AMC Eden Prairie Mall 18 — Attraction in Eden Prairie

This was the absolute worst experience I have ever had at a movie theatre. Bought three 16-year-olds tickets to see the new Halloween movie, which is rated R. When they arrived, theatre staff asked to see ID, so I met them at the theatre to show ID. Theatre requires me to also purchase a ticket, which I did. This movie is definitely not something I’d want to watch as it’s clearly a horror movie aimed at a younger crowd (the franchise started with a movie literally about teenage babysitters) but I went in the theatre. After about 15 minutes I got up to wait in the hallway because I just did not care for the movie. Killed time going to concession stand (closed once the movie started-no matter, last time we came they took 30 minutes to make a hot dog), stood in hallway (not one chair or bench in the entire place), eventually sat on floor. Then after about 1.25 hours along came theatre employee who approached me saying I had to go in the theatre. We were almost the only people in the entire place and it was clear they were watching me. He stated I had to go in with the teens or I had to leave. Tried to just stand in the back and he followed me ALL the way into the theatre saying I had to be watching the movie, looking at the screen. At this point I did use a swear word because I was exhausted from standing around for so long and for being harassed by the theatre staff. He said if I used a swear word he’d have to ask me to leave (as the actors in the movie were gouging out eyeballs…). Forced to watch the last 20 minutes of the movie as the only other option was disappointing the kids. Did they expect me to hold my 16 year olds hand during the scary parts? Cover his eyes? It is not illegal for 16 year olds to watch an R movie, even in a theatre. It is the voluntary choice of the theatre itself to enforce the MPAA rating system and make their own rules. I understand it is AMCs choice to make their own policies. Their policy, in my opinion, of not just requiring a parent to purchase a ticket and give permission for their child to see a movie (I’d be fine with that) but to be forced to stay in the theatre the entire movie and shamed and chastised by the barely adult theatre staff, is totally overboard morality policing. In today’s theatre market where streaming movies are threatening the future of theaters, I’m surprised they have chosen this very restrictive unwelcoming policy. One of my first experiences in a theater since Covid and I will never go to this...

Seemed like a clean and cool theater overall. I had bought two tickets for today at 1:45PM for the We Live In Time movie. It is a rated R film, so you do have to be 17+ years old to watch it. It is said that you are going to be ID-ed prior to seeing the film, which is like no duh and understandable. It is a rated R film after all. There was a guy working, and he is who we encountered in checking our tickets and letting us in. I had my drivers license, so I showed it to him, no biggie. Meanwhile, my friend (previously had his license stolen; in the works of getting a new one) brought his student ID thinking that it would be enough since it does state “senior” (in high school) insinuating an age range of 17-18 years old. I know that this doesn’t apply and can’t generalize to everyone, so I get why that didn’t work as a form of ID. We offered to utilize Infinite Campus where there was a picture of him and a date of birth listed, but that wasn’t accepted either. We also asked if using a picture of an old permit with yet again a picture and valid date of birth can be seen, but that was also not acceptable. Was super excited to see the movie because Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, hello??? Super frustrating because we had planned the day out in advance (hence why we bought the tickets the day before), and because we drove all the way to Eden Prairie to see the movie (it was sold out in the theater closer to where we live). Obviously things aren’t always going to work out the way we plan it, that’s normal. I just feel like this unique circumstance could have been worked around in some sort of way if there was a greater sense of understanding coming from the worker. I get that there are rules for a reason and that they need to be followed. I totally 100% understand, but when it is evident and justifiable that the age requirement can be and is met, I don’t understand why there couldn’t have been some sort of work around. I didn’t wanna be a Karen (and am not trying to be in writing this review now — I’m just trying to talk about how my experience could’ve been better) and ended up getting a refund for both tickets. The guy called over a different employee that helped with the refund. She was super nice and kind. I’m sure their theater is nice, and they do have a solid and current selection of movies to pick and watch from, but in regards to understanding, problem solving, and empathy...

I had a very bad experience at this location. We purchased our tickets, got in line to buy popcorn and drinks. While in line, the construction was quite obvious. We purchased our popcorn and drinks. The manager said to the server NOT to give us the popcorn as something was wrong with it, he dumped one container, and tried to give us the same popcorn in a different container. I stopped him and his boss told him to make sure he made new popcorn for us. I asked how long this would take...10 minutes!! That is WAY too long when you are going to a movie.

I asked for our drink cups which we were provided, but were NOT told where to get drinks - we were vaguely told to go "over there" after a few minutes search, we were told to go to the OTHER SIDE of the theater.

Still waiting for our popcorn, I was carrying a container of butter, I asked for a lid and was told to go to the other side of the theater - where the soda was.

We wander off to find both soda and butter, and found the soda worked, but that there was NO butter or lids to the containers. We were told to walk BACK to where we started.

Still without popcorn and now late for the start time of our movie, we managed to walk back again and got our popcorn and butter.

This was crazy. There were no signs and frankly, I didn't want to wander all over the theater to find my condiments.

Totally mismanaged. The manager offered to give us free passes so long as I found him after the movie.

I did, he was flirting with a patron who finally mentioned that I was waiting for him.

Such a bad experience. Don't go back until...