In The Curse of Bridge Hollow, teenager Sydney Gordon relocates with her parents to a new town, to start a whole new chapter in their lives. The family arrive just before Halloween, where they discover the locals of Bridge Hollow love this time of year and go all-out to decorate their homes for the spooky season.
But this isn’t the only discovery they make, as Sydney soon learns that her new home maybe haunted by an ancient spirit. And when she uses a Ouija board to make contact with the afterlife, the spirit leads her to an unusual Jack o’lantern, which is hidden in the house.
However, this is no ordinary Jack o’lantern, and once it is lit, it unleashes a curse which brings to life all of the Halloween decorations in town. And with the residents of Bridge Hollow so heavily invested in the season, they soon find themselves overwhelmed by an army of crazy critters, a horde of zany zombies, and a whole cavalcade of dark decos!
Can Sydney and her father break the curse that has fallen over Bridge Hollow or are they doomed to descend into darkness? And with so many monsters roaming the streets, will they regret moving to this seemingly innocent town?
Directed by Jeff Wadlow, The Curse of Bridge Hollow stars Priah Ferguson, Marlon Wayans, and Kelly Rowland. The movie is new to Netflix from today, and is a wickedly fun, family horror-comedy, ideal for those who love Hocus Pocus (1993) or Goosebumps (2015).
The movie has a very simple premise, doesn’t take too long to get going, and revels in bringing some spooky horror to the screen, while dishing out plenty of humour in the process. Along the way it serves up some creepy monsters, lots of adventure, and the sort of Halloween hijinks that kids will love and adults will enjoy.
Leading the movie is Priah Ferguson as Sydney and Marlon Wayans as her father, Howard. This father-daughter combo proves to be an excellent pairing and both actors effortlessly drive the story forward.
Wayans in particular is great in this film, toning down his madcap antics that some audiences will be familiar with, to give a more considered performance. Here he plays his part straight down the line, as a caring father who occasionally gets to bust loose when the moment arises.
Backing up Ferguson and Wayans are a nice ensemble of familiar faces, including the likes of Rob Riggle, John Michael Higgins, and Nia Vardalos, who drop by to provide ample support. These guys pop up for a few scenes here and there, they get to inject a bit of hilarity in the process, and they really add something to the picture.
In fact, the only actor who falls a little flat in this whole thing is Kelly Rowland who makes little to no impression. However, this is not really her fault, as she is side-lined with a thankless role and very few lines, so she does the best with the hand she is dealt.
But this little misstep aside, The Curse of Bridge Hollow is great. The movie boasts some fine special effects, conjures up the right atmosphere and tone, and is sure to bewitch and delight those looking for a bit of seasonal tomfoolery.
Now, I should mention, as with the likes of Ghostbusters (1984), Gremlins (1984), Beetlejuice (1988), and plenty of other Halloween classics that many of us grew up on, some of the monsters in this movie can be a little scary. The film does include one or two gruesome ghouls and crazy clowns with glowing red eyes, that very young kids may get frightened by.
However, if you’re kids lap up this kind of stuff, and aren’t put off by anything freaky, then The Curse of Bridge Hollow is the sort of film which is perfect for a Saturday night. Alternatively, keep it on your watchlist for October 31st, and give them something spooky to view while they are busy scoffing sweet treats and carving up pumpkins.
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