With Fall upon us; on this all manner of supernatural horror movies and TV shows are merging on television as well as theaters to provide spooky seasonal content for viewers eager for new thrills and chills.
“Monster Summer” is a new entry that slid below the radar for the most part as it tells the tale of a New England town that is plagued by a Witch who takes advantage of an abundance of youths during a seasonal baseball league.
When their friend begins acting strangely after a reported attack by an unusual entity, aspiring reporter Noah (Mason Thames) finds help in an unlikely source with Gene (Mel Gibson), who is a retired police officer dealing with his own traumas following the abduction of his son years earlier.
While not convinced of a supernatural threat, Gene does begin to realize something is not right in their community and soon embarks on a crusade with Noah and his friends to save the day.
While much of the film is clearly aimed at a teen audience, the late 90s; and early 2000s setting of the film is established by the naming of a particular MLB player during the time that he played for the area team. While the film is not graphically violent or intense on the levels that horror fans would expect; it did bring to mind the Goosebumps series in that it did provide a level of danger that certainly was not for small children and was very much one where the main characters were in serious peril.
The film was more engaging than I initially expected and Gibson brought an elevated presence to the production that one might not have otherwise expected for a film of this type.
In the end; the movie exceeded expectations and delivered and entertaining and effective tale that is perfect for younger viewers looking for some scares without the darker content associated with more mature offerings in the genre; yet does so in a way that the entire family and viewers of all ages can enjoy.
3 stars out of 5
