Even in my adult age, I still enjoy family Halloween flics. There are plenty of cheesy fun low budget family Halloween films out there that can have a certain charm to them. This really doesn't have too much of anything. I can handle 2nd rate teen acting but this gives off bad Disney channel vibes. The score is generic and overall makes the movie feel like a bad Nickelodeon movie. I was hoping some of the older cast was going to make it tolerable but they're written terribly and you can tell it was just a paycheck for them. It's a once watch and forget about it after. It's overall boring lacking any real substance. Your kids may dig it, but I'm even sure they'll be bored.
44 Reviews
Came for Akroyd and Chase... but a hard watch
wbsimsjr-3240524 October 2023
Many reviewers state one has to be in the 'demographic' or target range to 'get' this flick... huey! I'm a man of a certain age and love a great kids/young adult flick! I've watched many series 'targeted' for young adults and wholeheartedly loved the watch.. I watched it 2x, just in case my mood had any effect on my perspective.. Nope, it was still a stinker.. If it were 'intended' for younger viewers, the 2 main teen characters apparently weren't told or even given direction.. their performances were phoned in and just bland. I'd also have to argue and/or point out that Disney and Pixar flicks are 'intended' for young audiences, yet appeal to a much larger audience. So that defense of this flick is imo indefensible. I'd argue the production just didn't know what they wanted the film to be. It wasn't straight enough to be ironically funny, it wasn't wonkie enough to be campy, it didn't even have the bones to be carried by Akroyd and Chase. There will be some that look at it differently or see something the rest of us don't, so if you're unsure what lot you fall into You'll know within a few minutes whether it's for you or not..
Barely watchable
azepeda-7234228 October 2023
Not horrible, not good, just kind of an okay movie, which has two former great comedians in the movie. Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd used to be comedy legends and make great films, this was more of a paycheck movie for them.
The other actors are okay, once again not horrible, not good, there is a story there but it has no pacing, no great set designs, nothing original.
So why watch this movie, if you like zombie movies, then there are a lot worse movies you can watch. This is not a movie you will be thinking about for the next week, it is a "I have two hours to waste and I love zombie movies" type of movie.
The other actors are okay, once again not horrible, not good, there is a story there but it has no pacing, no great set designs, nothing original.
So why watch this movie, if you like zombie movies, then there are a lot worse movies you can watch. This is not a movie you will be thinking about for the next week, it is a "I have two hours to waste and I love zombie movies" type of movie.
Why?
chockfullanutzz7 October 2023
I love RL Stine. This was not good, even that feels like an understatement. The plot is terrible or at best terribly executed. The editing was awful. The movie skips things a bit in places. The main characters are not ones you even care to root for (why is the guy always peeing? Why do they have a sweet moment then act like enemies the next second?). The relationship between the 2 is non-existent and very inconsistent, there's no growth. Even the character by Dan Aykroyd
is just dumb- he knows what he did, doesnt seem to care then all of a sudden has a "realization"... It's just the worst RL Stine adaptation to date and the director/producer/writers should look into careers outside of film. I don't even leave reviews and had to for this one to maybe save someone else from losing an hour and a half of life to this monstrosity.
Who the hell was this film made for???
nicolasroop6 September 2023
Seriously, it was too childish for adults, yet too adult for children. It can't even decide what kind of film it even wants to be. One moment it's taking the story seriously enough to be a charming cohesive film and the next it's complete bereft of any smarts and is cringe to the max. It was baaaad. If it wasn't for those charming moments, there would have been nothing to save this film from being one of the worst ever made.
Next, lets talk about the Goosebumps vibes this film liberally uses to mask it's awfulness. I get that R L Stine created this story, but you either go full on Goosebumps and make it completely kid friendly without the swearing and blood, or ditch that all together. Felt like a cheap knock off in the end, and further confused me as to why this film exists.
I'm not even going to waste my time complaining about the fact that everybody who's supposed to be a teenager looks like they're in their 40s, including the actual teenagers. Embarrassing.
My last comments on this film will be that it is far too long. This honestly would've worked better as a special Goosebumps tv movie on Hulu or something like that. Not that it would make it anything above average, but easier to swallow than what we got. Literally, when I heard the main character say "Let's go back to the bike shop!" I almost shouted "WHAT FOR, TO WASTE MORE OF OUR TIME?!?!" at the screen.
