Goosebumps Review

Disclaimer: Contains spoilers!

Plot Summary: The new kid in town inadvertently unleashes the many, supernatural creatures from the "Goosebumps" book series.

Review: At one point I had every single book from this franchise, but I stopped somewhere along the way during the "Give Yourself Goosebumps" series. The stories were a lot of fun, and you could easily knock them out in a week with just a little reading before bed. Of course, there were borderline retarded titles like "Chicken Chicken," but I guess it would be impossible to write nothing but hits. When this film was announced, however, I had little expectations especially with Jack Black playing the man himself, R.L. Stine. And, while the tone is more childish than I'd prefer, this turned out to be significantly better than I imagined. If you were a fan of the TV series, or simply want to see an enjoyable family-horror, then this film will not let you down. I just hoped against hope that someone would try to de-pussify the youth of today and give them their own "The Monster Squad" equivalent.

If you've watched the trailer you should have the gist of what happens here: the "Goosebumps" books are brought to life and wreak havoc on a little town. There aren't really any shocking twists or turns, but I must applaud the effort of the filmmakers to include virtually every book in some shape or form. I mean, I don't have every book memorized off the top of my head, but the scene where the crowd of monsters gather appears to represent everyone. The chaos that ensues is of the PG variety, but I can live with that. The jokes and approach to the humor were also respectable for a kids movie; gags were nowhere near as eye-rolling as I thought they'd be. I think what was working for me in this regard was the quirky nature of the characters that made even the secondary cast memorable; for example, the overzealous, female cop was a creative addition despite the minimal screen time. Cliches that would typically plague a movie such as this are thankfully absent for the most part; meaning, the main kid isn't necessarily a dork, there are no bullies, the love interest is tweaked, etc. The action and pacing are certainly on point which made the film actually feel on the short side. The overly, Hollywood ending did feel appropriate, and, in fact, the cornball nature of the scenario worked better this way. The cameo by the real R.L. Stine solidified the satisfying conclusion as well. Essentially, the story delivered exactly what was promised and then some.

There are a couple things I do want to acknowledge that could or should have been done better. The most glaring story problem was the fact that Stine's magic typewriter was being kept at a school for no apparent reason. Why? This felt beyond forced and is such a huge ass contrivance that it borders on being a plot hole when you consider that it's implied Stine moves from town to town regularly. Something I'd like to see added or addressed with a sequel would be the idea of how Stine's stories correlate to the books everyone buys. What I mean is that if the original manuscripts are supernatural, how are they published? Maybe they could work in a plot aspect that addresses the creatures coming out of copies of the source material. Connected to this...why can't Stine write happier tales? This is somewhat addressed in the film, but it is brushed aside too easily. Realistically, why would Stine write himself a daughter based on a horror story rather than a happy one? In fact, this is kind of creepy when you think about it. Who the hell would want a kid that was stuck as a teenager forever?! And his motivation is that he's lonely? Whaaat? I'm not buying it. Wouldn't he want his "companion" to be someone a little more compatible? Maybe my twisted thoughts are making an innocent concept weirder, but I can't imagine drawing any other conclusion!

Setting aside my overthinking of various plot elements, this is a fun movie that is great for parents out there looking for ideas on a Friday pizza night. Mmmm...pizza...yum. Regardless of the kiddie nature, this is still an interesting story that casual viewers can appreciate. If you grew up with the books you also have the nostalgia factor in play which enhances the enjoyment considerably. It goes without saying but if you're looking for a legitimate horror experience you will be quite disappointed. This is like a notch above made for TV--almost like the finale or capstone for the TV series. Definitely give this film a chance whether or not you have kids though.

Notable Moment: When Stine throws a tantrum after he's compared to Stephen King. An amusing, schoolyard comparison finally brought to life.

Final Rating: 6.5/10