6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Halloween comes to life in a comedy adventure based on R.L. Stine's 400-million-selling series of books.
Starring: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Caleel Harris, Ken JeongFamily | 100% |
Comedy | 82% |
Fantasy | 69% |
Adventure | 51% |
Horror | 34% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
"Haunted Halloween," according to the film, is the first book R.L. Stine (Jack Black) ever wrote, penned when he was no older than the young teenagers who star in this film that bears the same name. Stine, as portrayed in the film, never finished the novel, which makes it a particularly dangerous book-to-life because an open-ended finale could lead anywhere, assuming one takes the time to write their own happily-ever-after, which for the devilsh dummy named Slappy means Halloween hell on Earth. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is not a direct sequel to the well received first film, which released in 2015, but it's a fun "universe" picture that toys with similar concepts and doesn't miss Jack Black in an expanded role. Director Ari Sandel (When We First Met) creates a relatively safe but generally fun family friendly adventure that's right in the Stine wheelhouse.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween was digitally photographed, reportedly at resolutions of 2.8K and 3.4K. The movie was
subsequently finished at 2K. Though an upscaled 4K UHD release, the image is quite good and offers a healthy boost in clarity and color over
the still excellent 1080p Blu-ray. The UHD delivers a texturally fruitful image that in most scenes
nearly passes for film quality and presentation. One of the best looking scenes comes right at the end, the characters assembled outside of a
red brick structure. It's very organic in appearance, tack sharp, and effortlessly detailed and clear. The characters, their clothes, and the environment
around them look strikingly rich, from the screen-dominating building to overgrown weeds and paved ground. The UHD's increase in raw definition is
not
substantial over the Blu-ray, but it is enough to take notice. General character closeups do reveal a modest increase in visibility, whether considering
intimate facial features or clothing fabrics.
The HDR10 color enhancement is where the image more obviously differentiates itself from the Blu-ray. The UHD offers a more brilliant palette. It
teeters on appearing a little too artificially bright and glossy in a few places but the improvements to depth and saturation are welcome, both in
more generalized uses (those aforementioned red bricks, natural greenery, or blue school lockers) or more interesting examples of intense color,
notably in the third act when various Halloween characters and decorations come to life. Witches with boldly green and glowing heads offer a
brilliant intensity that is more purely satisfying on HDR UHD than it is on SDR Blu-ray. Halloween oranges are more fruitfully dense and intense. Electric
blues (electricity
plays a big part in the movie) also enjoy increased dazzle. Black levels are terrific and the HDR colors help solidify flesh tones, offering a slightly more
healthy and organic shade than the Blu-ray can produce. As with the BD, noise is minimal and other source or encode issues are not readily apparent.
Unlike the companion day-and-date Blu-ray which features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, Sony's UHD release of Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is headlined by a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The extra channels within the Atmos configuration do together offer some added liveliness and immersion in the film's generally boisterous and very active sound elements. Big swirling sounds when Slappy summons some new companions in the Halloween isle at a pharmacy in chapter eight kicks off a fairly steady barrage of fluid, active, and high energy dominant sounds, with various sweeps and swoops and all sorts of chaos spilling from every channel but also traversing through the speakers with impressive ease and precision of movement. Whether taking place during a Gummy Bear attack sequence in a living room in chapter 10 or when various sound details define the chaos erupting outside in the neighborhood, the track offers a nearly endless assortment of enjoyable, rowdy effects and music that pull the listener squarely into the middle of the madness. Discrete overhead effects are not prominent, but the top end does fold nicely into the mix, adding some much appreciated depth and additional detail to score and effects alike, again particularly in that chaotic, sonically relentless third act. The track does lack thunderous bass, whether in support of music or effects, which is the only real downside. Less intense atmospheric supports bear the fruits of the added location detail, such as rustling leaves and wind and slight ominous thunder in chapter eight after Sonny, Sarah, and Sam attempt to get rid of Slappy once and for all. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and firmly planted in the center unless the location demands some light reverb.
This UHD release of Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween contains no extras on the UHD disc; all supplemental content can be found on the
bundled Blu-ray. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is, without a doubt, a superfluous sequel, but it's also proof that superfluous can be satisfyingly fun. The films sticks with tried-and-true formula but works thanks to surprisingly good characters, solid story building through the first half, and some impressive digital work and works of wonder in the third act, including a giant, living Halloween spider made of purple and black balloons. The film doesn't push any boundaries, but it's confident in its ability to entertain, which is does from beginning to end. Sony's UHD delivers impressive 4K video, a fine Atmos soundtrack, and a nice little collection of extras. Recommended.
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