Carved is a reminder that there is more to Halloween movies than scares. It is just as important to inject some fun. The plot follows a group of friends who are trapped in a Halloween reenactment village. Their tormentor? A vengeful pumpkin who will stop at nothing to make sure they get to every person that has wronged them.
Though it is listed as a comedy-horror, there is little in the way of actual jokes. Carved is much closer to a slasher, with the main laughs coming from the fact that the Big Bad is a walking stalking fruit. Early on, one of the characters mentions the ridiculousness of being chased by a killer pumpkin, but that is it. Obviously they are all scared, but everyone excepts what is after them.
This allows the film to lean into its wackiness through more conventional B-horror means. The kills are wild with the sentient pumpkin having a preference for beheading its victims. Carved is a gory watch that graphically shows most of the deaths. The climax is an especially messy one that seems everyone involved covered in the aftermath.
The over the top nature of Carved makes it a perfect Halloween watch for the entire family. The big drawbacks for parents will be some light drug use and an overreliance on F-bombs. The characters could have been stronger, but they always can be in this type of movie. There are not as many Halloween-centric movies as one would think and this makes a fantastic addition.
Carved premieres on Hulu as part of Huluween October 21.