Overall, I couldn't recommend this one. Even for those looking for a nostalgic trip into the Goosebumps days, it's still terrible. This film makes even the worst episodes look like Oscars material.
½ a simple zombie out of 5.
Next, lets talk about the Goosebumps vibes this film liberally uses to mask it's awfulness. I get that R L Stine created this story, but you either go full on Goosebumps and make it completely kid friendly without the swearing and blood, or ditch that all together. Felt like a cheap knock off in the end, and further confused me as to why this film exists.
I'm not even going to waste my time complaining about the fact that everybody who's supposed to be a teenager looks like they're in their 40s, including the actual teenagers. Embarrassing.
My last comments on this film will be that it is far too long. This honestly would've worked better as a special Goosebumps tv movie on Hulu or something like that. Not that it would make it anything above average, but easier to swallow than what we got. Literally, when I heard the main character say "Let's go back to the bike shop!" I almost shouted "WHAT FOR, TO WASTE MORE OF OUR TIME?!?!" at the screen.
Overall, I couldn't recommend this one. Even for those looking for a nostalgic trip into the Goosebumps days, it's still terrible. This film makes even the worst episodes look like Oscars material.
½ a simple zombie out of 5.
I couldn't finish it
collinsoriano12 October 2023
The acting is bad. The casting is horrible. Casting 30-year-olds trying to look and act like they are in their teens. The writing is bad. This movie is...just bad. I don't understand how movies like this get approved and gets funded. Have we just given up? Is this what movies are like now? Big budget movies have lost its touch a long time ago. And the only thing we had left was some good low budget independent films that were written well with actors, who actually fit in their roles and can act and look accordingly. 2023 and I have not seen any decent movies and it's sad. It shouldn't be that difficult if this is what you do for a living.
Zombie FLOP
imseeg8 September 2023
I got interested in watching it because Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd were starring in it. The first disappointment though was they both only have tiny supporting roles. The rest of the movie is full of B-movie actors, with little actor's chemistry or charisma. Bummer.
The realy let down though is that it fails to become funny, AT ALL. A few smirks at the start, that was all. This zombie genre has been chewed to pieces and it is quite difficult to make a really original zombie flick.
Not any good then? This shouldnt be featured in cinemas, this is sub par tv movie quality.
Nice try, but huge fail. To be avoided...
The realy let down though is that it fails to become funny, AT ALL. A few smirks at the start, that was all. This zombie genre has been chewed to pieces and it is quite difficult to make a really original zombie flick.
Not any good then? This shouldnt be featured in cinemas, this is sub par tv movie quality.
Nice try, but huge fail. To be avoided...
Viewers beware, your in for a bore.
chartier-329633 September 2023
I've always a been a big fan of R. L Stines books from Goosebumps to Fear Street and have mostly loved most adaptions of those for all their faults and all, but this one has too many problems to count.
For one thing it's very boring. With an occasional moment of something exciting happening, the movie to often resorts to characters standing around talking and explaining. For a kids movie based on a book series with such a legacy as Goosebumps, you think they would try a little harder to entertain there target audience, but it's barely putting any effort in.
It's not really funny either. An occasional moment here and there gets a laugh, but you think with talent like Dan Aykroyd, you would get something that's at least more memorable, but half the time I forget what was even going on
I say be careful listening to the reviews giving this 9 and 10 stars. It's most likely people who worked on the movie trying to make sure it does well so that it looks good on their resume.
If you like your kids, I'd suggest just introducing them to the goosebumps tv series. Watching this just might turn them into brain dead zombies.
For one thing it's very boring. With an occasional moment of something exciting happening, the movie to often resorts to characters standing around talking and explaining. For a kids movie based on a book series with such a legacy as Goosebumps, you think they would try a little harder to entertain there target audience, but it's barely putting any effort in.
It's not really funny either. An occasional moment here and there gets a laugh, but you think with talent like Dan Aykroyd, you would get something that's at least more memorable, but half the time I forget what was even going on
I say be careful listening to the reviews giving this 9 and 10 stars. It's most likely people who worked on the movie trying to make sure it does well so that it looks good on their resume.
