Movie Review: Pumpkinhead (1988)

At the root of all good horror is pain. Which is exactly what Lance Henriksen's character Ed deals with in Stan Winston's Pumpkinhead. After Ed's son is killed in a freak motorcycle accident, he conjures the spirit of the 'Pumpkinhead' which can be sent after someone who has committed a raw crime against you. The young adults (whose performances are the definition of forgettable) responsible for killing his son gather in a cabin where Pumpkinhead  proceeds to kill them. Winston's vision for this movie and storytelling is quite on point. Understanding what true horror is and how to craft it well throughout a film is a task many have failed at, but it's one of the areas where Pumpkinhead succeeds. The emotional drama in this movie is quite well placed and hits home. What fails in this movie are the performances. Aside from Lance Henrisksen who is stellar, the rest of the cast flops and it becomes increasingly more apparent when the movie derails in it's third and final act. This is a fun and entertaining movie that is perfect to pop in during Halloween time. However, there is nothing really under the surface, other than a decent concept and some flushed out characters. The entertainment factor is high here and that is what saves Pumpkinhead from being a flop. To classify this movie and to critique it is difficult because it's so unconventional. The concept is a combination of wondrous originality and horror movie tropes that we've seen endless times. Pumpkinhead is fun though and it's interesting to see how much people like this movie. The special effects are great for the late eighties and that is one of the more redeeming qualities of this film. Not to mention that the beginning of the movie really does set up an interesting premise and unique storyline, but as the film progresses it spirals out of control and descends into a generic, if not dull, horror movie that is so very unoriginal. Overall, Pumpkinhead is an alright movie, but an entertaining horror film which had it stuck to the more original roots would have been a much more unique and engaging horror movie. Two stars= C+