Title Pumpkinhead 4: Blood Feud
Date 2007
Director Michael Hurst
Starring Amy Manson (Jodie Hatfield), Bradley Taylor (Ricky McCoy), Lance Henriksen (Ed Harley)
Link Pumpkinhead 4 Internet Movie Database entry
Pumpkinhead Internet Movie Database entry
Pumpkinhead 4: Blood Feud (Amazon)
Pumpkinhead (Amazon)

In the original Pumpkinhead (1988, directed by Stan Winston) Lance Henriksen played Ed Harley, a man whose son is run over and killed by city bikers. The distraught Ed visited the old crone living in the woods to get her to raise the legendary monster Pumpkinhead to avenge the boy. She warned him that there the price he had to pay for what he wanted was his soul, but he would not be deterred. Pumpkinhead was raised and started killing – with Ed experiencing each death – until Ed realised what he had done. The only way for Ed to stop Pumpkinhead before his task was done was to kill himself, which he did.

In Pumpkinhead 4: Blood Feud, Lance returns as Ed Harley, a ghost from hell who visits the main characters to warn and guide them, and deliver portentous truths (“we are what we do”) as needed. Local families the McCoys and slovenly, low-class Hatfields have been feuding for decades, since a McCoy ran over and crippled a Hatfield, Abner. Now Ricky McCoy is in love with Jodie Hatfield, and they conduct their affair in secret. During one of their trysts Ricky’s sister Sarah, their look-out, is discovered by two Hatfield brothers, who attempt to rape her, and then chase her through the woods until she falls to her death. The devastated Ricky visits Haggis, the crone, and has Pumpkinhead raised to kill all the Hatfields, except for Jodie.

While Pumpkinhead starts killing Hatfields in the most gruesome ways available (dismemberment, head in crushed in bear trap, disembowelment, and so on) the feud continues. Ed appears to Jodie and warns her that only she can stop what Ricky started. When her brothers and cousins burn down the Hatfield home Jodie saves Mom McCoy. This prompts Dad McCoy to initiate a truce with the Hatfields, and the families put their heads together to try and stop Ricky and Pumpkinhead. But not without squabbling of course. (I couldn’t help laughing when Dad Hatfield berates his sons for burning down the house to revenge the deaths of the first two Hatfield brothers. He tells them that their dead brothers would not have wanted that – but seeing that the dead ones at least indirectly caused Sarah’s death, and gave every indication of being total scum, I think they would have appreciated the house-burning.)

The final scenes take place in the Hatfield house in which both families have gathered seeking a way out of the situation. As Pumpkinhead rampages through the house killing whoever opposes him, Jodie has to do the hardest thing there is, as Ed puts it.

Well, the film passes the time though it’s ultimately forgettable. The story of the feuding family adds a new twist to the tale, and although the acting leaves much to be desired – especially that by the actress playing Jodie – I guess the movie delivers the guts and gore horror fans expect. I watched it because Lance Henriksen is in it. He’s been in too many very crap movies, but he’s aways watchable. And that voice … Final verdict: for the Henriksen completist. Rather watch the first Pumpkinhead again.

Look out for the big McCoy with the beard. The only other acting this bad I have come across is the typical American dubbing of 70s Hong Kong movies. This guy talks and laughs exactly like whoever provided the heavy gweilo voice for many of those movies.