Quartile rating: 5.5/10 · 1 rating
Be careful what you wish for. With their after school junk business, best friends Sonny and Sam hope to find treasure in other people’s trash. But when cleaning out the old Stine house, they open a locked book that frees a supernatural nightmare – Slappy! Now, with the help of Sonny’s sister Sarah, they’re in a race against time to get the sinister dummy and all the creatures he’s brought to life back into the pages before he unleashes total pandemonium!
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is a fairly by-the-numbers sequel that recycles the central conceit of the original — monsters escaping from R.L. Stine's books — without the first film's novelty or the charm of having Stine himself as a central character. The plot is functional but formulaic, following a predictable arc with thin characterization. The acting from the young leads is competent but unremarkable, and the absence of Jack Black in a meaningful role is felt. Cinematography is serviceable blockbuster-family fare with nothing visually distinctive. The Halloween setting provides some seasonal fun and the creature variety keeps younger audiences engaged, but none of it feels fresh. The ending resolves things tidily but without much surprise or emotional payoff. A passable but forgettable family Halloween watch.