R.L. Stine's Pumpkinhead (2025) Movie Script
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[panting]
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[screaming]
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[gasping]
[ominous chord strikes]
[screaming]
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[screaming]
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Keep it up
The night is young...
[Mom] The Killers.
[Finn] Uh...
Linkin Park?
Uh... Madonna!
Solo artist... but I'll allow it.
Uh...
Nirvana.
Uh, "O"? O... Um...
Uh...
You're running out of time!
Oh, no. Sam, help me out!
A band that starts with "O"?
It's a dumb game.
[Finn] Okay, time is up.
Come on! Oasis. Offspring.
One Direction.
Okay, smarty-pants.
I choose "flowers" as the next category.
[Finn sighs irately]
[Mom] Yeah, that's right!
Prepare to get humbled.
Oh, check it out, boys! We're here.
[Finn] "Where the harvest never ends."
Logistically impossible, but sure.
[quiet theme rises: Subdued intrigue]
[]
[Sam] Wow.
It's just like the photos, but sadder.
Dude, it's way bigger than the apartment.
We have our own rooms.
Yeah, but the city was like our backyard.
This place has...
[door thuds] -...a whole lot of nothing.
[man] Oh, hey there, folks!
Welcome... to Redhaven!
Our own little...
slice of heaven.
Sheriff Buckley, right?
Cassie. We spoke on the phone.
Please, call me Garth.
And it's nice to put a face to a name...
And a lovely one at that.
Well, thank you
for letting the movers in last week.
I can't tell you how helpful that was.
No need to thank me.
Around here, we take care of our own.
They're from our favorite deli.
Dangerous stuff.
I could finish a whole box in one sitting.
Yeah, sugar is a...
[chuckles] ...it's a sneaky thing.
These are my boys.
Uh, this is Finn, my eldest.
Whoa! That is a solid handshake.
How old are you, son?
-18, sir.
[sighing] 17.
Yeah, for, like, two more days.
And this is Sam.
You look about my daughter's age.
Becka!
I-I'm real glad y'all could make it
for the harvest festival today.
It is a big Redhaven tradition.
[sighing] Do we have to go?
Sam, we were invited.
It's okay. Of course not, son, but...
folks will sure love to welcome you.
And Mr. Palmer?
He's extra-generous to newcomers.
Trust me, you're gonna get the good stuff.
[Garth chuckles]
Hey, Becka. These are our new neighbors.
This is Cassie and Finn and Sam.
[Becka] From New York, right?
Cool.
Why'd ya leave?
Oh, uh... that's their own business, Becks.
Oh, well, we wanted a fresh start,
and we heard all that
this town has to offer, so...
[Becka] Astro Vengeance. Nice!
Final boss took me, like, 20 attempts,
but I wrecked him with
a triple-flame combo.
It was legendary.
All right, uh,
well, plenty of time
to grill 'em later, kiddo.
Let's let 'em settle.
Now, things will sure feel different here
for you big-city folk,
but what we lack in food-delivery apps,
we more than make up
for in homegrown charm.
[Garth chuckles awkwardly]
All right, Becks, let's go.
Thank you. Bye.
[]
[Finn] Dude, let's go!
To worship vegetables?
I'm good.
Yeah, it'll probably suck,
but it's one afternoon.
Just suck it up.
Easy for you to say.
You can escape soon.
I'm the one stuck here.
Okay...
you tag along today,
make an effort,
and you can visit my dorm.
Really? For an entire weekend?
-For one day.
-Overnight.
Fine.
And you'll get me a fake I.D.?
Hell no, bro!
Now let's go! Come on.
[]
[indistinct chatter]
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I'll come back for some later.
[sinister chords strike]
[Mom] It's great!
Hey, folks!
Hi!
Oh, I am real glad y'all could make it out.
Thank you, Finn.
What are they doing?
[Garth] Oh, yeah.
Folks are just thankful
we're living in better times.
Oof! One more bite
and you'll have to roll me outta here.
[chuckling]
-Oh, thanks.
-Sure. Thank you.
-Mm!
-Mm-hmm!
It's really good.
Come on, let me introduce you around.
[Mom] So fun!
[Garth] Cassie, you're
gonna love this little station.
This is a pumpkin carving contest.
[Mom] Great.
Sam!
Come pick one.
That's for kids.
Guess I'm a giant kid, then.
[]
Hi.
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[theme swells with intensity]
[theme grows dark]
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[malevolent growling]
Rude to be snooping, boy.
Sorry.
I got lost.
You with that new family?
Yeah.
What is that?
You city kids don't know your veggies.
That, there... is a pumpkin.
Why's it look so...
different?
It's not ripe.
You shouldn't be in here, boy.
[Becka, perky] There you are!
I've been looking all over for you!
