Stars: 3.5/5

Nancy Drew is back on the big screen in an attempt to modernize the 1930s sleuth for a new generation.

After a constant stream of reworkings of the classic series, Warner Bros. is bringing Nancy Drew into modern times. In contrast to the past iterations of the character, this Nancy is a fresh, punky and intelligent red-headed member of Gen Z. She retains her trademark traits while getting a modern makeover.

As the film begins, Nancy Drew (Sophia Lillis) is already being set up as a powerful girl. The first scene is of the sleuth skateboarding down the street, while the refrain of a song repeats in the background: “I’m more than just a girl.” The message is clear already — Nancy Drew is a force to be reckoned with.

The story continues with the teen sleuth pulling a vigilante justice prank on her friend’s bully. The plan goes off without a hitch, but ends with consequences. Nancy Drew was originally rather reserved, but this new version is spunky. Though she makes the wrong decision, this act alone shows so much more power than previous generations of the character.

As we get into the meat of the film, it’s obvious that the movie is a lot more about the characters and their friendships than the storyline itself. Investigation ensues, sleuthing is done, but most importantly, relationships form.

Nancy agrees to help out a local woman, Flora (Linda Lavin) when she overhears her complaining about mysterious occurrences in her house. Flora is convinced that she is being visited by the ghosts of two lovers buried in the walls but Nancy, ever the realist, assures her that there’s a more logical explanation.

She and her team of gal pals get to work solving the case, which mainly consists of Nancy doing something sleuth-like and her backup detectives ooh-ing and aah-ing at her abilities. Spoiler alert: there’s a hidden staircase.

As a whole, the movie isn’t very complex. The plot is straightforward, the characters are a little flat and the cinematography is fairly underwhelming. Normally, that would knock a movie down a bunch of notches, but it’s a kid’s film — it’s supposed to be simple.

As a (slightly more) adult viewer, the movie got a little boring at times, and it seemed to lack the same depth as others in the box office. Regardless, it was enjoyable, and Nancy’s newfound spunk made it even more so.

I also found the incorporation of technology incredibly important. Smartphones are rarely used in movies even though almost everyone has one. Their inclusion not only makes the film more relatable to a younger audience, but it reinforces their status as a tool instead of playing the “darn kids nowadays” card.

Overall, “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase” was a refreshing take on a classic character, but nothing earth-shattering. It was a basic but enjoyable film with a solid cast and a strong theme: girl power.