If you like your kids, I'd suggest just introducing them to the goosebumps tv series. Watching this just might turn them into brain dead zombies.
Not Funny Or Scary
stevendbeard2 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I saw Zombie Town, starring Marlon Kazadi-Riverdale_tv, Child's Play; Madi Monroe-Attaway General_tv, Girl's Night With Madi Monroe_tv; Dan Aykroyd-the Ghostbusters movies, Tommy Boy; Henry Czerny-the Mission: Impossible movies, Ready or Not and Chevy Chase-the Hot Tub Time Machine movies, the Vacation movies.
This is a low budget movie by R. L. Stine of Goosebumps fame-he also has a cameo near the end of the movie. Marlon plays a High School kid that works at their towns' only movie theater. Henry is his boss. Marlon hates horror movies but everyone else in the town loves them. In fact, the town is named after Dan, a horror movie director that hasn't made a movie in years but he has announced he has a new movie and will premiere it in the town theater. Madi plays Marlon's crush that loves horror movies. When the movie is finally played, it turns everyone-except for Marlon, Madi and Dan-into soul sucking zombies. Yep, they don't eat brains, just suck your soul out and turn their victims into zombies, too. Marlon and Madi have to track down Dan to try and fix things and Chevy is Dan's old friend that knows things about the curse. Chevy only has a couple of scenes, one at the beginning and one at the end. I guess that it's supposed to be a funny horror movie but it's not that funny or scary. If you do happen to watch it, there are two scenes after the end credits start. One as they start and one at the very end.
It's rated PG-13 for bloody images and smoking and has a running time of 1 hour & 33 minutes.
It's not one that I would buy on DVD. I don't think it would be a good one to stream, either. If you really want to see it, I'd wait until it comes to basic tv.
This is a low budget movie by R. L. Stine of Goosebumps fame-he also has a cameo near the end of the movie. Marlon plays a High School kid that works at their towns' only movie theater. Henry is his boss. Marlon hates horror movies but everyone else in the town loves them. In fact, the town is named after Dan, a horror movie director that hasn't made a movie in years but he has announced he has a new movie and will premiere it in the town theater. Madi plays Marlon's crush that loves horror movies. When the movie is finally played, it turns everyone-except for Marlon, Madi and Dan-into soul sucking zombies. Yep, they don't eat brains, just suck your soul out and turn their victims into zombies, too. Marlon and Madi have to track down Dan to try and fix things and Chevy is Dan's old friend that knows things about the curse. Chevy only has a couple of scenes, one at the beginning and one at the end. I guess that it's supposed to be a funny horror movie but it's not that funny or scary. If you do happen to watch it, there are two scenes after the end credits start. One as they start and one at the very end.
It's rated PG-13 for bloody images and smoking and has a running time of 1 hour & 33 minutes.
It's not one that I would buy on DVD. I don't think it would be a good one to stream, either. If you really want to see it, I'd wait until it comes to basic tv.
Cringe
projectpat729889 November 2023
This is a really bad movie. It's hilarious to me how unlikable the main character is. He is totally pretentious and thinks he's better than everyone around him. This movie did the whole "nerd" gets the girl routine except he's not a nerd hes a jerk. But I've never seen it done in such a poorly done way before. The person who is supposed to be the "jerk" is actually more likable than the so called protagonist.
The rest of the movie is a tax write off. I don't mind Goosebumps I remember those fondly from back in the day. I knew to expect a childish movie but this isn't a childish movie its just a horrible movie. I can't imagine what they paid the few big names actors who are in this movie.
Usually its a meme when they say highschoolers look 30. For some strange reason in the 90s they loved casting people way too old to play highschoolers. But this movie actually does that here in 2023. LOL both the leads are actually going to turn 30 next year and are playing kids in highschool. It makes it that much worse.
The absolute greatest part of this movie is in the post credits where Dan Aykroyd gives a little goodbye speech to the cast at the finish of production. It's funny because you can just tell he knows how cringe it is that he is giving props to the makers of this movie.
The rest of the movie is a tax write off. I don't mind Goosebumps I remember those fondly from back in the day. I knew to expect a childish movie but this isn't a childish movie its just a horrible movie. I can't imagine what they paid the few big names actors who are in this movie.
