After accidentally killing her sister's idiot boyfriend on Hallowe'en, the brother and sister relocate to a small town to start over. A drunken hick rambling about killers and ghosts doesn't make them feel welcome. Nor do more drunken idiot teenagers playing the obligatory Hallowe'en pranks. The brother is still haunted by visions of the dead boyfriend, to the point where he even visualises being repeatedly attacked by him/ it. Even a budding romance with a gorgeous little girl can't assuage the images and voices of the dead guy seeking revenge. When their new friends start turning up dead, their faces carved like pumpkins, who's responsible? Is the dead boyfriend really still alive, or did he come back from the dead? Is it the girl's brother, slowly going insane, who killed him? Or is it the town drunk? I don't know, and I don't think the filmmakers did either, as it's never explained, and the ending makes absolutely no sense. Needless to say, the plot is rather unfocused, and the nominal leading lady (gorgeous Minka Kelly) is heartlessly, cruelly, and stupidly killed off nearly 15 minutes before the ending of the movie. It's atmospheric and moves along at a good pace, but it's also clichéd and somewhat predictable, and the unsatisfying, nonsensical ending is the film's biggest detriment.

"The Pumpkin Karver" is a rather surprising and fun modern slasher.**SPOILERS**Following a tragic Halloween accident, Lynn, (Amy Weber) and Jonathan Starks, (Michael Zara) move to a new town to forget their past. Meeting up with locals Tammy Boyles, (Minka Kelly) and her friends Amber, (Lindsey Carpenter) Connie, (Rachelle Clune) Vicki, (Briana Gerber) Joe, (Thomas Hurn) Lance, (David Austin) and A.J., (Jonathan Conrad) who are trying to prepare for a special party. As he's still being haunted by the incident from his past, where he mistakenly killed a man in self-defense wearing a Halloween mask, he begins to believe that someone wearing the same mask is following him around in town. When a series of murders around town make the others start to believe that his stories are true, the real reason is blamed on a town legend involving a spirit known as The Pumpkin Karver, and they race to stop it before it's too late.The Good News: There's actually some good stuff in this one when it counts. The film has a really impressive and unique looking killer, with a rotting pumpkin mask that actually has worms and other things sticking out of it, leaving a really great impression with it's wicked smile and twisted glare. There's also one of the greatest back-story set-ups ever, with the opening murder scene. It's one of the greatest accidental murders in the genre, coming across as a genuine, only-one-way-to-take-it accident and is actually a fun scene in it's own right, making it appear even better than just being the one great moment. The film also manages to get it's killing moments into the last half, giving that a whirlwind pace which gets the film ending on a high note. From the last forty minutes are full of fun, brutal, suspenseful action-packed moments all rolled together to make it very fun. The first attack, inside the parking lot, is a fun little mini-sequence that end on a pretty nice gore moment, the wander through the pumpkin patch has very little that doesn't work for it including a little suspense and bloody gore, and the big fight in the garage at the very end is rather interesting. There's also a really fantastic stalking sequence thrown in through the garage before it happens which gets some pretty tense moments in, a couple interesting confrontations and an incredibly interesting and original conclusion to it. It even has a really nice and sleazy scene in the middle to throw in some nudity in it as well. All of these here make the film watchable.The Bad News: This one here doesn't have that many flaws, but they are there. One of the main ones is that the film has a pretty low body-count for such a big cast. This one here manages to put up a respectable-sized amount for the actual killing, places them in an isolated location with a maniac that has a unique weapon of choice, and yet there's almost none in here outside of a couple near the middle. This one had a perfectly nice amount to knock off yet there's too many left at the end who don't get knocked off. There's also the fact that the mythology for the killer's return is a little confusingly handled, as there's a back-story given but there's no real follow-up from it to the others. The biggest flaw, though, is that there's a real slow part to get going. There's a lot going on in it, introducing all the characters in the town and then the family relationship which takes up a lot of time. Then ingraining them into the town's traditions and practices takes up a little more time, and before it's all done, there's about half the time in the film before anything happens at all. It's slow-going is made up for with it's fun second half, but the wait to get there is a little much. Otherwise, these here are the film's only flaws.The Final Verdict: An enjoyable, if somewhat flawed modern slasher that offers up at least elements of entertainment mixed in with the other facets it has. Give this a shot if interested in the more modern slashers or don't mind a slightly flawed film, otherwise heed caution with this one.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and Brief Nudity

What makes " The Pumpkin Karver" a great little film? When you can make a film of this quality for little or no money tells it all. The talent lies with the writer/director Robert Mann Jr. The Pumpkin Karver is a case study for any up an coming film maker. The late Jack Warner, of Warner Brothers Studios once said; a financial success is an artistic success. It is my understanding that the distributor" First Look" jumped all over this picture as soon as they screened it. The day the Pumpkin Karver showed up in the market place, people started buying it, renting it and enjoying it. The real win here, is for the viewer. Coming down the line soon, Robert Mann's next three films, which are in the making now, have solid budgets attached to them. They will take six months each to make, not six year; and yes, the first of the three films out will be a super Horror/thriller. Any writer/director who can take a penny and make it look like a dollar on the screen will be making films in this town for a long time to come. The secret is; to make high quality, cost effective films over and over again. Very few writer/directors can do that. Robert Mann Jr., has discovered this secret. I for one am investing in this young talents next three pictures.See you at the movies.....

The Pumpkin Karver is great Halloween fun. Robert Mann wrote and directed this film and does a superb job. It has suspense, good acting, and an interesting story line which holds you on the edge of your seat. I rented this film 3 times and just had a lot of fun inviting people over to watch it. We took turns trying to figure out who got killed next. Terrence Evans is in it and is really creepy as an old carver. If you want a have a really fun Halloween night, rent this movie. It also will make you laugh at the way some of the people get killed. It is very different than any other horror film.Phil Hern's camera work is first rate. It has a painting like quality to the photography.