Carved – Movie Review | Hulu (3/5)

CARVED on Hulu is a new horror-comedy about Halloween seen from the POV of a pumpkin. Well, not entirely, but we understand why this pumpkin is so vengeful. A horror-comedy full of wonderful practical effects. Read our full Carved movie review here!

CARVED is a new Hulu horror-comedy about a pumpkin that has become aware. And yes, don’t worry, there is a reason for this, which is part of a nice backstory. Well, not “nice” but certainly imaginative.

It’s a feature-length version of a short film, and I’m sorry to say that it shows. The first two acts worked well for me, but then there’s a lull ahead of the final act which is a shame. Still, the gorgeous practical effects and overall kitsch and campy vibe help save the experience.

Continue reading our Carved movie review below. Find it on Hulu from October 21, 2024.

A sentient and vengeful pumpkin

It seems like the perfect plot for a Halloween horror movie to have a pumpkin be the killer. And when we see a pumpkin carving contest from the POV of the pumpkin, you can understand why the need for revenge would arise.

Before we get that far, we’re introduced to the very human character of the small town that already has some difficult history. I won’t get into it here. A reporter supposedly covering the historic reenactment village made for Halloween covers that.

Anyway, among the main characters are a heartbroken teenage playwright, her younger brother, and the heartbreaker himself. We follow these three along with the other few survivors. They make up quite a diverse team fighting the pumpkin who wants them dead!

“Ripe for Revenge”

The tagline for Carved is “Ripe for Revenge” which sets the tone for this Hulu horror comedy wonderfully. This really is about the pumpkin and the trauma experienced from watching humans carve into its kin.

Overall, what Carved does so well is to create likable (or entertaining) characters while focusing on practical effects. That just makes for a solid starting point and the effects are pretty damn delicious in that yucky way perfect for horror comedy.

The cast includes Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Corey Fogelmanis (Ma), and Wyatt Lindner as the three core characters. However, the supporting cast is absolutely amazing. They may not get much screen time, but they are memorable.

From Carla Jimenez, Matty Cardarople (Stranger Things), and Jackson Kelly (Teacup) to Sasha Mason and Chris Elliott. Plus the wonderful DJ Qualls (Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities), who ends up becoming the heart of the story in many ways, along with Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur.

Also, it all begins with the reporter portrayed by Elvis Nolasco who played the title character in Mr. Crocket, another Hulu Halloween (or “Huluween”, if you will) movie released in 2024.

Watch Carved on Hulu now!

Carved was directed by Justin Harding and is based on a short film by the same name. Justin Harding also wrote and directed the short for Huluween Film Fest. For this feature film version, he teamed up with writer Cheryl Meyer.

There is a lot of good in this movie, but the final act almost resulted in a lower rating. This was when I thought this feature film felt like it should’ve been a short film. I hadn’t read up on it before watching but I wasn’t surprised when I realized that it was originally a short film.

We don’t do half ratings here at Heaven of Horror, but this is closer to 2½ than 3. The reason we drag it up to a 3 instead of down to 2 is due to the acting and the gorgeous practical effects. Also, I can imagine watching this again for Halloween another year and that’s a good sign.

Carved is out on Hulu from October 21, 2024.

Details

Director: Justin Harding
Writers: Justin Harding & Cheryl Meyer
Cast: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Corey Fogelmanis, Wyatt Lindner, Carla Jimenez, Sasha Mason, Jonah Lees, DJ Qualls, Marc-Sully Saint-Fleur, Elvis Nolasco, Matty Cardarople, Jackson Kelly, Chris Elliott