Usually its a meme when they say highschoolers look 30. For some strange reason in the 90s they loved casting people way too old to play highschoolers. But this movie actually does that here in 2023. LOL both the leads are actually going to turn 30 next year and are playing kids in highschool. It makes it that much worse.
The absolute greatest part of this movie is in the post credits where Dan Aykroyd gives a little goodbye speech to the cast at the finish of production. It's funny because you can just tell he knows how cringe it is that he is giving props to the makers of this movie.
A fantastically fun kid-friendly genre effort
kannibalcorpsegrinder21 January 2024
Preparing for a massive premiere, a teen who works at a theater where the rest of the residents are obsessed with the director of the upcoming film finds himself and his friend the only ones unturned when a zombie apocalypse springs and forces them to uncover dark secrets to stop the zombies.
This was a fairly fun and generally likable genre effort. One of the finest features here is the rather involved first half that brings together the setup for what's going on quite nicely. As we're given a wholly intricate starting point that features not just the town's fascination with the director and his work but the kid's relationship with the figure who lands him in hot water with the rest of the locals at school who worship the ground he walks on for his past films, the relationship he has with the girl that paints them as the bonding couple to form a romantic friendship throughout the film, and the reasoning for what sets everything in motion, the film gets quite a few storylines out and in the mind rather quickly. Since this becomes quite heavily focused on his disdain for horror films giving him a distinct disadvantage in the situation the wilder it gets and must rely on her to help him survive the zombie plague they find themselves in. As a result of this setup, the zombie encounters are incredibly fun and frequent due to getting them out early on. With a few minor bits throughout involving his past works showing the previous zombie films in his career, it starts to pile on the encounters far more frequently after that point as the screening of the film to get the curse started is a great touch at featuring the creatures swarming the town and making them go on the run to stop them. Although the film's origins won't let them defeat the zombies for good, the idea of containing or outsmarting the creatures to get away alive still leads to a great selection of confrontations within, from the theater lobby, the streets outside the theater, or the library trying to find a way of stopping everything from happening. There are a few other rather fun scenes here in the finale where the attempts to finally bring an end to it all involve several other intriguing confrontations involving the quest to stop the creatures. As this goes along with the series of intriguing personal choices that have to be made during this section that make for a more involved and heartwarming finish to everything, this all comes together to make for a highly effective and enjoyable kid-friendly genre effort. There are a few minor drawbacks on display here. The biggest issue here is that this one manages to make no sense as to why the main character goes through a distinctly unnatural and unrealistic behavior change towards the end. As the whole film had been about trying to find a way to stop the zombies and how to prevent his friends and family from turning into them, but for no real reason he switches sides to prevent that from happening simply because of his hatred for the town. While it was established he felt that way, to do so when the resolution was presented at that particular point is wildly inconsistent which forces an unnecessary diversion to then bring him back minutes later when it all could've been ignored if it hadn't gone down that route. As well, the entire toned-down feel with the kid-friendly atmosphere not allowing any of the usual genre thrills by default that some might find fault with even though it's not a genuine flaw here.
Rated PG-13: Violence and Language.
This was a fairly fun and generally likable genre effort. One of the finest features here is the rather involved first half that brings together the setup for what's going on quite nicely. As we're given a wholly intricate starting point that features not just the town's fascination with the director and his work but the kid's relationship with the figure who lands him in hot water with the rest of the locals at school who worship the ground he walks on for his past films, the relationship he has with the girl that paints them as the bonding couple to form a romantic friendship throughout the film, and the reasoning for what sets everything in motion, the film gets quite a few storylines out and in the mind rather quickly. Since this becomes quite heavily focused on his disdain for horror films giving him a distinct disadvantage in the situation the wilder it gets and must rely on her to help him survive the zombie plague they find themselves in. As a result of this setup, the zombie encounters are incredibly fun and frequent due to getting them out early on. With a few minor bits throughout involving his past works showing the previous zombie films in his career, it starts to pile on the encounters far more frequently after that point as the screening of the film to get the curse started is a great touch at featuring the creatures swarming the town and making them go on the run to stop them. Although the film's origins won't let them defeat the zombies for good, the idea of containing or outsmarting the creatures to get away alive still leads to a great selection of confrontations within, from the theater lobby, the streets outside the theater, or the library trying to find a way of stopping everything from happening. There are a few other rather fun scenes here in the finale where the attempts to finally bring an end to it all involve several other intriguing confrontations involving the quest to stop the creatures. As this goes along with the series of intriguing personal choices that have to be made during this section that make for a more involved and heartwarming finish to everything, this all comes together to make for a highly effective and enjoyable kid-friendly genre effort. There are a few minor drawbacks on display here. The biggest issue here is that this one manages to make no sense as to why the main character goes through a distinctly unnatural and unrealistic behavior change towards the end. As the whole film had been about trying to find a way to stop the zombies and how to prevent his friends and family from turning into them, but for no real reason he switches sides to prevent that from happening simply because of his hatred for the town. While it was established he felt that way, to do so when the resolution was presented at that particular point is wildly inconsistent which forces an unnecessary diversion to then bring him back minutes later when it all could've been ignored if it hadn't gone down that route. As well, the entire toned-down feel with the kid-friendly atmosphere not allowing any of the usual genre thrills by default that some might find fault with even though it's not a genuine flaw here.
