Not very good. I probably should not have seen this so soon after House with the Clock in the Walls. Mercifully, Jack Black isn't in this one much, and he's actually decent this time around.
I actually had more trouble buying Madison Iseman as a high-school student when she clearly looks 20, but this isn't a new problem for movies trying to cast high-school students. It's just a tough sell after seeing Eighth Grade not too long ago. The rest of the cast is fine.
I took my 7-yr old girl to this and she was already a fan of Goosebumps so she liked this a bunch. It was my first introduction to the series. I thought Slappy was a pretty fun villian, although I feel like the family turns on him a little too quickly. When he's taking care of bullies for you, isn't he sort of like your protector at that point? I wouldn't want him against me. Maybe it's because he laughs maniacally after EVERY SINGLE THING HE SAYS. Cuz yeah, that gets old hella fast.
Special effects are pretty good and all conjured monsters are legit scary. Those witches and walking pumpkin man gave me the willies. Emily was unfazed, which was awesome. In fact on the way out of the theatre, now that she had a taste for scary movies, she pointed out a poster with Michael Myers on it, and I had to explain how that one was for grown-ups.
Anyway, much of this movie feels like an advertisement for R.L. Stine books. It was kind of weird.
To be skipped.