"Monster Summer" is a juvenile joyride that draws the essence from the likes of "The Hardy Boys" and "Goosebumps". Featuring Mason Thames, amusingly known for “The Black Phone”, the film presents Thames caught up in gentler danger as a suspecting young resident of Martha’s Vineyard. The film brushes a suave layer of supernatural suspense while being adequate fun for its young audiences, bringing on board senior cast members Mel Gibson, Lorraine Bracco, and Kevin James. The film satisfies with its pleasant formula rather than falling flat as another bland addition. The feature, earlier titled as “The Boys of Summer” by Pastime Pictures, was released in U.S. theaters on Oct. 4.
In the film, Noah (Mason Thames), an aspirant journalist inspired by his deceased, globe-trotter father, yearns to get an article published in the local newspaper. However, the seasoned editor, who only approves tourist-friendly content, disapproves Noah’s amateur probe into lurid local chronicles. Noah's summer gradually unveils a trail of oddities which ring alarm bells for him. The mysterious cases of missing children being found physically unharmed but eerily withdrawn strike closer to home after his friend Ben's disappearance. Noah's suspicions surround the oddball Miss Halverson, a recent guest at his mother’s bread and breakfast, reviled for her witchy extravagance. Noah finds an unexpected accomplice in Gene, a recluse with a tragic past.
"Monster Summer", set in 1997, brings back the lustrous tomfoolery of “The Goonies”, “Stand by Me” and the like. The fright-effects are subtly hinted until the last 30 minutes of the movie, when Noah's suspicions are vindicated, although his deductions about the precise source of the evil are slightly off. The fantasy elements that surface maintain a kid-friendly vibe, more like a Hansel and Gretel-esque than a graphical nightmare.
Thames shines as a captivating lead, while Gibson, though stuck with some hackneyed lines, delivers a comfortable walk-through performance. Despite some cheesy dialogue and a slightly overt sentimental ending, director David Henrie, a former child actor, manages to gloss over the weak points with professionalism, a balanced tone, and canny cinematography.