Ha!
New kid!
Poor thing.
No hot-dog stands or coffee shops
to orient himself. [Chuckles]
Great party this year, Mr. Palmer!
Thanks again for the free grub!
[eerie theme rises]
[whispering] It's almost time.
Not to be dramatic, but...
stay away from Palmer.
Gladly. The guy's major sus.
What the hell is he doing in there?
Grows a prized pumpkin every year.
Hates people going near it.
[]
Or anywhere on his property, really.
So, just stay away.
So why was I forced to come here, then?
Today's different.
It's, like, the one day
a year people visit...
to thank Palmer and his land.
[Sam] Why are they so obsessed?
It's just a farm!
My dad told me that,
a really long time ago...
I'm talking turn of the
century, like 2003...
This town was dying.
Nothing would grow.
Then, one day...
Palmer... tch!...
turned it around.
Now, every year, he
grows the perfect harvest.
Has no one ever heard of a Whole Foods?
It's not just the food.
He makes the town a lot of money,
so, you know, people treat him like God...
if God loved plaid and
smelled like wet compost.
[chuckles]
I see you dressed for the occasion.
I hate this place.
Really?
Couldn't tell at all.
The sulking is so subtle.
Barely noticing it!
Yeah. I'm-I'm sorry if I was rude earlier.
You were.
And apology accepted.
[laughs]
I'm just... I'm fed up
with my family controlling
everything I do.
I wanna make my own decisions.
[]
Finn... that's disgusting!
What? It's a work of art.
You both did one?
Well, only one of us took it seriously.
[Cassie] You wanna pick one?
What's the point? You're already finished.
Well, I can help. I'm a pro now.
Are you sure? That one's a little basic.
[Cassie] Well, at least I can pick it up.
How are you carrying pumpkin guts home?
If you make a mess in the
car, you are cleaning it up.
Can we go now?
What'd I tell ya?
Newcomers always get the good stuff.
Now, no Redhaven welcome's complete
without meeting the man behind the harvest.
This is Mr. Palmer.
My goodness. This is very generous.
Here, I can... pay.
The land takes care of its own.
Thank you. That's very kind.
I'll get that.
This here's Cassie's eldest, Finn.
18 in a few days.
Time to hang up childhood.
Step into the soil as a man.
Yeah.
And this youngster's Sam.
Youngster? I'm 13!
Nothing wrong with being a fledgling.
All part of the cycle.
Can't rush maturity.
Yeah, well, Sam's
definitely not rushing that.
Shut up, Finn.
[Garth] You be nice now.
[Finn] I'm sorry. I'm kidding.
[]
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See you later, "Emo"!
See ya.
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[creaking]
[uncertain theme continues]
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[squishing]
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[theme swells with danger]
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Come on, stupid pumpkin!
Come on!
[ethereal screaming, faint and distant]
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[Sam exhales tensely]
[Cassie] Where's your brother?
[Finn] I don't know.
Thanks.
Hey, you found one!
Wait here. I'll go pay for it.
No! Um, Palmer gave it to me.
Oh, that was nice of him.
[Finn] Yeah.
Thanks for making an effort.
[quiet, unsettled theme rises]
[]
[car doors shut]
[rock music plays faintly in the distance]
On a mission I never listen
[blasting on stereo]
The boy's no competition
He's gonna find out sometime...
Ugh. Gross.
He won't rest until there's no...
Hey, want help carving your pumpkin?
You youngsters shouldn't
be playing with knives.
Shut up.
Didn't steal it to carve.
It's that stupid farmer's prized pumpkin.
Seriously? You stole it?
Yeah!
Want a game?
Take it back.
Uh... no.
People here are actually trying to help.
You're being a jerk.
Oh, no!
We won't get free
cabbage and kale... tragedy!
Grow up, Sam. You're not
the only one in this family.
Yeah, well, I wish I was.
And, newsflash...
Pretending to be a grown-up
doesn't make you one!
You're still 17!
[mutters] Doofus.
[]
[dark theme rises]
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No!
No! No!
No-o-o-o...!
[Palmer's scream echoing]
[squishing]
[munching]
Mm.
[munching loudly, echoing]
[Cassie] Mm!
Not bad. How is it?
Mm. Mm-hmm.
You know Uber Eats doesn't
even come out this far?
Like it matters to your broke ass.
-Don't say "ass".
-Just saying!
If the apocalypse hits,
we couldn't get supplies.
Yeah, 'cause in that situation,
Kevin in his Prius is risking everything
to keep his five-star rating.
Supply runs would be in high demand!
You'd make serious bank.
Look, dude, I'd totally
take my chances out here.
The city's, like,
the worst place to be
in a zombie apocalypse.
Who said zombie apocalypse?
Okay, literally any apocalypse...
