Netflix has been in the horror game for a few years now, but for this year's original crop, the streamer has firmly targeted younger audiences with its biggest Halloween offerings.
Ahead of Wendell & Wild later this month, The Curse of Bridge Hollow has now arrived with Stranger Things star Priah Ferguson in her first lead movie role. She plays Sydney, who, after her family moves to the small town of Bridge Hollow, accidentally wakes up an ancient spirit.
In a spin on the Stingy Jack tale, this version was killed by Bridge Hollow villagers centuries ago, but given a lantern by the Devil to return every Halloween to seek his revenge. As Stingy Jack brings Halloween decorations to life, Sydney teams up with her Halloween-hating father Howard (Marlon Wayans) to save the town.
With echoes of the Goosebumps movie, The Curse of Bridge Hollow effectively blends light chills with funny gags for a family-friendly horror romp. It's solely aimed at younger audiences, but it's been made by horror fans so there are plenty of nods for the adults watching.
It helps that director Jeff Wadlow keeps things moving at a rapid pace. Stingy Jack starts causing his mayhem around 20 minutes in, and what follows is succession of ghoulish set pieces, broken up by exposition dumps to keep the plot moving. None of it is particularly original, yet it's entertainingly done.
When it comes to the undead Halloween decorations, Wadlow aims for laughs over scares, unless you've got a clown phobia. If you're not a fan of Marlon Wayans, his broad humour could prove too cheesy here, but there's no denying his commitment to the sillier moments of the movie.
Priah Ferguson is the main draw and she brings her instant likeability from Erica to Sydney. Like her Stranger Things character, Sydney can be sarcastic, but there's a softer edge to Sydney who's just trying to live the life she wants and not the one her father sets out.
As with the rest of the plot, we've seen this type of strained father-daughter relationship before. The endearing connection between Wayans and Ferguson overcomes the familiarity though, even if it's a shame Sydney's mother Emily (Kelly Rowland) isn't given any depth beyond being a terrible baker.
If you want proper spooks this Halloween, The Curse of Bridge Hollow isn't the movie that's going to give you them. But if you want an undemanding and enjoyable light-hearted romp, you could do a lot worse than paying Bridge Hollow a visit.
The Curse of Bridge Hollow is available to watch now on Netflix.
