During spooky season movie watching, we often forget that there are more Halloween-centric films than monster and horror movies. The term family-friendly may not be in vogue today, but it is essential to remember the need for gateway scary films. No better source for that path has been Goosebumps. Writer R.L. Stine created a world of safe horror chills and thrills. Enter, R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead (no connection to the Pumpkinhead horror series) in this harmless, but thrilling little creepy tale that feels right out of the Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark wheelhouse. It will not be for hardcore horror-hounds, but there is something to admire about this little tale of things that go bump in the night.
In typical R. L. Stine fashion, we begin in media res: A mother and her two sons move from the big city to a small midwestern town, dripping with mystery. Call it formulaic, but it works. The provided backstory offers enough context to establish a semi-dysfunctional family seeking a fresh start.
The family arrives in Red Haven ahead of the town’s harvest festival, where things go awry. There is something off about this happy-go-lucky town, and 13-year-old Sam (Bean Reid) senses something is off. At the center of the weirdness is Farmer Palmer (Kevin McNulty). In addition to being the town’s purported savior, he grows prize-winning pumpkins each autumn. Following a prank by Sam where he steals Palmer’s prized pumpkin, his brother Finn (Seth Issac Johnson) attempts to return the pumpkin. However, he goes missing! To make matters worse, none of the adults, including their mom, Cassie (Kendra Anderson), even remembers Finn exists. Now, Sam, along with his neighbor Becka (Adeline Lo), must work to find Finn, as well as confront a brewing mystery in the town that stems from Palmer’s farm.
Now this movie is not a G-rated Children of the Corn or Jeepers Creepers. It does, however, prop up a serviceable adversary in the form of an anthropomorphic scarecrow (Troy James). The creature serves as a guard of Palmer’s farm. It also stands at the center of this mystery of how a small town worships the crops and harvests each autumn. This monster is far from terrifying, but it works in the context of the story as it comes to life and proceeds to give chase after Sam and Becca.
The dialogue in the film is at times ropey. The emphasis on this being a middle-school-esque adventure limits any real stakes or danger facing Sam and Becca, or even Finn. It is an overly sanitized story. The sole purpose is to provide a special after-school program. It lacks serious character development beyond archetypes, but still delivers some good, wholesome, scary fun. Oh, and the Halloween trappings are on full display. In fact, the biggest strength Pumpkinhead has going for it is the aesthetic. This movie feels like a nostalgic trip. It reminds me of the Disney Channel era of Halloweentown or even the classic Goosebumps episodes. Director Jem Garrard beautifully captures this vibe.
Now, I’ll confess this movie was not completely for me, but nor am I the target audience. If I had watched this in elementary or early middle school, I would have devoured it like a whole pail of trick-or-treat candy. For us horror fanatics, this one is relatively toothless. Still, we can admire the simplicity of the story and the warm sense of nostalgia it brings. Further, its purpose as a cozy little scary movie serves as an excellent door opener to future horror fans, and that is something worth celebrating.
R.L. Stine’s Pumpkinhead is currently available to stream exclusively on Tubi.
we can admire the simplicity of the story and the warm sense of nostalgia it brings. Further, its purpose as a cozy little scary movie serves as an excellent door opener to future horror fans, and that is something worth celebrating.
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GVN Rating
Writing & podcasting, for the love of movies.
His Letterboxd Favorites: The Dark Knight, Halloween, Jaws & Revenge of The Sith.