Like nuclear, biological, alien invasion.
-No way!
-Anarchy. A.I. uprising...
Aliens always go for small towns like this!
economic collapse.
Okay, okay, boys. [Sighing]
Sam...
we'll survive without take-out.
And Finn...
it is honestly alarming how
many apocalypses you can name.
That was just the warm-up round.
Okay, it's been a long day.
How 'bout we give
unpacking a rest for tonight
and throw a movie on instead?
Oh, can we do Aliens?
Oh, what was the one that
you mentioned that it was, like,
um... it-it was, like...
-It's on the tip of my tongue.
-Or any of them...
Just not Predator.
Something-something "Goodnight"?
- The Long Kiss Goodnight!
-Yes, that's it!
[Cassie] That was such
a good movie in the '90s.
I can't promise it'll hold up, but...
Sam, what do you think?
Why even ask?
You two have already decided.
No, we haven't. We were just...
Sam! Sam...
Well, I mean, in our defense,
he's already seen those
movies, like, 40 times.
[doorbell chimes]
Evening, Cassie.
Is everything okay?
[Garth] I know this might
sound kinda trivial, but, uh...
did Sam steal a pumpkin
from Mr. Palmer today?
Steal? Um...
[Garth] Usually, he wouldn't mind.
I mean, you've seen the
man's generosity, but, uh...
well, it was his prized pumpkin and all.
I'm so sorry.
He said Mr. Palmer gave it to him.
Ah.
I'll bring it back immediately.
If it's all right,
I'd suggest Sam return
it to the barn himself.
It'd go a long way to
smoothing things over.
And after all Palmer's done
for the folks around here,
it'd be the decent thing to do.
No, of course.
I'll talk to him right now.
[Garth] Okay.
It's okay, Mom. I've got it.
Thank you. I'm sorry.
[video game blasting]
[game continues]
I already cleared that base.
[player dies]
Did you get the stealth mod
hidden in the back room?
Duh!
[attack waging]
Draxels respawn.
You gotta cloak out or else they'll swarm.
I see that!
Don't waste your plasma...
It only charges them.
Ah, dude, we almost got it.
So close.
Ah! No, no, no, no! Shield up!
[Sam] We got it, we got it, we got it.
-Yes!
-Yes!
[laughing]
-Damn, dude.
You got some serious moves.
Thanks.
Dad taught me that one.
You guys used to play a lot together, huh?
Yeah.
You're making a lame first impression, bro.
I don't really care
if the stupid farmer
and his flock likes me.
You know you gotta take it back,
so, come on, I'll go with you now.
It's a dead pumpkin. Who cares?
You should... Sam.
You stole something.
That's not who you are.
How do you know who I am?
This is the longest we've hung out since...
Since Dad?
Yeah.
We kinda left you out today, huh?
Not like today was an exception, but...
[quietly] ...yeah.
Sorry, man.
[]
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[foreboding theme rises]
[]
Hello?
[gravel crunching]
Hello?
Mr. Palmer?
Mr. Palmer?
[foreboding theme resumes]
[]
Uh, Mr. Palmer?
I'm sorry my brother took this.
[mutters] Guess I'll just...
leave it here?
[screaming] Ahh!
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[malevolent growling]
[Finn grunting]
[crying out]
[screaming in terror]
[flesh squishing]
-[Finn gasping]
Happy Halloween!
I'm heading to the store.
Candy or chocolate
for the trick-or-treaters?
[grunts] Mm.
Good thinking. I'll get both.
Eat some breakfast.
Not dry cereal!
[groans groggily]
Yo, Finn!
[]
Finn?
[]
Yo, Finn!
[]
New kid!
If you're done being emo,
wanna go trick-or-treating tonight?
Pass. Get the impression
people here hand out celery sticks.
That's why you stick with me.
I know who's dishing
out the sugar... and cash!
Old Lady Marge up the hill...
A crisp $10 every single year,
with minimal costume effort.
Finn's bike isn't here.
What?
This... This could be the
mystery of the century.
Or maybe...
maybe...
he went out?
He did last night.
It just doesn't even look
like he slept in his bed.
There's literally nothing
to do in this town.
-Where'd he go?
-To Palmer's.
[alarmed] He went to the farm? Why?
He returned a pumpkin I stole.
It wasn't my finest moment, okay?
Did you not listen to a thing I said?
Stay away from the farm!
Why?
Becka, what's going on?
[]
[theme turns uncertain]
[]
Finn!
Finn!
[]
Finn?
Finn!
[sinister chords strike]
[Palmer] You shouldn't be here.
Where's my brother?
Finn! Where is he?
Whatever it is you're looking for, boy,
you won't find it here.
Finn!
You need to leave.
[]
[]
[sinister chord plays]
[]
Mom! Mom!
