Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is currently streaming in Australia on Stan, and in the US on Netflix, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 1,641 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Jeremy Ray Taylor — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Stan.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is worth clearing space for. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. 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! Jeremy Ray Taylor and Madison Iseman lead a cast that never overplays a joke. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween came out in 2018. Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Jeremy Ray Taylor sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.