'Carved' Reviews: "Carved is a reminder that there is more to Halloween movies than scares"

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

         On October 21, 2024, Hulu released 'Carved', which has earned predominantly positive reviews from critics. In the film, "When a heartbroken teenage playwright, her younger brother, and a disparate group of survivors become trapped in a historical reenactment village on Halloween night, they must band together to survive a relentless assault by a sentient and vengeful pumpkin." The ensemble cast includes Chris Elliott, DJ Qualls, Matty Cardarople, and Corey Fogelmanis. But what did the critics say?

        Nathaniel Muir of AIPT says, "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." Adding, "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."    

        Bee Delores of  B-Sides & Badlands notes, "Carved is exactly what you might expect from its premise. It’s goofy, but there’s plenty of fun to be had and carnage candy to sink your teeth into. While Harding could have pushed even further with its campiness, it’s nonetheless a hoot and a half. The characters all have inner lives, and even though many of those threads are tenuous, there’s enough emotion and backstory to evoke empathy from the audience as things escalate and spiral out of control."