What do you think?
Not exactly spooky, but
I thought it was so cute.
Finn's gone!
-What?
-Sheriff Buckley, help!
[door thuds]
Sam, what is going on?
Palmer did something to him!
Okay, just slow down, honey.
He-He's in danger.
Who's in danger, son?
Finn!
I'm sure he's fine, honey.
Is this a new friend?
What?
"Finn," is it?
No! Come on, Mom! This is serious.
Well, who is it, honey?
He's your son!
Whoa. You have another son?
No. Sam.
What is this, some Halloween prank?
No. We gotta go now! Palmer has him.
Okay, Sam, we've wasted
enough of the sheriff's time.
-Grab a bag.
-You're not listening!
Finn's in danger!
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, hey.
Calm down.
Sam!
[scoffs irately]
-What?
I am so sorry.
That's okay.
[]
Okay.
Here, look!
Finn! My brother.
[]
Okay.
I appreciate the dedication to the bit,
but you can stop now... it's not funny.
What the hell's going on?
You know Palmer has him, right?
You warned me about him!
Becka?
What's he talking about?
[]
[cracks up]
Gotcha, guys!
[keeps laughing]
You guys should've seen your faces!
Classic Sam, am I right?
No, seriously...
[sternly] Walk. Now. [Forced laugh]
[Becka laughing]
Becka, what the hell are you talking about?
I believe you, all right?
Palmer has your brother.
-Then tell them!
-Shh!
Keep it down, dummy.
You wanna vanish, too?
What?
Ask any kid in Redhaven...
We all know someone who vanished.
A few years ago,
a girl in my class just disappeared.
Why didn't your dad do anything?
No one filed a report...
because no one remembers her.
Not her parents.
Not her teachers.
Her big sister remembered for a while...
then she turned 18
and just... forgot.
That's insane.
-That doesn't make any sense.
-I know!
But either every adult in this town
is gaslighting us
with a ridiculous level of commitment,
or there's something
seriously wrong with that farm.
And if you ask too many questions,
you dig too deep...
You disappear.
Well, he's not taking my brother.
Don't! He'll get you, too.
Then I'll get help!
No one in this town will help!
Except...
Except who?
There's this one guy...
[]
Let's hope he's "weird" recluse
and not "serial killer" recluse.
[knocking]
[man] Don't move!
Whoa, don't move! I said don't move!
There's landmines right under you.
[]
What are you doing here?
[hushed] Where the hell are we?
We live in town.
I'm Becka...
Buckley! Sheriff's daughter.
You're the new kid.
[Sam] How do you know that?
Because ol' Rusty knows everything
that happens in this here town.
[crossbow rattles]
Oh. It's, uh...
it's not even loaded.
Doesn't even have a drawstring.
Pew! Pretty cool, huh?
[imitates shot]
-Agh!
Just jokin'.
[crossbow hits ground]
So... what brings you to...
Rusty's part of the world?
Sam's brother.
The farm has him.
[]
Palmer! It's Palmer.
He's got him.
What makes you think Rusty gives a hoot?
A few years ago, I saw
you at the harvest festival.
You made a scene...
Like...
full-on meltdown kind of scene.
My dad escorted you out.
That doesn't ring a bell.
You were drunk.
[sucks his teeth] Continue.
You were telling us... the kids...
To stay away from the farm.
You said that it was dangerous.
When I asked my dad what you meant,
he just said you were crazy.
I prefer "strategically delulu".
[bee buzzes]
Whew! That was fast.
He's got my brother.
And now... my mom
doesn't even remember him.
Please...
help me.
[sighs resolutely]
All right.
Take a seat.
Why you still there?
You said there were landmines.
Oh, yeah. No.
There's no landmines there.
Oh...
I think?
Decades back...
Redhaven went belly-up.
The soil was dead and the crops failed,
folks left town. You see?
And those that did stick around, well...
they barely scraped by.
Yeah, yeah! Then Palmer
brought the farm back to life.
Becka told me.
Can we skip the origin
story? What happened to Finn?
Hey! Kid!
You don't come
to the forest hermit for straight answers!
I got one job here...
It's called world-building,
so shut up, and let me monologue!
Come on!
[sighs irritably]
Where was I?
Right.
Then, one day... boom!
[darkly] ...the land prospered.
Crops taller than your head.
You name it, it grew.
Perfect harvest, year after year.
See, the folks, well... they
thought it was a miracle,
but ol' Rusty, eh, he knew the truth.
You see, the land...
it was cursed.
[loud squeal]
-Oh, this thing!
Well, that is so squeaky.
I really, really gotta oil that thing.
What do you mean... cursed?
Hexed. Jinxed.
Energetically infected.
