Story by Grant Dillard, Staff writer
“Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” is the sequel to the 2015 hit film, “Goosebumps” which was based on the successful series of horror books by author R.L. Stine. The first “Goosebumps” was a surprisingly good movie with a creative plot, likable characters, and really well-timed humor. “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween,” while not as good as its predecessor, still manages to work as a decent and entertaining film on its own.
Sonny and Sam are two middle school students attempting to start their own garbage cleanup business. They get a call that leads them to an abandoned house, where they come across a locked manuscript. Upon opening it, they release Slappy the Dummy who plans to cause chaos around their town.
The plot this time around doesn’t feel as interesting as the last film. The first “Goosebumps” revolved around R.L. Stine’s monsters being imprisoned inside the actual “Goosebumps” books, only to be released. The plot for this film is basically the same, only scaled down. Slappy’s plan to spread his Halloween terror is quite ridiculous, though in a delightfully cheesy way.
Where this film falters the most, especially in comparison to the first film, is that the writing isn’t nearly as good. The first “Goosebumps” wasn’t just a fun Halloween tale involving various monsters, but it was also a satirical look at the series of “Goosebumps” books, as well as a celebration of the series. Along with that, the well-written comedic dialogue and the actors involved went hand in hand with each other. In this film, while there is still a decent amount of good jokes sprinkled in, the humor just doesn’t feel as fresh and consistent this time around.
The main characters, while not memorable by any means, work well enough for audiences to get invested in. Most surprising of all is Sonny’s older sister, Sarah. Rather than having her be the typical older sister who doesn’t believe the younger sibling about the supernatural elements happening, the film has her quickly discovering that Slappy is real and plans to do terrible things; therefore, she acts as good support for her brother and his friend in their adventure. Along with that, all the actors handle their roles well. None of them give Oscar-worthy performances, but they don’t sound like they’re phoning their lines in either. One particular standout among the cast of characters is Mr. Chu (Ken Jeong.) His appearances throughout the film are brief, but he always has something hilarious to say.
The only returning cast member from the first movie is Jack Black, who reprises his role as the author, R.L. Stine. However, Stine’s inclusion in this film feels more like a last minute addition; as he not only doesn’t have a lot of screentime, but the character ultimately contributes nothing to the story except for a tacked-on last minute moral. To this film’s credit though, Stine is still given a few funny lines to say, including a brilliant jab at Stephen King.
“Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” is nowhere near as clever or funny as its predecessor, but it still makes for decent family-friendly fun for the Halloween season. The film is more fun in tone than it is terrifying; for a movie that’s intended for a younger crowd, that’s not really a bad thing. Those looking for decent enough Halloween entertainment won’t regret checking this film out.
