Pumpkinhead Review
There isn't really much to say about this movie as it seems to review itself. At its worst it's everything I mentioned in its sequel, Blood Wings, from being an Alien cash-in (at least in terms of what it borrows from the Xenomorph) to being a precursor to The Pet Cemetery adaptation one year prior. Plus, unlike Blood Wings, the motives for revenge play it much safer (despite still being more accessible). At its best, however, if it doesn't prove me right on what I said about even the most generic 80s movie look being aesthetically inspired with 2004's Godsend Pumpkinhead's mythology is still mildly fascinating. It almost even feels like a spiritual prequel to Wendigo (despite still calling them Indian instead of Native American Burial grounds) in that respect. Of course I'm nearly tempted to compare it to the monkey's paw but I think even Pet Cemetery is indebted to that idea. In conclusion it's not the most innovative horror movie of its decade, yet it's still memorable and good enough.