You see, Palmer,
he unleashed a dark,
twisted evil on that place,
because in order to
keep the land prospering
year after year, it demanded one thing.
[]
It demanded...
-[both] Okay?
-Guys, guys, guys!
That was my dramatic moment!
What are you doing?
Man, it's kinda why I'm here, you know?
[Rusty groans]
But, yes, a child...
A sprout, a half-pint whippersnapper.
Every year...
one was taken was taken by the land.
"Well, how are they forgotten by the town?"
I hear you ask.
[both] Uh...
[awkwardly] How are they forgotten?
Oh! Well, that's interesting that you ask.
You see...
the harvest given out every year,
it's grown on cursed soil.
You eat it... [munches and smacks lips]
"Mm, oh"... you forget.
Pretty poetic, huh?
But I ate it too... last night...
And I still remember.
Yeah, me too.
Well, yeah, yeah, yeah...
'Cause you're kids, you're still growing.
But the minute you turn 18,
the land'll consider you ripe, and... boom!
you're gonna forget too.
But you remember,
and you're definitely over 18.
Okay, first of all, that's rude.
Secondly...
ol' Rusty don't do farm-to-table.
He's more of a...
-[door rattles and thuds]
- can-to-mouth type of guy.
[bangs door shut]
Is my brother...
is he still alive?
Mm-hmm.
In some form or another.
The moment that clock strikes midnight
on All Hallows' Eve,
he'll be lost to the land forever.
That's tonight! We have to do something!
[chuckles] Yeah, good luck with that.
How can I save him?
[Rusty] Nothing you can do.
Well, I'm not leaving him!
Please, Rusty, there must be something.
How did you learn about this curse?
Ah, a book.
What do you mean, "a book"?
Like a book! Like, a normal
leather-bound, ancient-ritual book.
It's... you know, it's normal.
So, this book...
it'll tell us how to stop it?
Look, Palmer keeps that
book under lock and key.
You try to take it... [imitates shot]
He'll kill ya.
Help us find it.
[cackling] "Help us find it."
No, no, no, no, no!
How do you think ol'
Rusty stays alive this long?
'Cause I stayed out of it.
You know what's going on,
and you still choose to do nothing?
That makes you just as bad as him.
Nuh-uh!
[]
At least do us one small favor.
What do you got in mind?
[tense theme begins playing]
[]
[]
We need another way in.
Rusty'll come through.
Pfft. Guy's a coward.
[]
[mutters indistinctly]
[photo crinkles]
[sighs tensely]
Ahem.
[phone clacks open]
Ahem.
[buttons beeping]
[deep voice] Good afternoon.
[tense, high voice] Do you have a moment
to talk about your
extended warranty, like...
[grunts irately]
[drawling]...for the Lord...
Ahem!
[deep country voice]
for the Lord our savior?
[higher voice] "Our savior?"
[grumbly] That's our... ahem, our savior.
[grunts]
[phone begins ringing]
[quietly] It worked.
[ringing]
[ringing]
[ringing]
Yeah?
Ahem!
[in a country drawl] Yeah, a-afternoon.
I'm with the, uh...
Power Operations Overload Patrol...
Emergency Region.
The Power Oper... w-what?
It's, uh, P-O...
O-P-E-R.
"P.O.O.P.E.R."
Uh, we-we-we love acronyms,
so, you know...
My power's fine. Goodbye.
No! Wait-wait-wait. Wait a second.
We... Now, we got a signal anomaly
pinging off your junction node.
Protocol says we gotta, uh,
send a team out there immediately to check
your, uh, source,
but that's gonna take a couple trucks.
You know, drones...
and a whole lot of binders.
They're bringing sandwiches.
-It's a whole thing.
-No, no, no, no, no!
I, uh... uh, today's not possible.
Okay, all right, all right.
Just wait a second.
If you don't rat me out to Susan...
[chuckles]...'cause she's a real doozy...
I'll do you a solid.
I'll let you check the
flux capacitor yourself,
and I'll, uh, keep the boots
and the binders off your lawn?
How's that sound?
[stammers] Fine.
What do I have to do?
[uncertain, dark theme plays]
[]
[]
[finger creaks]
[]
[calls out] Finn?
[]
Finn!
H-He's not here.
The barn!
Wait! We don't have long.
You check the barn.
I'll search the house for the ritual book.
Okay.
[dryly] Split up, Becka? Yeah, great idea.
[sighing]
[country drawl] Okay,
well, I gotta tell ya,
last time we saw one of these things,
a goat just caught fire.
Just... yeah, spontaneously exploded!
[Rusty laughs]
I'm at the edge of the property.
Now what?
All right, so you're gonna be looking for
a blinking... junction port.
It'll be, uh,
stored in a cool, dry place,
and may contain traces of nuts.
I don't know what I'm looking for.
