A Review of Goosebumps: Between Mystery and the Festival of Fantastic Creatures

What we call acquired taste are those flavors that we need to learn to appreciate, like tofu, pickled anchovies, or sauerkraut. And if you’re not a fan of Jack Black, perhaps Goosebumps – Monsters and Scares isn’t the ideal movie for your taste.

A Mysterious Plot with a Youthful Touch

In the film, Jack Black plays a mysterious and grumpy guy who lives in a house that no one can enter, and where his teenage daughter is trapped, not allowed to leave. Like any controlling father, he tries to impose his limits, but the arrival of a new family next door changes that dynamic.

The boy who moves into the house next door is nice, kind, and soon starts flirting with Jack Black’s character’s daughter. Curious about the mystery surrounding the neighboring house, he decides to investigate what is inside it. The discovery? A collection of books that, when opened, release a swarm of fantastic creatures, ready to cause chaos in the city.

The Goosebumps Books and the Magic of Children’s Horror

Goosebumps is a very well-known series in the United States, having sold hundreds of millions of copies. The stories, such as The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena, are classics of children’s horror. In the film, Jack Black plays the writer R.L. Stine, who is the true author of these works.

But the film does not have a biographical focus. The first part is a light and charming youth adventure that captures the atmosphere of the 80s, something many films have tried to reproduce, but which this one achieves naturally.

When the Creatures Are Released: The Graphics Festival

In the second part, when the creatures are unleashed, the film transforms into a visual spectacle, with many special effects. The fantastic creatures are led by a psychotic ventriloquist dummy, Slappy, who is the true terror of the film. By the way, all the ventriloquist dolls seem to have a touch of psychopathy, and this one is no exception.

As for Jack Black, his performance is typical: full of quirks and mannerisms that are his trademark. If you like his style, you’ll have a lot of fun with this character.

For Those Who Prefer Another Flavor of Jack Black

If you’re not a fan of Jack Black’s version in Goosebumps, I can recommend another movie that you might like more. Bernie, from 2011, directed by Richard Linklater (the same as Boyhood), is a great choice.

With Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine, and Jack Black in the lead roles, the film is full of incredible characters, many of them real, and it’s a sequence of surprises. Jack Black is at his best, tuned for a role different from what we see in Goosebumps.

So, here’s a tip: choose your Jack Black flavor and enjoy what it has to offer at its best.

Conclusion: A Film for Specific Tastes

Goosebumps – Monsters and Chills is a movie that might please those who enjoy youthful adventures with a touch of mystery and a lot of fantasy. The first part is charming and nostalgic, while the second part explodes with special effects and eccentric creatures.

If you like Jack Black’s irreverent style, you’ll find a good dose of fun here. Otherwise, it might be better to look for other options to enjoy the actor’s talent in less caricatured roles.

In any case, the film brings to light the magic of the Goosebumps books and the world of monsters and chills that marked generations, even if in a lighter and more humorous way.