Goosebumps

It’s admirable to see the power of books and the written word play such valuable roles in Goosebumps, which is sort of adapted from the teenage horror book series by R.L. Stine.

However, a more thoughtful reworking of the source material could have promoted reading and imagination among teens, while this attempt emphasizes constant mayhem and widespread destruction in a frenetic effort to promote an amusement-park mentality.

Instead of adapting one book among dozens, the film attempts to incorporate them all into this tale about Zach (Dylan Minnette), who’s apprehensive about moving to a new city with his widowed mom (Amy Ryan). His spirits are lifted when he meets Hannah (Odeya Rush), the pretty girl next door.

Then the obstacle for Zach becomes Hannah’s overbearing father (Jack Black), who warns Zach against visiting their house. As it turns out, that father is Stine, and the reason for his demand has to do with his Goosebumps books, which have monsters trapped inside their pages.

It isn’t long before Zach’s curiosity leads him to defy the author and inadvertently unleash the creatures – from demented garden gnomes to a menacing mantis – from their manuscripts. Things spiral out of control from there as the malevolent villains relish their freedom.

There are some familiar themes at work here, dealing with the new kid in school and suburban teenage angst. The way the mischievous students bond during their bizarre adventure amid a string of eccentric adults even recalls kid-friendly throwbacks like The Goonies.

Yet the teens generally lack charisma, and although Black is fun to watch, the film only comes alive when the monsters do, since they’re the most interesting characters.

It’s all whipped into a slick and hyperactive package by director Rob Letterman (Gulliver’s Travels), who is counting on the short-attention span of his target audience with the constant barrage of perilous action set pieces.

Still, the film’s playful spirit is more amusing than scary, as the screenplay doesn’t explore the link between the psychological demons of the human characters and the nightmarish manifestation of the monsters with much depth. In other words, there’s not much substance beneath the spectacle.

While fans of the books might appreciate a new perspective on the material, Goosebumps struggles to find a consistent tone and might ultimately be caught between demographics.

Rated PG, 103 minutes.