All right.
All right! Uh, let me pull
up your full report here.
Hang on there.
-[clicking and blipping]
-Oh, wow... that is blinking.
You know, I've seen that...
That is definitely irregular...
Because I have never...
That's off the charts!
That's gotta be an 11 or somethin'.
[shouts] Donny, you gotta see this!
This is nuts!
[]
[theme grows sinister]
[squishing]
[Sam] Finn?
Finn!
[chains clacking]
Finn?
[ominous chords strike]
[]
[steps creaking]
[]
[Rusty, drawling] 45... 46... 47...
48... 49... 50!
Should be good.
There's nothing here.
Am I supposed to be near
the power lines or something?
Yeah, no, no. Those are just...
Uh, those are just legacy relics, man.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Wait a second. You said,
"50 paces to the east"
should've been west.
Should've been west.
You're gonna have to go back.
[phone beeps]
Uh, battery's dying.
I'm going back.
Uh, no. Look, wait a second!
We're almost there. We're almost there!
[toy] "The cow says moo."
What?
Sorry, that's just a-a minor...
system hiccup.
You know, you just bear with me there, uh...
[click, dial tone]
-Hello?
[]
[]
[sighs] Aw... P.O.O.P.E.R.
Finn?
You in there?
Finn?
[splat]
[raging]
Ahh!
[thud]
[shrieking]
[quiet eerie theme rises]
[]
[theme turns ominous]
[exhales anxiously]
[eerie theme resumes]
[]
[clasps rattling securely]
[clank]
[]
[]
[theme swells]
[]
[thrilling theme plays]
[squishing]
[snarls]
[growling]
[]
[roaring]
[shrieks]
[door shuts]
[breath shaking]
[]
[lock slides and clacks]
[]
[floorboard creaks loudly]
[ominous theme rises]
[]
[]
[theme grows oppressive,
tinged with danger]
[]
[]
[theme turns thrilling]
[]
[roaring] Stop!
[theme becomes tense and quiet]
[]
[branch snapping]
[twig snaps]
[]
[raging]
[crying out]
[]
[dark energy whooshing]
[]
[blade sings]
-[Sam gasps and wheezes]
-[corpse hits ground]
[coughing and wheezing]
What the hell is that thing?
Part of the curse. Pretty fun, huh?
Come on.
Let's go.
[Rusty grunts]
[]
[fingers squishing and cracking]
[]
Hey! Hey!
Give me that!
No!
[both grunting]
Becka Buckley!
[]
[Sam] Becka!
-Run!
-Come on, Becka!
Come on! Let's go, let's go, let's go!
Hey. Hey!
Take it, take it, take it, take it.
Becka!
[]
[stunned] Rusty?
Let's go!
Rusty, wait!
[theme swells with suspense]
[]
[low growling]
[shrieking]
[growling]
I had it! The book!
I was so close.
-We have to go back!
-No, we can't.
He'll be on high alert.
Why did Palmer recognize you?
Uh...
well, y-you know,
I'm-I'm the local oddball...
It comes with a certain notoriety.
Tell us the truth, Rusty!
[somber theme rises]
[]
Okay.
When your dad's the founder
of a child-harvesting produce operation,
it's not exactly something you lead with.
You're Palmer's...
son?
Yeah.
[paper crinkles]
[]
Who is she?
It's my sister.
Lilly.
She was the first kid
taken by the sacrifice.
He sacrificed his own daughter?
No, no, no. He loved Lilly.
She meant everything to him.
I don't think she was the
kid he meant to sacrifice.
[]
I was 17
when he got his hands on that cursed book.
[]
He said he found a way to save the town.
He spent all night in that barn,
locked away like a madman.
When he went to sleep,
I snuck in to see what he was up to.
Inside, there was just this pulsing mound...
Like it was alive.
Roots and vines,
clawing their way through the ground.
I thought that I would
wait until the morning
and ask him what the hell he was up to,
but then Lilly came in.
Just as curious,
she wanted to see what
the hell that thing was.
And then, out of nowhere,
it just attacked her.
The vines... they were alive.
They were wrapping around her body
and pulling her away from me!
So I tried to cut her loose,
but my dad came up
behind me and hit me hard,
and I blacked out.
I woke up in the morning and...
the farm was different.
I'd never seen it so alive.
My dad was ecstatic.
He was stuffing his face full of food
and clutching that book,
raving about "a miracle".
So I asked him what happened to Lilly
and why did he hit me so hard.
He just looked at me like I was crazy.
There wasn't even a flicker of recognition.
He had no idea what I was talking about.
He had no idea who Lilly was.
I kept looking for Lilly.
No one in town remembered her,
but I wouldn't let it go.
I just kept on him.
He got angry.
He got angry that I was making up stories,
that I was disrespecting "the miracle".