Rated PG-13: Violence and Language.
A Not Serious Slice Of Comedy Horror
MrAwesome102228 October 2023
Zombie Town doesn't take itself seriously; it is a cheesy and sometimes self-aware comedy. At times, the script leaves a lot to be desired; however, the appearance of several comedy heavy hitters inserts a bit of fun and intrigue into the film.
Once you realize Zombie Town is a teen comedy meant for an easy watch without needing much thought, you can enjoy the film for what it is. Stars Marlon Kazadi and Madi Monroe will have long careers if they continue working at their craft.
Is Zombie Town the best comedy of all time with horror themes? No, but that shouldn't keep the right audience from enjoying it.
Real Score: 5.8.
Once you realize Zombie Town is a teen comedy meant for an easy watch without needing much thought, you can enjoy the film for what it is. Stars Marlon Kazadi and Madi Monroe will have long careers if they continue working at their craft.
Is Zombie Town the best comedy of all time with horror themes? No, but that shouldn't keep the right audience from enjoying it.
Real Score: 5.8.
A mediocre film that has some enjoyment....
PerryAtTheMovies3 September 2023
5.7/10
I was hoping that this would be a random, new gem that wasn't really advertised, but that expectation was not met. It's not that this was a terrible movie because I did enjoy myself. It just didn't hit the spot. It felt a little like a B-movie filmed by students just starting out on their filmmaking journey.
The film is described as being a comedy-horror. It definitely has its moments (limited) in how funny it actually is. A light chuckle with a snort here and there. The scare factor is really non-existent as I was caught off-guard, maybe, three times.
The acting felt non-committal. No big, or even little, shows of emotion including fear, happiness, friendship, or love. I liked the actors in their roles. They were definitely suited for them. Just believing they were in the situation and felt something for each other would've been nice.
The story is what intrigued me to check out the film. I never watched the trailer going in so the expectations were purely based on the synopsis. The way the zombies come about are different than what I have ever seen before, as well as their mannerisms, which also confused me slightly.
Overall, I didn't hate the film, but I didn't love it either. I left the theatre feeling meh. Honestly, "Community" (tv series) has done better films in thirty minutes than what this one did in ninety. The story can stay the same, but the acting needs to be better, more passionate. I can't even recommend checking this out on a cheap night as 5/8 people in my showing left before the end. I will admit, slightly, that I may not be seeing it for its full worth, and it may be a nugget, but for now it has to deal with being a middle of the road film in my eyes.
That's all for now. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!
I was hoping that this would be a random, new gem that wasn't really advertised, but that expectation was not met. It's not that this was a terrible movie because I did enjoy myself. It just didn't hit the spot. It felt a little like a B-movie filmed by students just starting out on their filmmaking journey.
The film is described as being a comedy-horror. It definitely has its moments (limited) in how funny it actually is. A light chuckle with a snort here and there. The scare factor is really non-existent as I was caught off-guard, maybe, three times.
The acting felt non-committal. No big, or even little, shows of emotion including fear, happiness, friendship, or love. I liked the actors in their roles. They were definitely suited for them. Just believing they were in the situation and felt something for each other would've been nice.
