For those too young or (in my case) too old to remember Goosebumps, they were a series of incredibly successful kid-friendly horror books prevalent in the 90s. Most of the stories were varied, with different principal characters and monsters. There was even an anthology TV series that adapted the material. So, the subject matter doesn’t exactly make for an easy translation of the franchise to the big screen.
Surprisingly, the latest film adaptation of Goosebumps repurposes the stories in an interesting and original way, making the books a jumping off point for a new adventure. For the most part, it works quite well. This is a fast-paced effort that’s packed full of goofy monsters and silly humor. Kids are certainly going to enjoy it immensely and most parents will also get a chuckle or two out of the proceedings.
The story follows Zach (Dylan Minnette), an ex-New Yorker adjusting to a new life as a teenager in small town Maryland. Things seem to pick up when he befriends neighbor Hannah (Odeya Rush), but fears for her safety when her overprotective father (Jack Black) makes veiled threats and keeps her at arm’s length. Concerned, Zach convinces school chum Champ (Ryan Lee) to help free Hannah.
They soon realize that the mysterious father is, in fact, Goosebumps author, R.L. Stine and that the creatures from his books are very real. When all of the monsters are accidentally released, the gang must team up to collect them all before they completely destroy the town. It’s a nifty way to pay tribute to the stories while also doing something fresh.
Of course, this is all an excuse to see the Stine and the kids challenge malevolent garden gnomes, an abominable snowman, a werewolf, zombies, and a giant praying mantis. The tone is light and good-natured, never veering into truly scary territory. In fact, one can’t help but be reminded of 80s kids movies like Gremlins, although this effort is a little softer in its approach. The pacing is incredibly quick with the cast moving from one strange monster to the next, and often climaxing with a gag or amusing comment.
Jack Black goes to town and has a lot of fun in the role of Stine. His big and playful take on the author is amusing. There’s a lot of ego-based humor, as Stine frequently becomes annoyed by the lack of recognition for his success (Stephen King is name-dropped), as well as taking mental notes during the chaos when he sees or experiences something that might be good material for a future tale. And for fans, there appeared to be plenty of comedic references to books (like “Little Shop of Hamsters”) and in-jokes that got a strong reaction at the screening I attended.
As mentioned, it’s all dependent on the humor and the energetic youngsters also sell the gags well. Yes, there’s a bit of a corny teen romance wedged into the story and not every joke hits the mark, but many of their startled reactions do result in a chuckle. Heck, when the central villain is a ventriloquist dummy named Slappy (also voiced by Black), it’s hard not to laugh when Stine ominously warns others that “Slappy” is coming for them.
I suppose another minor beef is the over-abundance of CGI. Personally, I would have preferred to see more practical work with some of the monsters. Yet, given how many of the otherworldly creations there are and the actions they are performing, it’s easy to understand why enhancements were needed and it is not distracting.
Based on first impressions, Goosebumps isn’t quite at the level of Gremlins, but it is an enjoyable family romp that will satisfy youngsters over the Halloween season and won’t have parents looking at their watches. There aren’t an awful lot of options serving children with an interest in the macabre, but this effort should give kids a monster-fix without inducing any nightmares.