Movie Title: Goosebumps
First Watch / Repeat Viewing
Running Time: 1 hr. 43 min.
Rated: PG
Who did I watch with?: Stephie
Where did I watch it?: Home
Review:
Zach (Dylan Minnette) and his mom have just moved to a small town in Delaware after Zach’s father died. Zach’s mom is the new Vice Principal at the local high school. Zach immediately forms a friendship with his neighbor Hannah. Zach has no friends and Hannah (Odeya Rush) is a home schooled shut in. It turns out that her father is the world famous author R.L. Stine. Stine (Jack Black) warns Zach to stay away, but after he catches Zach and Hannah out he punishes her. Zach is afraid she is actually going to be hurt and breaks into the house.
During the break in, one of Stine’s manuscripts is accidentally opened and the Abominable Snowman from the R.L Stine novel The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena escapes. Zach and company hunt down the snowman only to discover that the infamous dummy Slappy was also freed. Slappy then took the liberty to free all of Stine’s other creations and burned the manuscripts. Stine and company must find a way to put the monsters back in the manuscripts.
The acting is unremarkable, but adequate enough. The story is simple and ridiculous all at the same time. It has an unnecessary love story that works at times. I was a huge fan of the Goosebumps series as a kid and I liked the movie despite its flaws.
Verdict:
It is a nostalgia fest that revisits great childhood stories if you are of a certain generation. See it.
Tomorrow’s Movie: The Descendants (2011)
