The third segment in a R.L. Stine franchise is good ghostly fun and feels a little like a kid’s version of Topper. Although the two teenage ghosts in Mostly Ghostly 3: One Night in Doom House are not here to shakeup Max Doyle’s world. This last sequel has all new cast members and boasts some familiar faces in supporting roles.
Max Doyle, played by Corey Fogelmanis, (who looks remarkably like a younger Andrew Garfield) has two ghostly friends. Nicky (Blake Michael) and Tara (Olivia Ryan Stern) help Max with his magic tricks while he helps them to locate their missing parents.
Cammie (Sophie Reynolds) is Max’s girlfriend who is in a dance competition. They are, at the start of the film, the perfect couple.
Max, Nicky and Tara have had dealings with a nasty spirit named Phears (Adam Tsekhman) whom they banished to the other realm. His uncle Morgo (Danny Trejo) is angry with Phears for letting the two teenaged ghosts and Max defeat him.
Cammie needs money to enter a dance competition and Max holds a seance to make ticket money. As part of the seance, the apparition of Tara and Nicky’s housekeeper; Lulu turns up.
(On a sidenote, Morgan Fairchild plays Lulu and the performer still looks stunning and manages to make the most of a two second cameo.)
The housekeeper leaves a cryptic message about how to find the parents of the teen ghosts. Max decides to ask professional ghost hunter Simon Drake (Jamie Kennedy) for help.
Directed by Ron Oliver, who also wrote the screenplay based on R.L. Stones’ book, the film is mostly good natured fun and not scary at all. Younger viewers may find Phears disturbing looking but not much else is too terribly frightening about this family film.
The film also features real-life husband and wife Peter DeLuise and Anne Marie DeLuise as Max’s parents John and Harriet Doyle. Jaimie Kennedy is good value for money as the smarmy ghost hunter who is possessed by spirits.
Mostly Ghostly 3: One Night in Doom House is, for some odd reason, rated ‘PG’ although there is really no violence, foul language or sexual situations in the film. The ghostly goings on are also not scary by any stretch of the imagination.
Although really little kids might be freaked out by the ghost clown with long yellow teeth. This could explain the “parental guidance” guidelines.
Fogelmanis is brilliant as Max and he exudes that good natured assertion that all will be right if he just keeps trying. Kennedy makes the most of his role as ghost hunter and temporary villain.
Michael and Stern play their ghosts with a hint of mischievousness and, again, a sense of good natured fun. Reynolds manages to make Cammie the perfect match for Max.
The brilliant thing about this film is that the previous movies in the franchise do not have to be seen. “Mostly Ghostly 3” can be enjoyed as a standalone production.
There is an air of Disney about this kid’s movie. It may have to do with the fact that four actors in the film have all done Disney projects. Over and above that little coincidence, however, is the feeling of the film.
Mostly Ghostly 3: One Night in Doom House emits a Disney familial vibe. Even Phears’s appearance, which could scare the younger audience members, is played for laughs.
Despite the ‘PG’ rating this 4 star film is one that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The loss of one full star is down to the cheesy CG rats and other FX that fell just short of the mark.
“Mostly Ghostly 3” is streaming on Netflix at the moment. This is a fun one with enough familiar faces to make it even more enjoyable. Stop by and check this one out.
Mikes Film Talk 