Two kids named Mike and Ashley are on vacation in Cape Cod with their off-screen parents, who spend time with a salty Sea Captain that tells them stories. Do the parents know about the kid's older friend? Anyway, the Captain tells the kids a story about a lighthouse that's haunted by two ghost children who wait for their parents to return, who sadly died as well. The kids meet a kid named Edgar, who takes them to the lighthouse, and once they arrive, they find out that Edgar and his Sister Annabell are the two ghosts who haunt the lighthouse, and plan to kill the two kids so they won't be alone. The film is not only a 4-D film written by R.L. Stine, but it's directed by Joe Dante (who directed "The Gremlins" movies); and it has appearances by Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Michael McKean, Daveigh Chase and a cameo of comedy musician Weird Al Yankovic. It sounds like an awesome 4-D movie, is the film as awesome as it sounds, ON WITH THE REVIEW!
The casting is not only great, but the characters themselves are likable and well acted. Our two leads played by Matt Weinberg and Sara Paxton are not only good actors (If not great) that are suitable for their roles, but they're surprisingly not the typical kid cliches that R.L. Stine keeps writing, they're actually treated as regular kids, and are actually likable than bland and forgettable. The two ghost kids played by Bobby Edner and Daviegn Chase, despite wanting to kill our two leads so that they can become ghosts, are actually surprisingly likable and tragic characters, than just being played out as bratty villains. In fact, I actually did feel pity for them, when in other stories by Stine, we're usually not supposed to. Christopher Lloyd (Who was previously in a R.L. Stine TV Movie "When Good Ghouls Go Bad") as the salty Sea Captain, Captain Jack is really a fun and enjoyable character and performance from Lloyd, and in all honesty, I actually wish he was the main character, or at least was the person who took the kids to the lighthouse, instead of the ghost kid. Lea Thompson and Michael McKean as the ghost kids' parents, along with Weird Al Yankovic as the frighten Waiter that serves the film its final 4-D gag, really don't appear until the film has reached the ending; however, their performances are still good, despite the little screen time that they're given.
What I admire about the film is that it balances the comedy, the horror, and the drama really well. The horror aspect of the film, while not being too scary or dark, it does have a really creepy and foreboding look to it, especially when being in 4-D. The drama that involves these lonely ghosts that miss their parents, is not treated as a footnote, or is done in a really corny or melodramatic way, I once again actually felt sorry for these characters. As for the comedy, it's really fun, especially for kids. Christopher Lloyd is a riot; Michael McKean gets a funny line or two (Especially when he says "Great Scott" in the presence of Lloyd and Thompson, which of course is nod to the classic time travel trilogy "Back To The Future"); Weird Al Yankovic, despite not using his musical or real comedic talents, is still a fun cameo; the ghost kids pulling off their supernatural tricks is both freaky and funny at the same time, despite feeling a bit forced; and despite not actually experiencing it in 4-D, it does look like a really fun experience to see in a theme park theater, not just with the 3-D effects popping out at you, but (From what I read, and can get from watching this film) also using the traditional 4-D effects like air jets, buzzers, and water cannons.
While I don't think it's a masterpiece or something groundbreaking in the Theme Park 4-D attraction genre, it's still a really good simple kids film that manages to scare, but make kids laugh at the same time. On top of it, it has nice 4-D effects (Despite not looking spectacular on a computer screen, as opposed to a big screen with actual 4-D effects planted in the theater); has a great cast who really makes these characters fun and likable; has some good drama that doesn't feel forced in; is well written by R.L. Stine despite the twist being very predictable; and Joe Dante does a good job directing this movie. I'm not only glad that I saw it, but I hope it gets re-released in "Busch Gardens" or "Sea World" that way I can talk about the experience. For now, I'll just enjoy it while it is still on "YouTube".
RATING 4/5
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