REVIEW | Ryan Morrissey-Smith
- Director: Ben Sottak
- Writer: Ben Sottak
- Stars: Milly Shapiro, Shannyn Sossamon, Ajani Russell, AJ Bowen
Early on we see Pumpkin (Shapiro) collecting supplies for Halloween. Except something is definitely wrong with the world, namely that there seems to be no one left on Earth. As Pumpkin gets back to her house, she continues decorating and finally Pumpkin tries to contact anyone listening on her frequency, inviting them to spend Halloween with her. She is alone, her family is dead and she might just commit suicide so she can join them. However, this time, her invitation is answered and she gets some visitors Thalia (Sossamon), Royce (Bowen), and Wendy (Russell). At first Pumpkin is delighted to have some people to talk to but predictably these aren’t all nice people and things begin to get out of hand for Pumpkin.
For a film that doesn’t venture outside of Pumpkin’s house for very long, writer and director Sottak has created a post-apocalyptic world that feels large. Wisely he keeps the majority of the film inside the house which fits as the house is Pumpkin’s world. Of course, there are the post-apocalyptic tropes but that isn’t that big a problem because the film eventually becomes a home invasion hybrid.
Shapiro is very good as Pumpkin, playing her as a child (Pumpkin is a 16-year-old) but with the hard edge of growing up in horrible world, holding onto her childhood obsessively, whilst being the person that is required to survive in the new world. AJ Bowen plays the bristly ‘father figure’ with his own style, as you would expect whilst Russell’s Wendy is perhaps the only other person that understands Pumpkin, despite being hardened by the situations that she has had to endure. Sossamon excels as Thalia, the ‘mother’ of the group, quickly realising Pumpkin wants a family and using that to manipulate her.
Hallowarrior borrows from both its sub-genres (Home Invasion and Post-apocalyptic) so there isn’t anything particularly groundbreaking about the film but despite this, the film certainly entertains. The way it is filmed and the performances carry the film further than expected, a kind of sweet coming-of-age tone runs through the film but that is offset by Pumpkin destroying the invaders that try to take her home.
The film looks great and that includes the set design as well. Leaning heavily into the Halloween decorations was the best choice as it really brings it all together. Hallowarrior is a nice little Halloween treat.
Streaming on Shudder October 16.
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