Goosebumps

This modern riff on Monster Squad is a very pleasant surprise, and so ’80s in spirit that it’s a shock one of the villains isn’t a giant Rubik’s Cube.

Director Rob Letterman, aided by writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski and Darren Lemke and an energetic cast, rise to the occasion, delivering a movie that’s a lot of good creepy fun in spite of some dubious construction.

The movie version of Goosebumps replicates that balancing act. It’s a cheerful, nasty delight.

Some of the wittier one-liners and more affecting emotional moments feel undermined by the frenzy of chaotic excess.

It’s occasionally funny and sometimes suspenseful, but it isn’t particularly imaginative. Then again, neither are Stine’s popular novellas.

What everyone will remember about Goosebumps is . . . nothing. Except that it was kinda like “Gremlins.”

At best, Goosebumps is a who’s who in the Stine literary oeuvre, featuring characters who were terrifying on paper but rendered toothless here.

To be honest, I started this movie being real nervous. I grew up on Goosebumps and was real worried they may have ruined the name. However, I was not disappointed and loved the movie! It had a nice story line, a twist, great effects, and great acting. I love Jack Black and think they picked a great R.L. Stine. I think one issue could be that today's generation MAY not appreciate it as much as us 80's and 90's babies will. But, I am sure there are those parents out there who have passed on their Goosebumps books to their kids and have kept the name alive.

This is an enjoyable family horror for the most part. The balance between horror and comedy is well maintained for the family audience. The actors do a good job across the board except for Jack Black whose fake accent crossed the border into annoying and at times distracting. Thankfully this isn't enough to ruin the film which has good pacing and excellent production value. I didn't even mind the over reliance on CGI as it fitted with the story and style. Overall worth watching especially if you are with your family who are starting to get into horror films but not all the way there yet.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Childish, foregone, boring, One of those films that you forget the day after. I have already wasted 100 minutes and now i have to write at least 150 characters.

Understand ..... this is a review from a mature adult. If I was 8 to 16 years old again I guess I might have liked this. It is not for mature audiences. Like other animated movies which always get high rating numbers this was no exception. So I feel kind of guilty posting a low grade but it is outside my genre