Directed by Jake West
Distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Sometimes a movie has everything going for it and still drops the ball in a big way. Such is the case with Pumpkinhead: Ashes to Ashes, a direct sequel to Stan Winston’s solid 1989 creature feature that would’ve, could’ve, should’ve worked. This follow-up (which completely ignores the dreadful Blood Wings) crosses the line from disappointment into tragedy mainly because the idea has all the right fixings: Jake West, writer/director of the acclaimed Evil Aliens is at the helm, FX whiz Gary Tunnicliffe works his mojo on the monster, and Lance Henriksen reprises his role as Ed Harley. We even get that signature Gothic-twang music from the first flick. What more could a fan ask for?
Well, a budget for one. Ashes to Ashes reeks of direct-to-video cheapness (its Sci-Fi Channel premiere is sadly fitting) that could have been avoided had it not been produced back-to-back with another sequel.
For what it’s worth, it’s not a bad setup, and West makes an honest attempt to continue the story with a more grandiose approach. But the decision to shoot the sequel in Romania (an obvious budget issue) completely robs Pumpkinhead of its most vital ingredient: atmosphere. Gone is the haunting backwoods vibe so prevalant in the original, replaced by static shots of small-town Europe that fail to double for small-town America.
As for the cast, they’re a forgettable bunch. Most of the supporting players are obviously Romanian actors dubbed-in with horrendous Southern accents while Bradley remains fairly unimposing without pins in his skull. The witch, so effective in the original, is now a younger actress doing a bad impression under layers of crusty old age make-up. The only ray of sunshine comes from Henriksen, who pops up in full Jacob Marley mode to offer warnings of doom and gloom from the great beyond. And if we’re taught anything about the after-life, it’s that ghosts in fact do age.
Despite the cast and crew’s obvious devotion to the original, Ashes to Ashes hits every pitfall in the low-budget realm. It’s a damn shame, too. Had the production opted for one solid film instead of two rushed sequels, we could have wound up with something more than … well, ashes.
Special Features
Nada. Nothing. Zippo. Zilch. Donut Land.
2 out of 5
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