6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
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: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French (Canada): DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
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.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween's 1080p Blu-ray release delivers a very strong image. Clarity is terrific, colors are bold, and blacks are deep. It's a typically great new release sourced from a digital shoot. Colors are very impressive from start to finish, with intense, very well saturated Halloween oranges and purples, richly bright and vibrant shades inside a store in chapter two, blue school lockers, variously colored clothes, and healthy flesh tones all amongst the standouts throughout the film. Black depth is terrific, with every shadowy corner or nighttime exterior featuring impressive depth and stability. Excellent character details -- faces, skin -- abound while rich and refined environmental textures, such as old woods and cobwebs as seen when Sonny and Sam enter the old, long abandoned Stine house, are exemplary. Slappy's worn textures are very nicely detailed in intimate close-ups and refined even at medium distance. Clarity is terrific across every frame; there are no soft shots or smudgy corners. Noise is kept in check and no major source or encode flaws are readily apparent. This is a top-flight Blu-ray release from Sony.
For the Blu-ray release of Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, Sony has once again left off the Dolby Atmos soundtrack found on the companion day-and-date UHD release and instead included a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 presentation. Despite the downgrade for the Blu-ray, the track is perfectly good, offering wide stage musical and effects envelopment, sound clarity, and nicely integrated surround detailing. Musical fidelity is a plus, with rich instrumental clarity and precision placement and detail along the front. Surrounds carry a modest but complimentary support. Music at a dance party in chapter four is of slight exception, presenting with immersive stage command but it lacks that last little push of aggression and depth to really make the scene come alive, even if it turns into an unexpectedly sad moment a minute later when the boisterous music gives way to sorrowful score. There are some good directional zaps and zips during Sonny's overcharged Tesla presentation in chapter seven, and various examples of sonic mayhem later in the film present with capable stage immersion, seamless movement, good clarity, and a fair, but hardly dominant, low end support. The track folds in some very nicely shaped and integrated school hallway atmospherics, blowing wind, and a few other examples of support sounds with pinpoint positioning at any, and every, locale throughout the listening area. Dialogue is flawless and enjoys modest reverberation as necessary.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween contains deleted scenes and several light featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere
digital copy code are 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 Blu-ray delivers impressive 1080p video, a good 5.1 channel lossless soundtrack, and a nice little collection of extras. Recommended, but fans should be aware that the UHD bests the Blu-ray for both video and audio presentations.
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