Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween Review: Nostalgic Trip For Fans and the Family

PG: For scary creature action and images, some thematic elements, rude humor and language

Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Original Film, Scholastic Entertainment, Silvertongue Films

1 Hr and 30 Minutes

Dir: Ari Sandel | Writer: Rob Lieber

Cast: Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Caleel Harris, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Chris Parnell, Ken Jeong, Jack Black, Mick Wingert

Slappy is back to wreak more havoc this Halloween in a brand-new comedy adventure based on R.L. Stine’s 400-million-selling series of books.

I wasn’t really looking forward to watching “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” primarily because the marketing made it look like a rehash of its 2015 predecessor, but alas this is a separate movie for the most part. I appreciate how this has a completely different set up from its predecessor. While the 2015 film was a fun and campy romp of the “Goosebumps” creatures coming to life, this is more reminiscent of its source material and the television series, but with a bigger budget. This is distinctively a “Goosebumps” movie that has the same nature that the TV show had. It’s similar to how “Star Trek Beyond” had the same vibe as the original series which gave it a nostalgic atmosphere. It is far creepier than the last, for there are genuine scary elements present. There is a bit of sweet ol’ nightmare fuel for your kids and they’ll be scarred for life.

This is more of a Slappy-centric story and he steals the show once again. One might assume, as did I, that Jack Black reprised his role as Slappy’s voice actor, but upon further research, the provision of the voice is this guy named Mick Wingert (who is pretty much the secondary Jack Black voice replacement when Black is not around) and he’s great. Black is just present for a cameo because he was busy doing that House With the Long Title movie. Wingert does a great job as Slappy and serves as an excellent replacement for the voicework while constantly stealing the show.

While the original had a budget of 50 mil, this had about a quarter depleted from its budget. Because the first film had a bigger budget, the CGI was effective. While this sequel had less to work with, the CGI is either give or take. But here’s the thing: instead of recycling old character designs the VFX had in store, they managed to make some new creative creatures with unique designs which allowed them to create some fun set pieces.

While I do like the two leads (Jeremy Ray Taylor and Caleel Harris), what real-life best friends have a treasure hunting business? That’s something that… nobody has. It’s kind of stupid. Shoot, how does one of them know the process of bitcoin? I kid you not, that is one of the jokes in the film. That’s part of the film’s problem. The kids don’t feel like real kids, especially by today’s standard. They just feel like characters from the mind of an old screenwriter who is disconnected from the youth. I’m sorry to reuse this gif so many times but when you have characters who are kids and they don’t feel their age, I’m thinking the screenwriter is this:

As I said earlier, the budget is smaller on this and it shows a number of times. For example, you can clearly distinguish which Slappy effects are practical and which are CGI. When he first appears on screen, his voice is out of sync with his mouth’s movement and then, as it progresses, it gets better. Then, there is a scene where Slappy goes to a retail store and brings all the Halloween creatures to life, including creatures from the first film. And how are they there? Well, they have a Goosebumps aisle in the middle of the store which features a mask from the predecessor.

By the second half of the film, it just becomes a rehash of the first movie again where it is a campy, gotta-catch-‘em-all situation. At times it’s weak, but whenever they need a clever, effective set piece/sequence, the FX team puts their all into it and achieves impressive effects.

Is SONY going to make this franchise the Conjuring for kids? Because I’m not opposed to it. Think about it: Slappy is the Annabelle of the franchise who causes mischief. Jack Black’s R.L Stine is practically the equivalent to the Warrens where he just appears to solve all of the problems for victims of his supernatural works. We also focus on different characters in each film. By the time this ended, I was actually looking forward to another “Goosebumps” film. Not only are they fun, but they have a nostalgic atmosphere to them.

There are also odd moments I find stupidly meta at times, such as casting Madison Iseman (who was the human counterpart of Jack Black’s avatar in “Jumanji”) as the lead in a “Goosebumps” sequel, aka the film Jack Black was the face of. Don’t get me wrong, she gives a really good performance and all, but when they interacted, all I could think of was the time space continuum collapsing. It’s even meta with an “IT” reference thrown in there when the lead kid, Jeremy Ray Taylor, portrayed Ben in “IT” last year.

“Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” may fail to capture the same energetic spark of the predecessor, but it’s an enjoyable family horror film fit for the season nonetheless.

Rating: 3/5 | 67%

Super Scene: Slappy in the auditorium