So I left.
But over the years,
I pieced together the gist of it.
You see...
The curse feeds the crops,
the crops feed the town,
and the town forget every
single mutated sacrifice.
What do you mean...
"mutated"?
Those aren't prized pumpkins
he's growing every year.
They're kids.
[ominous note strikes]
Or they were.
You knew?
All these years, you
knew he was doing this,
and you did nothing?
No. No, no, no! I went back!
I went back to the farm
and I found the book,
but that thing you saw...
caught me.
Yeah, that's right.
Ol' Rusty got a hoot of
that death smoke as well,
and it nearly killed me,
but my dad let off a warning shot,
and it dropped me.
He... saved you?
Oh, please, don't make it sound noble.
He was just worried my corpse
was gonna ruin the soil pH.
Well, we know he still has the book.
We can end it... tonight!
No.
It's too dangerous.
Well, duh.
Breaking a child-sacrificing curse
doesn't exactly sound
like a walk in the park...
but do it for Lilly.
[hopeful theme rises]
[]
All right.
Time is ticking until it's midnight,
when your brother really will, you know...
pumpkin.
We had a lot more time
until a certain somebody
wasted an eternity on a tragic back story.
And let's face it...
Plans are just lies we tell ourselves
until things go sideways...
but still...
I think we should do one anyway.
All right, here's what's gonna happen.
[energetic theme plays]
[]
There you are.
I haven't seen you all day.
Uh, Becka was showing me around town.
Oh, that's great, honey.
I'm so glad you're settling in.
Uh, hey, how 'bout you and I
throw on a scary movie tonight?
Or we could game?
You could teach me some of your sick moves.
You wanna game with me?
Don't sound so shocked, brah.
I mean...
I beat your dad at Mario
Kart, so I can't be that bad.
You...
beat Dad?
Yep. Once.
[laughs]
And he let me get a head start.
But it still counts!
You pick.
[sighs]
I...
I told Becka
I'd go trick-or-treating with her.
Oh, that's great, honey!
I'm so glad you're making friends.
Oh, don't forget the costume I got you.
Is it lame? It's lame, isn't it?
-You don't have to wear it.
-No, no, no, no, no.
It-It's great. Thanks.
Can we hang out tomorrow?
It's a date.
[chuckles]
Hey, Mom?
Mm-hmm?
Would you ever forget me?
Forget you?
You're my only child.
I couldn't forget you if I tried.
Have fun.
I love you.
Ready?
[Becka] Ready.
[]
[car approaches]
[engine rumbles off]
[Becka] Hey, Dad.
We're going out trick-or-treating.
Where were you two today?
Just... showing Sam around town.
Really?
You weren't trespassing
on Mr. Palmer's property?
It's a part of town, isn't it?
Don't get smart.
You know it's off-limits.
All right, you're staying in tonight.
What? Seriously?
Come on, Dad! It's
Sam's first Halloween here!
Look how good we look!
Actions have consequences.
It-It's not her fault.
I asked her to take me there.
It's good of you to own up to it, son,
but we all make our own choices.
Inside, Becka. Now.
Could we... watch a movie instead?
[]
[sighing quietly]
Nothing gory.
[]
[Becka] I hope this works.
What choice do we have?
So, what'd ya pick?
[shoes hit table]
No! No, Sam. That one's not scary enough.
Come on, Sam.
It's Halloween.
I'll be in the other room, if you need me.
[]
[footsteps recede]
[irritably] Where are you?
[grunts]
Well, what do you expect when you team up
with the Gen-Alpha Mulder and Scully?
Ol' Rusty, boy, you think
they're gonna be late.
They wouldn't even be on
time. Why would they be on time?
Not like this is, uh, life
or death, or anything.
[]
Okay...
these look like contenders.
Finally.
[doorbell rings]
Hey, we could just leave
the candy outside, Becks.
No need to keep stopping the movie.
No. No, it's okay.
I'm living vicariously through them.
[]
[both] Trick-or-treat!
These two? Really?
They'll have to do.
[]
[hushed] You can either take one piece now,
be on your way...
or...
you can take this entire bowl.
[]
I scratch your back, you scratch mine.
-Okay.
-Go on.
[]
Show up!
Show up now. Right...
[Sam] We're here! We're here!
[Becka] Unforeseen complications!
Totally under control.
Blood pressure's up, patience is down.
Time is ticking!
Let's go.
[bike horn squeaks]
[]
There's Palmer.
Let me see those.
Can't see Murder McStrawface anywhere...
Still, it's out there.
I'll draw him away.
We meet back at the barn?
Good idea.
All right.
Oh...
Don't die.
It's not on my bingo card.
Good. All right.
