YMMV / Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween

• Fan-Preferred Cut Content: Many fans wished that the original script that had the film set in Horrorland got used instead.
• Hilarious in Hindsight:
  • In the last film, R.L. Stine hates being compared to Stephen King. Two of this film's stars, Jeremy Ray Taylor and Caleel Harris, have both been in King-related media. In Taylor's case, it helps that one of the first film's monsters is a Monster Clown that looks a lot like Pennywise. This sequel also references said Pennywise though much more explicitly.
  • Madison Iseman finally gets to appear alongside Jack Black after having turned into him in her previous Sony family film.
• It's the Same, Now It Sucks!: Quite a few people are turned off at how similar the plot of this one is to that of the first film. It doesn't help that many fans were holding out for Horrorland being the film's theme.
• Jerkass Woobie: Slappy. He only wanted a family and seem to actually want to be in Sonny and Sam's. He only used his powers to hurt bad people and never was antagonistic to the heroes until after they tried to put him to sleep.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • The witches with green jack-o-lanterns for heads are beyond creepy.
  • Slappy can come off as more scary in some scenes, particularly in the second half where he's out for vengeance and to take a the kids mother for himself.
  • The mother being turned into a dummy. The effect is very subtle, looking just as normal... except her mouth.
• Sequelitis: The film received a mixed critical reception (but audience was positive enough), whereas its predecessor was more positively-received.
  Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus: Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween offers a handful of treats for very young viewers, but compared to the entertaining original, this sequel is a ding dong to ditch.
• Tainted by the Preview: Trailers did not impress, making the film seem like a cheaper version than the original, especially since many had expected the film to focus around Horrorland.
  • Even worse, a good majority of the trailer uses Stock Footage from the first movie, suggesting that this one was done on a much lower budget and with less effort put in.
• They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: Some fans are displeased that Zack, Hannah, and Stine are not returning. Ironic, since starting with a new set of characters is very much in keeping with the books. Stine, however, returns, if in a smaller role.
  • Others were disappointed that the film replaced recognizable Goosebumps villains with generic monsters.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: One frequent criticism of the first movie was that many beloved monsters were shunted into the back. This time they are not present at all, Slappy's monster army now composed of generic monsters and living Halloween ornaments. The very few returning monsters are given given little to nothing to do.
  • The Haunted Mask does make an appearance, attaching to Walter, but proceeds to fully transform him into something resembling an ogre.
  • More than a few were sad that R.L. Stine (played by Jack Black) barely shows up throughout the movie.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: Many fans would have vastly preferred the sequel focus on the Horrorland theme park, as it was going to during the early planning stages.
  • The first half of the film closely resembles a standard Night of the Living Dummy-type plot, which is awkwardly and jarringly veered into a retread of the previous film.