What is Carved about? Hulu’s “gross” new horror movie explained
HuluAs Hulu prepares for its annual Halloween celebrations, one horror movie has stood out from the crowd – but what is Carved actually about?
‘Tis the season to get spooky and rewatch all the best horror movies of all time, with 2024 adding smash hits like Longlegs and Smile 2 to the list.
Now we’re officially counting down to Halloween, Hulu’s “Huluween” month has already kicked off, but its most hyped new movie might have only just dropped.
Horror comedy Carved is the latest title to join the streaming service‘s line-up… but what’s it about, and is it even worth watching?
Carved is a Halloween outing gone wrong
Carved follows a group of friends who get trapped in a Halloween reenactment village, and must face off against a villain – who is also a pumpkin – trying to take them down.
The official synopsis reads: “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.”
Following a similar idea of drama developing over Halloween night like in Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus, there’s a more gruesome villain on the scene who feels a little less family-friendly.
While the movie has been billed as a horror-comedy, our sentient pumpkin sprouts deadly roots through its eyes, ripping the heads off of anyone in his path. But will the pluck gang survive?
Who’s in the Carved cast?
While there aren’t as many well-known faces, Elvis Nolasco, DJ Qualls, and Jackson Kelly lead the cast of Carved.
The full cast list is as follows:
- 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
Justin Harding is on board as the director, with the premise coming from the short story of the same name. Harding wrote the script for the feature film alongside Cheryl Meyer.
Is Carved any good?
Essentially, you can expect Carved to deliver the exact vibe you’d expect. There’s no official Rotten Tomatoes score, but reviews agree on a middling yet “gross” reaction.
HuluNathaniel Muir at AIPT described it as “gross,” and wrote: “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 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,” Bee Dolores from B-Sides & Badlands agreed.
Karina Adelgaard at Heaven of Horror added: “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.”
Carved is on Hulu now. For more, check out the best horror movies for kids, the 5 scariest movies based on true stories, and the best horror anime to watch this Halloween. You can also check out new movies streaming this month.