Spirit Halloween: The Movie review

Stranger Things probably ruined the plucky pre-teens battling the supernatural horror subgenre for subsequent filmmakers and showrunners. With the Netflix series still in accepting no challengers mode, it’s hard for a film to make much of a memorable impact. Admittedly, Spirit Halloween isn’t even much of a contender.

It’s lacking in genuine thrills, convincing performances and all around has a hokey, cheesy presentation. At least it’s got a savvy and timely release coinciding with a plethora of Spirit Halloween shops popping up just in time for Halloween.

Jake (Donovan Colan) is facing some sad truths. His BFF, Carson (Dylan Martin Frankel) is outgrowing their annual tradition of going trick or treating. Not that Halloween has been the same since Jake’s father died either.

Screenwriter Billie Bates puts Jake’s mother, Sue (Rachael Leigh Cook, He’s All That), in a weird light as she’s seemingly moved on and remarried with no problem. Not surprisingly, Jake isn’t enamored with his new stepfather or much younger stepsister, Joanie (Billie Roy). Joanie doesn’t help much with the passage of time as she expresses her condolences to Jake for his father dying. Did all this happen last month?

No matter. The real issue is Jake wants something to stay consistent like going out on Halloween with Carson and the third member of their triumvirate Bo (Jaiden J. Smith). While the smallest and seemingly the youngest of the trio, Bo seems the most well-adjusted and sensible. And he’s got the good sense not to crush on Carson’s high school age sister, Kate (Marissa Reyes), unlike Jake.

With Carson wanting to hang out and crash a high school party, Jake gets desperate and suggests they spend the night at the Spirit Halloween. Maybe the most terrifying aspect of the film is the pop-up shop took over an abandoned children’s institute — RIP Toys R Us.

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Goofing off at the store after hours is fun for the boys for a bit, but they quickly realize they’re not the only inhabitants of the store. There’s the evil presence of the miserable Alex Windsor (Christopher Lloyd), the grump who built up most of the town. Alex had an incident with a witch and mysteriously vanished. Now his spirit is back to torment Jake and his pals.

Torment is probably too strong a word. Lightly harass is more fitting as Director David Poag keeps the scares and suspense to a minimum. Not that Spirit Halloween needs to have dismembered bodies and buckets of blood, but the setting of a closed one-level storefront isn’t all that suspenseful. Eventually, Kate shows up to provide some competence as the boys scream and run without much effect.

Along with Lloyd, Cook is the semi-name for the film although she’s largely stuck on the outside of all the action. Marla Gibbs also has an extended cameo, which at least has a decent payoff.

These kinds of kids thrill films hinge on convincing performances from the cast. Think Goonies or Stranger Things before the kids aged 10 years in between seasons. Smith and Reyes do the heavy lifting on the acting front and genuinely come off like their characters instead of…awkwardly…reading…from a script.

Special effects are decent and there’s some adequate very young jump scares.

Spirit Halloween also benefits from a brisk runtime of only 73 minutes. There’s only so much the premise allows, but Poag smartly didn’t try to extend it longer than necessary.

This is recommended only for audiences who haven’t aged up to the point of watching Elle and her gang. It’s not a lengthy diversion but should keep their attention until the final credits.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10

Photo Credit: Strike Back Studios