Dennis the Menace
Dennis the Menace
When his parents must go out of town on business, Dennis stays with Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. He is driving Mr. Wilson crazy, but he is just trying to be helpful, even to the thief who has arrived in town.
Jeremey reviewedMay 27, 2025
Dennis the Menace (1993) – A Cinematic Masterclass in Controlled Suburban Destruction
Let’s get this out of the way: Walter Matthau as Mr. Wilson? Chef’s kiss. The man was the perfect blend of grumpy old man and accidental grandpa. You believed he hated Dennis… until you caught that one scene where he kinda didn’t. And Christopher Lloyd as Switchblade Stealing Stranger Danger? Absolutely horrifying. Dude looked like he crawled out of a Tim Burton fever dream and never got a bath. Iconic.
And then there’s Lea Thompson — peak 90s hot mom energy. She could’ve grounded me and I’d say “yes ma’am” and ask if she wanted help with groceries.
But the real menace?
Margaret.
Little miss know-it-all. Always condescending, always scheming, and probably had a Lisa Frank planner full of vendettas. Every scene she was in felt like someone handed you a juice box of judgment. Dennis may have knocked out Mr. Wilson’s teeth with a slingshot, but Margaret was emotionally sniping from the jungle gym every recess. If this were a Tarantino film, she’d be the one behind the curtain pulling strings and filing HOA complaints at age six.
The Plot?
Kid wreaks havoc, Mr. Wilson loses faith in humanity, creepy drifter enters town, and somehow Dennis saves the day using the power of being just too much to deal with.
The Verdict?
A beautiful time capsule of 90s chaos. Heartfelt, mischievous, with enough dark undertones to make you go “wait, was that kidnapper going to eat him?!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Five stars. One less if Margaret ever got a spinoff.