Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) Review (Spoiler-Free)

Vern was tired of his crap.

Here's a quick one. I've got a headache.

There's a way to make horror movies for children, to make them funny, and to even make them charming. Ernest Scared Stupid almost seems to grasp at those concepts blindly by throwing in silly jokes and gags.

The last Ernest movie to be released in theaters (And you can see why), the movie stars Jim Varney as Ernest, of course, who has to defend his town against an evil troll. Sounds like the jokes write themselves, right? No. No they do not.

Cutaway gags with Ernest as other characters tend to drag on, and most other gags with Ernest tend to drag on as well. All the other Ernest movies didn't seem to have this problem, but this one does.

Despite Ernest being a bit of a tired character at this point, Eartha Kitt has a supporting role as a crazy lady who has knowledge of the trolls, playing a Dr. Loomis or a Van Helsing sort of character. Luckily, Eartha Kitt has an amazing performance in this movie, and has a bit of depth.

The child actors, I'd say are alright, but it almost seems like they're having too much fun with this movie, which can be a problem when they're supposed to be scared of the troll.

Speaking of the troll, the troll makeup and special effects are pretty good, but it's just a guy in a suit, nothing really special.

The final VERN-dict for this movie is a 6/10. If you're looking for a cheesy little movie to watch around Halloween with the kids, give this one a watch. It's not quite as trash as some people call it, but you won't get any enjoyment out of this movie watching it alone. Watch it with a good friend, have a few beers, and feel free to have fun with it.

Final Thoughts: This movie uses some leftover suits from Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Maybe I should give that one a look.