Goosebumps (2015)

Goosebumps (2015)

6/10

Starring

Jack Black

Dylan Minnette

Odeya Rush

Amy Ryan

Directed by Rob Letterman

The movie’s script or storyline is all over the place, with plot holes and loose ends hanging everywhere. The pacing is so fast it can lose even the viewer, who’s supposed to see and know everything. Thankfully, the occasional monster appearance keeps things in check—otherwise, this movie would have been hard to watch and enjoy.

Based on the children’s book series of the same name by R.L. Stine (who’s played in this movie by Jack Black and serves as the lead), Goosebumps (2015) pays homage to its franchise by keeping things simple, fun, and very family-friendly.

The movie is directed by Rob Letterman, whose last attempt at directing was Gulliver’s Travels (2010), starring Jack Black—a total flop. This marks Letterman and Jack Black’s third collaboration (their other being the animated Shark Tale (2004)) and their second live-action film together. Thankfully, their second attempt is far better than their first.

The plot begins with a teenage boy named Zach moving to a new neighborhood with his mother. His neighbor’s daughter, Hannah, is pretty and welcoming, but her dad (R.L. Stine) is not. He doesn’t want Zach anywhere near his daughter or his house.

While spying on his neighbor, Zach witnesses what looks like a domestic disturbance and later can’t find Hannah. He calls his new and only friend in the neighborhood, Champ, and together they break into Stine’s house. They discover Hannah is safe, but unintentionally open one of Stine’s books, releasing the Abominable Snowman from its pages.

This sets off a frenzy in the house, leading to the release of another monster from a manuscript: Slappy the Living Dummy.

Slappy is the main antagonist and is angry at his creator, R.L. Stine (Jack Black), who writes the Goosebumps stories. Stine’s monsters come to life when he writes them, so he keeps them locked in his manuscripts. Slappy steals all the manuscripts and releases the monsters with one goal: to kill Stine. Now, Zach, Hannah, Stine, and Champ must team up to put the ghosts and monsters back where they came from before they overrun the town and harm people.

The movie is fun, lighthearted, and a great flashback for those of us who watched the old series in the mid-90s or read the books. It’s a film worth seeing, perfect for a family movie night, as you can sit with the kids and watch monsters on the loose.