Anthony's movie review: Goosebumps movie

Hey everyone, welcome back to my movie review, with my very first Halloween Special. I mean, we love Halloween for a party, cosplay, trick or treating and a lot of fun of scariness. :)

For this Halloween review, im going to take you back from the 90's to show the most famous children book we ever read, that is Goosebumps. Its a horror children book series that was all written by a famous author name R.L. Stine. It became popular with good narrative story, pretty scary and funny to read. I actually read all the books in my school library like "Don't go to sleep!", "How i learned to fly", "Ghost beach", "Welcome to dead house" and few other books that i would like to read. When the books are very popular, there was a TV show based on them. However it has a lack of entertainment with bad effects and bad acting that it has nothing to do in the books. Hell, even Jontron did make fun of them with three episodes.

Anyway, i heard the rumored that there was an upcoming movie based on Goosebumps to be a segments. But today, this one is completely different what we got today.

Goosebumps the movie book is a 2015 horror/comedy film that was directed by Rob Letterman (Who also made a good animated movie Monsters vs Aliens and even an abomination one called "Shark Tale"... XC) and it stares a comedian/musician Jack Black that i was surprised to hear.

So, can this movie holds up to bring back the experience of Goosebumps, or is this movie made me ripping my paper off? Lets find out.

The Story

Like i said before, its not an adaptation of one or more books, the story is completely different and it was pretty original. It tells about a main teenager name Zach Cooper and his mother was moved to Madison, Delaware. When he has a new home, he noticed a new neighbor name Hannah, but she lived with a mysterious author father name Mr. Shivers. Few moments later, he and his awkward friend name Champ breaks in Hannah's home to look around in the house, it turns out the house has a lot of Goosebumps books, which they're all written by R. L. Stine (who's nicknamed as Mr. Shivers). But then, these books are dangerously cursed that they accidentally unlock the books to break free any creatures from the book to make a disaster, leading with a main antagonist named Slappy the dummy who burn all these books to never come back. Its up to Zach and his friends for helping with Stine to find a way to stop the creatures in the long night.

I gotta say, the story is pretty original and creative then the TV show. However there some problem that it has nothing to do with the story like those cops that they're try to arrest or fight the creatures, but they're pretty much useless and douches. And the backstory of R. L. Stine is pretty interesting and kinda creepy about where he created all the creatures in his book it was all cursed. I mean, whats next, Stephen King vs Pennywise the clown the movie? 0_0

The productions

Since the effects of the TV show looks pretty cheap and stupid. In this movie, it was done with CGI with Sony Pictures Animation (The company who made Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs and Hotel Transylvanian). The CG background looks nice with disaster town. Plus the design of the creatures are mix, some that are look good and others that either ugly or even something straight out of video game. And the effects of Slappy looks pretty that i think it was done with animatronic. Or you think it was done with computer.

The characters

I gotta say, the characters seems to be good and some that are annoying or stupid. Despite that it has a cliche of no one cares about the monsters are real that the kid noticed it.

First is Zach Cooper (played by Dylan Minnette), this kid may or may not have a personality which he's an ordinary teenager, but i think Dylan did a nice work of his character. Even though i never heard of Dylan. ^^;

Next up is R. L. Stine, the author of Goosebumps (played by of course, Jack Black), at first, i though he's a bad guy to never let Zach dates with Hannah, but i was wrong. It turns out the he's the author who wrote the books that are cursed. I gotta say, i like R. L. Stine's character, because not only Jack Black, but also tells something how dangerous these books are.

Then there's the main antagonist, Slappy the dummy (also played Jack black), a living dummy in Goosebumps book called "Night of the living dummy" (even though i haven't read the book. ^^;), i gotta say, he's like a Goosebumps version of The Joker, with a similar voice and even plan to taking over the town. so, don't call him a "Dummy", or he's gonna scare the S*** at of you.

Then, we have another kid name Champ (played by Ryan Lee), this kid is not a likable character that i find him awkward and annoying. Despite he's often bullied. I know he's trying to be a comic relief, but i find him doesn't work....

Finally there's Hannah, (played by an Israeli-American actress named Odeya Rush) i gotta say, she's also an interesting girl, but i don't wanna explain about her, because of spoiler.

And don't expect about the cops, they're nothing but douches as i mentioned before.

And now for my final opinion of the film.

Overall, Goosebumps the movie is an interesting movie. Not bad, but interesting with pretty original story, good acting and some ok effects. Even though its a comedy movie, i find that some jokes that i did laugh, but some is not easy. Plus, i was screamed in a cinema from the jumpscare out of nowhere. I mean, i was easily feel nervous from a build-up horror that i think myself "Oh god, the jumpscares is coming... 8C". And don't worry, i was never walk away, i was just sit still in the theater. Plus i watched on the 3D, i was little bit disappointed that i wanted to watch the traditional one, but im ok for it. Despite the 3D effects is just like a cardboard cut-out. Even though it suffered with a mixed bag CG work and some unlikable characters. If you love Goosebumps or Jack Black go watch it. If you don't, i suggest you should find the books, because they're classic and fun for reading.

I give this movie 8/10.

So this ends of my review, if you have your opinion or suggestions, send me a comments bellow.

Thanks for reading, im Anthony, signing out. ;)