Goosebumps

So before I get into the juicy details, I just want to say as a fellow writer, I wrote a story just like this except the plot was more awesome and less ridiculous than Jack Black seems to make it. I have to admit: Before watching this movie, I was a little skeptical because of what was already going through my head, but the movie started in a way that Tim Burton might have made his movies and it wasn't that bad. Goosebumps starts with young Zach (Dylan Minnette) and his mother moving to Madison, Delaware for a brand new start in order to recover from the father's/husband's recent passing. From there, it just seemed a little rushed, but who wouldn't in a movie like this? There are so many twists and turns from there on out that I'm surprised that R.L. Stine didn't help write/produce this movie, and that's saying something, because he used to be one of my all time favorite writers. Besides the acting being a little over done and the forced humor, things in Goosebumps are not so bad. Zach was just trying to make friends with the girl next door, but didn't realize that her father was the infamous R.L. Stine (Jack Black [still wondering why R.L. Stine did not play his own character, but he did make an appearance]), and he seems a little bit cuckoo, but Zach soon understands his insanity until he makes his way into Stine's house and uncovers all of his manuscripts for all the Goosebumps books ever written and for some weird reason, they're all locked. It's not until that he unlocks one book when all hell breaks loose. I have to admit some of the CGI in this movie is not that bad. I'm just a little upset that they made Slappy a little less creepy than what I remember from the Goosebumps TV show, but I give props for making the zombies look really cool. This movie does keep the audience on their toes due to the intensity with all the monsters trying to get to Stine, and it's not that bad, but it's not that great. I do have to admit that even though the humor was forced, I have to laugh at the comparison that Zach made between R.L. Stine and Stephen King. If you are into the whole fantasy kind of like movie then you should check out this movie. If not, it's definitely a good little thriller for the entire family.

*Rated PG for scary and intense creature action and images and for some rude humor.

My Rating: C+ (I really did try and keep my own bias opinion out of my head while I was watching this)