The story is what intrigued me to check out the film. I never watched the trailer going in so the expectations were purely based on the synopsis. The way the zombies come about are different than what I have ever seen before, as well as their mannerisms, which also confused me slightly.
Overall, I didn't hate the film, but I didn't love it either. I left the theatre feeling meh. Honestly, "Community" (tv series) has done better films in thirty minutes than what this one did in ninety. The story can stay the same, but the acting needs to be better, more passionate. I can't even recommend checking this out on a cheap night as 5/8 people in my showing left before the end. I will admit, slightly, that I may not be seeing it for its full worth, and it may be a nugget, but for now it has to deal with being a middle of the road film in my eyes.
That's all for now. Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Until next time.... Enjoy the show!
Zombie Fans Beware
wookiedacat9 November 2023
You see all these poor reviews, well this is another one. Listen to what most of us are telling you. This movie is really bad. It's a wannabe zombie movie straight out of Nickelodeon This is what you saw on Nick at Nite back in the day. I was dying to watch it because it has Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase and zombies. What you're left with is 2 of the main actors with no personality, no type of cohesion, no type of humor whatsoever. Like other wrote, Dan & Chevy are more of the supporting actors, which is really disappointing. This movie could of worked if they were the leads and if this movie was rated R. Don't get me started talking about the soul stealing zombies. They're lame. The only good thing is the classic tunes you hear from the soundtrack. This is a hard pass if you're an adult/zombie fan. Watch Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse if you want something similar but a whole lot better.
Could have been great
crazyjooster8 November 2023
R. L Stine and Dan Aykroyd could have made something great with their styles mixing.
Aykroyd delivery is great and the films tone is exactly what I expected. Not at all serious, a little silly and offbeat.
Thr problems start with the casting, it seems to be a given now to have the stars of the film as the worst actors/actresses in it.
I would have actually preferred them to have made the films that are within this film rather than what they made.
The sets look great, Aykroyd does what he does best. But there two main characters have zero acting skills and zero chemistry.
You are left wanting every character to die except Aykroyd.
Aykroyd delivery is great and the films tone is exactly what I expected. Not at all serious, a little silly and offbeat.
Thr problems start with the casting, it seems to be a given now to have the stars of the film as the worst actors/actresses in it.
I would have actually preferred them to have made the films that are within this film rather than what they made.
The sets look great, Aykroyd does what he does best. But there two main characters have zero acting skills and zero chemistry.
You are left wanting every character to die except Aykroyd.
Bad good bad movie
mikelpcl22 November 2023
The photography is very pretty and the pacing is nice.
Some actors are decent. Most are honestly not.
I don't know... the producers owed some favors and that's why they cast all those bad actors?
So many of them really act like amateurs. Feels like they were taken straight from a highschool production.
The script is careless (in the good sense). It doesn't take itself seriously.
Sadly, it also seems like the script was put together by some decently talented... in a single weekend.
It's all silly, incoherent and lazy.
I can't imagine this paying much money or making any money.
It doesn't feel like a work of love either.
Unless Aykroyd and Chase owed a favor to these actors' parents (except the black one), it makes no sense.
Maybe they tried to make a series B movie, a good bad movie?
But it turned out bad good bad.
Some actors are decent. Most are honestly not.
I don't know... the producers owed some favors and that's why they cast all those bad actors?
So many of them really act like amateurs. Feels like they were taken straight from a highschool production.
The script is careless (in the good sense). It doesn't take itself seriously.
Sadly, it also seems like the script was put together by some decently talented... in a single weekend.
It's all silly, incoherent and lazy.
I can't imagine this paying much money or making any money.
It doesn't feel like a work of love either.
Unless Aykroyd and Chase owed a favor to these actors' parents (except the black one), it makes no sense.
Maybe they tried to make a series B movie, a good bad movie?
But it turned out bad good bad.
Oh its a lensed story alright
lu_lou_belle8 October 2023
Someone has to employ comedians from the last century and 19 years with longer bio's than they have film credits, so there's that. It's generally lacking in anything interesting of note. Kids in the Hall alums have done better things. But obviously this wasn't geared towards adults. I just have a hard time believing it is entertaining for YA either. Yawns galore. I gotta type somemore stuff for minimum character quota. Chevy Chase gives this movie gravitas if that tells you anything. Dan Akroyd gets to vent his paranoid delusions in a healthy way. I don't know, but kids these days they just don't understand.
