receives a mysterious diary belonging to the renowned monster hunter, Dr. Abraham Van Helsing. Although he is initially thrilled, Sean’s excitement swiftly vanishes upon realizing the diary is in German. Determined to decipher its contents, he, along with his trusty squad—his best friend and right-hand man Patrick Rhodes (Andre Gower), the bumbling yet lovable Horace (Ryan Lambert), the tough older kid Rudy (Duncan Regehr), and the youngest member Eugene (Michael Faustino)—seek out a local recluse known as the “Scary German Guy” (Mary Ellen Trainor), who turns out to be a gentle soul with a troubled past.

The diary reveals the existence of a powerful amulet made of concentrated good, which can be destroyed only once a century when the cosmic balance of good and evil teeter toward equilibrium. With this rare alignment approaching at midnight in just a few days, the squad realizes their urgent mission: to capture the amulet and use an incantation from Van Helsing’s diary to create a wormhole that can banish monsters to Limbo. As the backstory unfolds, we learn that Van Helsing tried and failed a century ago to defeat the dreadful Count Dracula; his followers managed to smuggle the amulet to America for safekeeping from Dracula’s relentless pursuit.

However, the evil Dracula has other ideas and gathers a monstrous ensemble which includes the Mummy, the Gill-man, and the Wolf Man, along with his newly transformed vampiric consorts—three unsuspecting schoolgirls. In a daring move, he commandeers a crate containing Frankenstein’s monster from a plane, completing his sinister lineup. Yet, Frankenstein’s monster turns out to be gentle-hearted, roaming into the woods where he meets Phoebe (Ashley Bank), Sean’s little sister. Instead of fear, Phoebe extends her kindness, and they quickly form a friendship. After witnessing his good nature, the Monster Squad convinces Frankenstein’s monster to join them in their fight against Dracula.

The amulet is hidden beneath a house currently occupied by Dracula and his fearsome cohorts, secured by wards that prevent easy access. As they execute a thrilling break-in, the squad successfully retrieves the amulet but narrowly escapes the clutches of the vampires. They learn from “Scary German Guy” that they need a virgin to read the incantation. In retaliation for their meddling, Dracula destroys their clubhouse, drawing in Sean’s father, Detective Del Crenshaw (Stephen Macht), into their chaotic battle against the forces of darkness.

As midnight looms closer, the Monster Squad races to a cathedral for their final stand against the approaching evils. When they discover that the cathedral doors are locked, they resort to performing the incantation on the steps, which leaves them open to attack. In a desperate bid for help, they turn to Lisa, Patrick’s sister, who they believe is a virgin, but the attempt fails spectacularly as her true status is revealed. As monsters close in, the squad deduces that only Phoebe can read the incantation, and with help from “Scary German Guy,” she prepares to summon the portal while the rest fend off Dracula and his horrifying minions.

In an epic showdown, Dracula’s allies are vanquished one by one. Just as the tides seem to turn, Dracula arrives to obliterate the amulet, but Frankenstein’s monster intervenes heroically, impaling him upon a cross. At the critical moment, Phoebe completes the incantation, unleashing a vortex that threatens to engulf the monsters. In a gripping climax, as Dracula attempts to pull Sean into the abyss with him, Sean stakes Dracula, while Detective Crenshaw saves him from falling in. Van Helsing makes a brief appearance, ensuring Dracula meets his demise. As the portal consumes the monstrous entities, Phoebe desperately clings to Frankenstein’s monster, who ultimately sacrifices his chance to remain, accepting only a cherished stuffed animal from her as a memento.

With the threat eliminated, the United States Army arrives, responding to Eugene’s earlier plea for help. Amid the chaos, when the bewildered general fails to grasp the situation, Sean takes the initiative to step forward and introduces himself and his friends with flair, declaring, “We are The Monster Squad.”

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for The Monster Squad

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from The Monster Squad. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


The Monster Squad (1987) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

Cars Featured in The Monster Squad

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Explore all cars featured in The Monster Squad, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


AM

General M-35

Cadillac

1961

Funeral Coach

Cadillac

1951

M41 'Walker Bulldog'

Chevrolet

1978

Camaro

Chevrolet

1977

Caprice Classic

Chevrolet

1981

Impala

Chevrolet

1979

Impala Wagon

Ford

1975

Econoline

Ford

1978

Fairmont

Ford

1977

LTD II

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


horror for childrenvan helsing charactermummy characterchild with a gunwerewolf transformationfrankenstein's monster charactermonsteramuletmummycreaturewooden stakesilver bulletconcentration camp survivortreehousetransylvaniaclubhouseholocaust survivorgay slurgunthree word titlebarefoot girlcrossoverslimehousepump action shotgunwolfmanchild in jeopardycreature featuremonster movievampire horroraquatic humanoidno one believes the protagonistcastle thunder1880smeta horrorgroupvampire and werewolfturning into a werewolfmaking a silver bulletshot with a silver bulletdeath of a female vampirevampire lairvampiressprojectile weaponshot with an arrowvampire huntinghuman versus monsterhuman versus vampirehuman versus werewolfpepsigirl

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