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Two young friends find a magic book that brings a ventriloquist’s dummy to life.
Three years (2015) has allowed just enough time for fans of the first “Goosebumps” film to eagerly anticipate R. L. Stine’s next movie that continues to solidify his creepy base of fear-mongering youth who clamored through his hugely successful series of books (over 400 million) that entertained and enlightened youth of all ages. In the current film, the biggest question that loomed over the years was if Jack Black would actually return to his grossly understated role of Stine, and the answer is a definitive yes. While tackling youth issues such as bullying, head on, Stine weaves interlocking tales that gives youth empowerment and diminutive control over their day-to-day interactions with other youth and scary creatures.
When the film opens, Sarah Quinn (Madison Iseman) is caught in a compromising position after her boyfriend crawls through her window to give her a kiss and a few words of encouragement while preparing an essay for college. Her overworked and underpatienced mom catches her mid-kiss and punishes her by giving her the responsibility of looking after her brother Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor) while she pulls some extra shifts to make money. At the same time, Sonny and his best friend Sam Carter (Caleel Harris) are preparing to launch a business venture by collecting junk which they intend to turn into treasure.
The shenanigans begin when mom goes to work, the boys get a job offer and Sarah nixes babysitting for a date. When Sonny and Sam find a few good collectibles at the job site, they never realize that a funny looking puppet named Slappy would be their savior when the local school bullies stop them in their tracks before they leave the area. The school bullies don’t stand a chance when Slappy goes into action and does everything in his wicked power to show the bullies who’s boss.
Director Ari Sandel has done an excellent job bringing “Goosebumps” back to life in an adventurous, hilarious and frightening display of teen fun! The legion of fans who followed the series before will be delighted to see this colorful display of wickedness that is thought-provoking and insightful for all ages. If you’re prepared to jump on the bandwagon of scary paybacks once again, this Halloween thriller is ready to take you on!
In theaters Friday, October 12th