Tried to go for a budget Ghostbusters, and failed
stevelivesey-3718324 November 2023
Dan Ackroyd. Chevy Chase. Zombies Count me in, or so I thought.
The premise is silly. The execution is hampered by lack of budget and talent. Dan and Chevy obviously needed the cash. The acting is low level amateur dramatics.
For a so called horror movie it is not scary at all and the biggest tell tale for the discerning horror enthusiast is the PG 13 rating.....on a horror movie. No thanks. The awful remake of Black Christmas a few years back tried the same trick a few years ago and that was possibly the worst movie ever made. This is not as egregious as that film, as this is at least watchable, but still an objectively terrible movie.
The premise is silly. The execution is hampered by lack of budget and talent. Dan and Chevy obviously needed the cash. The acting is low level amateur dramatics.
For a so called horror movie it is not scary at all and the biggest tell tale for the discerning horror enthusiast is the PG 13 rating.....on a horror movie. No thanks. The awful remake of Black Christmas a few years back tried the same trick a few years ago and that was possibly the worst movie ever made. This is not as egregious as that film, as this is at least watchable, but still an objectively terrible movie.
A zombie movie for the younger audience and the family...
paul_haakonsen23 November 2023
Well, if you enjoy the works of R. L. Stine, such as "Goosebumps", then you will enjoy the 2023 movie "Zombie Town" for sure. And I will say that it is a movie that is suitable enough for a younger audience, as it is not a traditional bloody and gory zombie movie.
Initially, when I sat down to watch "Zombie Town", I was drawn in by the movie's title. I hadn't noticed the R. L. Stine part of the movie, and would perhaps have had whole other expectations to the movie, had I known it was a movie based on a Stine story. But I saw that the movie had Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase listed on the poster/cover, and thus I expected to see them as they headlined the billing. Yeah, Chevy Chase was hardly even in the movie, whereas Dan Aykroyd was, but not in an leading role. A bit disappointing.
The storyline in "Zombie Town" is pretty straight forward. A zombie-themed movie aimed at a younger audience, and thus I found the movie to be a bit bland, to be bluntly honest. I suppose it was because I was just not a part of the target audience. And I can't claim that I was particularly impressed with what writers Peter Lepeniotis, Michael Samonek, Michael Schwartz and Dean Wilkinson delivered here.
The special effects in the movie were okay. Take into consideration that it is aimed at a younger audience, so you don't have blood, gore and gruesome zombie make-up, though.
"Zombie Town", from director Peter Lepeniotis, lands on a four out of ten stars.
Initially, when I sat down to watch "Zombie Town", I was drawn in by the movie's title. I hadn't noticed the R. L. Stine part of the movie, and would perhaps have had whole other expectations to the movie, had I known it was a movie based on a Stine story. But I saw that the movie had Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase listed on the poster/cover, and thus I expected to see them as they headlined the billing. Yeah, Chevy Chase was hardly even in the movie, whereas Dan Aykroyd was, but not in an leading role. A bit disappointing.
The storyline in "Zombie Town" is pretty straight forward. A zombie-themed movie aimed at a younger audience, and thus I found the movie to be a bit bland, to be bluntly honest. I suppose it was because I was just not a part of the target audience. And I can't claim that I was particularly impressed with what writers Peter Lepeniotis, Michael Samonek, Michael Schwartz and Dean Wilkinson delivered here.
The special effects in the movie were okay. Take into consideration that it is aimed at a younger audience, so you don't have blood, gore and gruesome zombie make-up, though.
"Zombie Town", from director Peter Lepeniotis, lands on a four out of ten stars.
Meant to be Cheesey fun 🧀
bryanmartin-197597 October 2023
This film was never intended to take itself seriously. Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd worked with R. L. Stine to create a fun, young teen oriented movie. I love the nostalgic moments of the film. Parts of the movie made me miss a simpler time of being a high school kid. I love that Dan Aykroyd plays the role seriously. He knows what this flick is. It's Halloween time and there's not a lot of fun stuff , or even great stuff out there ; in part, due to the current writer strike. I'm guessing this was completed before it all started. If you approach this movie as a bit of a spoof, you'll enjoy it. If you're looking for something really scary , this isn't for you.
