Carved

Seeing something like this makes your expectations hit zero. I just wanted a dumb fun horror flick for the evening and I kind of got that actually. There is a lot to be desired in terms of it being a good movie and I actually think it goes down 2 bad rabbits holes for itself but this is a kill count movie, it´s all about killing and that's it. Also seeing this is based on a short, it would probably work better if it stayed that way.

A chemical spill hits a pumpkin field and a killer pumpkin awakes seeing how we treat pumpkins around Halloween.

One of the big mistakes this movie makes it making me hate the main characters later and actually gain too much sympathy for the monster. I understand the desire to want to create a more complex creature but I turn into team pumpkin late into the movie with our main characters turning sadist in the worst way possible. I am supposed to be on the humans side, why are you making me hate them? I don´t know if it was intentional or not which is also a problem. Either the creator is more heartless than me or I was supposed to hate the humans all along.

I liked the overall idea and concept. It´s fun and having g a killer pumpkin feels different and it´s motivation makes sense to me. Overall a fun designed well-made creature from a movie like this!

The effects however are a bit off. Clearly the greenscreen and effects team didn´t have that much to work with and the sparingly looks at the monster makes sense and makes you reminisce of older monster movies where you would built up the reveal of the killer. Here it´s more of a limitation issue and it shows.

The movie can feel a bit Kiddish. A bit low brow, overexplaining elements, having romance for no reason having over acting characters. It´s clearly a Stranger Things(2026-now) vibe to it for better and worst. This is a horror comedy according to the cover so I guess the more loss tone fits. The comedy isn´t that good though.

This movie has too many characters for what it is. Everyone seem to have quirk and be important but the movie has no time to set them up enough for us to care that much. It even dares to try to have great emotional beats and plotlines with surface levelled characters and that is the second great flaw the movie has.

Is this a good movie? Not really but it was fun enough and the overall concept and idea I was a fan of. I think it deserved to be remade a bit better since I liked the concept that much, but the lack of character in a movie that wants it and the cowards way of calling your movie horror comedy because some things didn´t land that well makes the movie fall into the worse category.

It's 1993 Halloween. Cedar Creek Pioneer Village is a historical re-enactment theme park in Maine. The locals have already survived a nuclear accident. Now they have to battle a rampaging mutant pumpkin.

This is Hulu doing a bit of horror camp. The camp isn't actually funny. It's the kind of movie that has Chris Elliott doing a weird character that doesn't generate any laughs. There are a couple of moments where one can see the attempt at comedy. None of them pan out. Also, it's a weak horror with a CGI pumpkin monster that don't always look good. The escape from the barn is almost thrilling. It's the best section until the kid loses the keys into the vent. The annoying kid is one of my least favorite horror tropes. This one kills any chance for enjoyment.

Is this great? No.

Is it worth the low rating it has? Also, no!

The humor is ok, nothing great. There are a few times a chuckled a little, but nothing noteworthy. The special effects are ok for what this movie is. Cmon it was made for hulu, it isn't going to be an A24 movie. It is a decently fun popcorn creature feature with slasher elements.

The cast is decent, it was nice seeing DJ Qualls again, and he puts in a solid performance. I didn't much care for the main girl, but it is what it is. It has some fun kills and at the end of the day it is a movie about a killer pumpkin. What were you expecting?!

Carved is an ultra cheesy attempt to exploit our love for any type of holiday related horror.

But it's kind of mid.

It has it's moments.

And a certain charm.

With filmmaker Justin Harding at least taking a stab at making a cool monster, using traditional effects (though CGI is used at parts).

It's got some good laughs.

And a few instances of sweet gore.

But you can tell it's been tailored toward teenagers, with it's childish humour.

The crux of the plot revolves around a chemical spill in a small town, that has saturated the local farmland, and caused pumpkins to mutate into sentient, spider-like beasts.

Though, they aren't exactly malevolent creatures, per se.

Just loving parents that will resort to murder when they feel their family and friends are threatened.

They say two wrongs don't make a right.

But here, it seems one massacre makes up for another.

In the end, it's entertaining enough to keep you engaged.

Just not in a way that is particularly memorable.

4 out of 10.

Look, this is a great throwback to camp. I think people were expecting some deep, thought provoking dialogue, based on the reviews. What this is, is a homage to some the the best worst horror movies. Think, Killer Clowns from Outer Space, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, The Blob, CHUD! I went into this figuring it would be a "B Movie", and it did NOT disappoint. Everyone thinks they're a critica. This movie isn't for everyone, especially if you take yourself way too serious and lack imagination or wonder. If you want some good, old fashioned B cinema, this will satisfy your cravings. If not, try something like Evil Dead.