No, this feels more like one of the several bland, lifeless comedies he has produced for Netflix (and what do you know, it is currently available on Netflix). . “The Curse of Bridge Hollow” is set in a picturesque New England village where a variety of ghostly mischiefs disrupt the sense of security, and it might exist in the same fictional universe as “Hubie Halloween.” It seems as though Lauren Lapkus and Rob Riggle had simply strolled over from another set to play their customary one-note supporting roles. It’s all depressingly familiar and all too familiar.
As Sydney, a 14-year-old who recently moved with her parents (Marlon Wayans and Kelly Rowland) from Brooklyn to historic Bridge Hollow as October 31 draws near, Priah Ferguson is limited in what she can accomplish. As Erica, Lucas’ younger sister, Ferguson has been a no-nonsense scene-stealer for “Stranger Things” for the past couple of seasons. As she tries to persuade her father those odd things are afoot an idea that he rejects since he is a high school science teacher who solely believes in science she uses a similar unflappable tone here. Wayans uses the term “science” so frequently that it might be considered a drinking game, except that you would be unconscious by the first act’s conclusion.
The movie is directed by Jeff Wadlow (“Truth or Dare,” “Fantasy Island”) and is based on a storyline by Todd Berger and Robert Rugan. It doesn’t have a compelling narrative; instead, it alternates between exposition dumps and shrill set pieces. Characters stand around and converse with one another, giving explanations for matters like why the family came here amid the school year and the identity of Stingy Jack, the man behind the yearly Halloween celebration. Lapkus, as the town’s mayor (or rather, mayah), even has Stingy Jack’s reputation sewn onto her jumper while speaking with an absurdly thick New England accent.
Riggle explains to Wayans’ persona as the family’s overly friendly next-door neighbor that this is the type of neighborhood where everyone goes all out on their Halloween decorations. In case you were still unsure where the movie is set, he wore a Tom Brady jersey when we first met him. The town’s history is further explained by Sydney’s eccentric new high school buddies as they are all awkwardly gathered at a graveyard. While everything is going on, Rowland is given only one subject to discuss: her passion for baking vegan and gluten-free treats. This running joke is never amusing and doesn’t even have a satisfying ending.
So when Sydney investigates her old home shortly after moving in to show that it’s haunted, she unintentionally frees an old soul that had been imprisoned in her attic. (The previous owner dared to leave a tonne of scrapbooks and eerie objects up there.) The zombies, witches, spiders, and clowns who have been quietly inhabiting the front yards of the inhabitants for the last month now become possessed by an evil, red light that quickly spreads over Bridge Hollow. If this seems familiar, the storyline of “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” involves Halloween decorations coming to life and causing mayhem.
Moving on, there will be a lot of screaming and fleeing as the oppressive horror music will play nonstop. There are a lot of pointless jump scares and some very tacky special effects. But should you accidentally stumble onto “The Curse of Bridge Hollow” while randomly browsing for appropriate holiday material, you have things to look forward to one humorous piece of dialogue and one great sight joke. Additionally, many blatant needle drops encourage you along the way, ranging from the Whodini hip-hop classic “Freaks Come Out at Night” to the Rockwell earworm “Somebody’s Watching Me.”
Below is the trailer for The Curse of Bridge Hollow:
