With a friend telling me that her daughter is a big fan of the first Goosebumps movie,I quietly started to hope that a second one would be made. Looking for a flick to watch with her and the kids before X-Mas,I was thrilled to find the second one on DVD, which led to me turning the pages of this new Goosebumps.
View on the film:
Whilst ending with a delightful 30 minute mad-dash "greatest hits" final similar to the first film, the screenplay by the returning Rob Lieber and Darren Lemke displays a more focused approach here,with the choice to have the film be largely based around one monster (Slappy) allowing for the friendship between Sarah, Sonny and Sam to be given space. Taking over from Lieber directing the first movie, director Ari Sandel & cinematographer Barry Peterson do really well at giving this family-friendly Horror a creepy atmosphere, thanks to the stop-start puppet motions of Slappy. Bringing R. L. Stine's most famous monsters for the final, Sandel gives them a brightly animated look, which gives all the the creatures a lively vibe as they haunt the town. Facing off against Mick Wingert giving a wonderfully sinister voice to Slappy, Jeremy Ray Taylor,Madison Iseman and Caleel Harris each give very good turns as Sarah, Sonny and Sam, due them balancing the friendships between the frightful and the brave,as they fight to shake off the goosebumps.
View on the film:
Whilst ending with a delightful 30 minute mad-dash "greatest hits" final similar to the first film, the screenplay by the returning Rob Lieber and Darren Lemke displays a more focused approach here,with the choice to have the film be largely based around one monster (Slappy) allowing for the friendship between Sarah, Sonny and Sam to be given space. Taking over from Lieber directing the first movie, director Ari Sandel & cinematographer Barry Peterson do really well at giving this family-friendly Horror a creepy atmosphere, thanks to the stop-start puppet motions of Slappy. Bringing R. L. Stine's most famous monsters for the final, Sandel gives them a brightly animated look, which gives all the the creatures a lively vibe as they haunt the town. Facing off against Mick Wingert giving a wonderfully sinister voice to Slappy, Jeremy Ray Taylor,Madison Iseman and Caleel Harris each give very good turns as Sarah, Sonny and Sam, due them balancing the friendships between the frightful and the brave,as they fight to shake off the goosebumps.