Disney+'s R.L. Stine adaptation Goosebumps, starring Justin Long, is a largely lifeless reimagining of the classic stories. Read on for our review.
“How do we get you to stop with this ghost nonsense?” This line, which comes relatively early on in the rebooted Disney+ and Hulu series Goosebumps, is one that feels more revealing than it perhaps intended to be. Already a lightly supernatural drama and less of a genuinely spooky series that makes the most of its origins, this proclamation further feels like it is tipping off what the story is most interested in. Specifically, it somehow attempts to channel the charm of author R.L.
What Is 'Goosebumps' About? Primarily setting itself in modern-day Port Lawrence, a fictional harbor town with plenty of secrets, we get to know a variety of young people who soon uncover something dark lurking beneath their community. Margot , James , Isabella , Lucas , and Isaiah are all well-acted enough to mostly avoid falling into what could otherwise come across as stock teen drama characters.
While there is initially some fun resemblance to the anthology style of storytelling early in the season, honing in on individual characters dealing with their own unique brand of peril, that soon gets lost in the straightforward arc of the story. It is one of those odd instances where recommending that someone watch the first handful of episodes to get a feel for it would be somewhat deceptive; unfortunately, these are the best bits, and it goes downhill from there.
If you’re looking for a more purely episodic style of storytelling, you'd be better served by watching the original series. If you want a more drawn-out teen supernatural drama, this isn’t the best version of that type of story either. The biggest problem is that, in trying to please everyone coming to the series and their respective expectations of what Goosebumps should be, this newest incarnation remains trapped in a limbo of its own creation that it can’t break free from.
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