Nostalgia movie for young people!
keerap22 December 2023
Reminded me of my childhood watching ghostbusters - not too scary which I appreciate! Good for young people that don't need the blood guts and gore!! Real fun entertaining ride! R. L. Stine's story outline along with the ensemble cast lead by Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Henry Czreny, Bruce McCullough, Scott Thompson and newcomer Brenna Coates. The two young leads: Madi Monroe (17 million + TikTok followers) and Marlon Kazadi were both excellent. The sound track by Ryan Shore (Howard Shore's nephew) and Lawrence Gowan's title track "Zombie Hideout " were fantastic. In general, the music and songs were tremendous.
A light-hearted teen film.
tikitim-470927 October 2023
This movie is not going to be for everyone. It is on the silly side and pretty much geared for children and early teens. It isn't that scary but it does have a few comedic moments. It is lighthearted and I was kind of looking for that type of movie. It was very reminiscent of the '80s and had cues from that era including the music. On that front it was a bit sentimental and had reminded me of some of the kid films from that time frame. It had a silly plot, mediocre acting but not bad set designs for a probably low budget film. It was good to see Dan Ackroyd and Chevy Chase and even a few of the actors from the kids in the hall. That made me think it is probably a Canadian film. So for me I liked it but if you were looking for a darker scarier film with a realistic plot you might skip this. It was entertaining to me and I was glad I spent an hour and a half watching it.
It's a good time with a throwback to Night of the living dead!
tryusavarus3 September 2023
In this movie, Amy played by Madi Monroe and Mike played by Marlon Kazadi unearth a centuries-old curse when they decide to watch an exclusive film reel. The duo must track down an infamous filmmaker Len Carver played by Dan Aykroyd and navigate a town of hungry zombies to save the world.
First off I was fortunate to be apart of this movie. I was amongst a horde of zombies at the theater.
This has cast of colorful characters and black humor. A simple plot and character development. It pays homage to classic zombie movies like Night of the living dead.
The performances are good along with the directing . I do reccomend that you watch it!!
First off I was fortunate to be apart of this movie. I was amongst a horde of zombies at the theater.
This has cast of colorful characters and black humor. A simple plot and character development. It pays homage to classic zombie movies like Night of the living dead.
The performances are good along with the directing . I do reccomend that you watch it!!
Poor - Don't waste your time
Kill3rGoldfish27 November 2023
This movie is poor on every level. Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase should just retire now if this is the quality of film they are happy to put their names to. I understand that the film is targeting the older horror genre, but it completely misses the mark.
The plot lacks any kind of development. It makes it very difficult to engage with the film.
Horror/comedy it is definetly neither. Maybe a tenuous link to horror because of the "zombies". As for comedy, I don't think I even cracked a smile the entire run time.
Another major failing of the film (in my opinion) was the casting of Madi Monroe as a high school teenager. She just looked completely out of place. They should really stop casting social media "personalities" in films.
The plot lacks any kind of development. It makes it very difficult to engage with the film.
Horror/comedy it is definetly neither. Maybe a tenuous link to horror because of the "zombies". As for comedy, I don't think I even cracked a smile the entire run time.
Another major failing of the film (in my opinion) was the casting of Madi Monroe as a high school teenager. She just looked completely out of place. They should really stop casting social media "personalities" in films.
It is what it is
lluviadesol15 January 2024
It's a preteen R. L. Stine movie that's feels like an extended episode of his 90's television show "Goosebumps." If this were 1995, people wouldn't hate it so much. Not sure why viewers are expecting more?
Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd both have very small roles, and for 12 year old kids, these 80's icons are just two old men. Maybe all the bad reviews are from people who are too old to be watching preteen horror flicks?
I must admit, that girl is obnoxious, mean, and condescending, and the boy is a spinless jellyfish. Other than that, it's another mediocre Stine flim that is following the same formula as his work 30 years ago.
Chevy Chase and Dan Ackroyd both have very small roles, and for 12 year old kids, these 80's icons are just two old men. Maybe all the bad reviews are from people who are too old to be watching preteen horror flicks?
I must admit, that girl is obnoxious, mean, and condescending, and the boy is a spinless jellyfish. Other than that, it's another mediocre Stine flim that is following the same formula as his work 30 years ago.
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