Things that go bump in the night are let loose in a small town in this junior comedy horror based on RL Stine’s popular young adult books.
When teen Zach (Minnette) moves from the city with his mum, he discovers that their new neighbours are pretty Hannah (Rush) and her grim-faced dad (Black). In a neat twist, it turns out he is Stine himself, and his Goosebump books are actually traps for all the nasty creatures he has hunted over the years. Unfortunately, Zach accidentally opens a manuscript and releases a monster, and it’s not long before nasty garden gnomes, a snarling werewolf, the abominable snowman and the meanest ventriloquist’s dummy you’ll ever meet are rampaging about.
Packed with terrific special effects and scares that will make kids jump but won’t (hopefully) give them nightmares, this is a fun adventure that lets its monsters come out to play and take centre stage. While Minnette and Rush are a cute couple (and there’s a dorky sidekick, too), the show really belongs to the creatures and comic Black, who chews up the scenery with almost as much relish as the stampeding yeti and his pals. A treat for kids who want to laugh, hide behind the seat in front and get spooked out of their seats – and a really enjoyable monster movie from grown-ups, too.
Is Goosebumps suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
This is a kids’ horror movie, so is not recommended for very young children or those easily frightened. It is more suitable for children aged 9+. Do note there is a 3D version that may seem more intense for viewers.
The creatures include a giant praying mantis, an abominable snowman, zombies, gnomes and aliens, among others. There are scenes that will make kids jump, and characters are attacked but there is no blood shown and no truly tense moments while they are being chased.
Rather than being killed, some characters are frozen.
Some children may find the evil clown frightening.
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