[]
[fireworks popping]
[loud boom]
[fireworks popping]
[slick pulsing theme begins]
[]
[dialing]
[fireworks popping]
[pop-pow]
[phone ringing]
Buckley residence.
Where's that kid of yours?
She's here with me.
Why?
And her new friend?
[Garth] He's here, too.
What's going on, Palmer?
[call ends]
[]
You two good?
[]
[sets receiver down]
[]
[fireworks continue popping]
[overlapping] Let's go.
[fireworks popping]
[]
[door creaks]
It's not very Final Girl of us, but...
we'll cover more ground if we split up.
Okay.
[door latches shut]
[quiet eerie theme plays]
[]
[clack]
[]
[]
[firework whistles then pops]
[pop]
[whap]
[]
[]
Rusty?
Standard issue for a forest hermit.
You'd be amazed at what
tries to steal my beans.
Raccoons, bears...
aggressive hikers.
[]
[Palmer grunts]
[]
Please tell me you had better luck.
[]
Becka.
[]
This feels... too easy.
[]
[squishing]
-Ah!
-Knew it!
[swish]
Ah!
-[Screaming]
[bat clatters]
[grunts]
[growling]
-Becka, run!
[snap]
-[whap]
Go, go, go, go, go!
Go! Go, go, go, go, go!
[]
[raging]
Wait! We need that book.
[]
[banging]
Come on!
Okay, let's go. Let's go.
[banging]
[]
[chair scrapes floor] -[growling]
[squishing]
[growling]
[squishing and growling]
[]
[growling]
[squishing]
[]
[snap-whack]
[roaring]
[]
[]
[thud]
[thud echoing]
[roaring]
[footsteps]
We gotta hide!
[footsteps]
I got an idea.
[]
[growling]
[croaking and squishing]
[]
[growls]
[]
[shrieking]
[thud]
[slam]
[clack]
[clicking]
[growling]
Uh, we've maybe bought a couple of minutes.
If that! Let's go!
[muffled raging]
Bathroom's over there.
[]
[munching popcorn]
Hey...
how's the movie?
[]
[movie plays, indistinct]
[hissing]
It starts... now!
[screaming]
Look, I know you're mad.
I did not wanna be the bad guy tonight.
[]
I'm sorry, Becks.
Forgive me?
[]
Ooh...
these vampires are
nothing like the Cullens.
Sweetie, vampires are not real!
[eerie theme plays]
[Palmer groans groggily]
Oh.
How was your nap, sleepyhead?
What are you doing? Let me go!
And ruin the most cathartic moment
of my emotionally-stunted life?
No.
You know, losing her was tough,
but grieving alone, that's a...
That's a whole different
type of hell, you know?
Who are you talking about?
We're talking about... [chuckles bitterly]
We're talking a... oh, yeah, right...
"Lilly."
Rusty... there's no one there!
[laughs darkly] Yeah,
good one. That's good!
I get it. I get it.
You eat the food and you forget...
Blah, blah, blah...
Well, let me refresh your memory, okay?
She's your daughter...
Or she was your daughter,
until you murdered her.
Rusty... you need help, son.
Says the man
who made a salad bar on kids' graves.
That's funny.
What are you talking about?
Playing dumb's not gonna help.
I'm not gonna let you hurt anybody anymore.
The curse ends tonight.
[Becka] Where's Rusty?
It's almost midnight.
We can't wait.
[]
[chain cracking]
[chain rattles]
Whew.
Finn?
[cries out] Finn!
Where's his body?
Okay, okay...
[Sam] Finn, we're going to fix this.
[Becka] Harvest rite,
prosperity...
Uh...
Becka, hurry!
[Becka] "Offering"... that's you.
[Finn moaning wailfully] -[pages flipping]
[Becka] Uh... uh...
Oh, here! "Reverso".
This must be the counter-curse.
[Sam] What does that even say?
I feel like most curses
are in Latin, right?
-You understand Latin?
-No!
But "reverso" sounds
pretty self-explanatory.
What if we make it worse?
Worse than this?
[roaring]
There's no troubleshooting section in here!
[reading together] "O terra quae pasic
et oblivisceris."
[eerie whooshing begins]
"Animae non perierunt.
Voces eorum...
non extinctae sunt."
[crying out]
[Palmer] There is no curse, Rusty!
Look at what it gives us.
Look at what it takes!
-[chanting in Latin]
-[Palmer begins groaning]
Oh!
Dad? Dad.
[groaning]
-Dad?
[cacophony of discordant, echoing voices]
[voice shaking] Lilly.
You remember Lilly?
[sobbing deeply] Oh... my God!
Rusty...
[crying out] What have I done?
[]
It's working! It's working! Keep going!
Okay. Um, uh...
[reading together] "Sub ultima noctis luce!
Memoria surgat!"
[indistinct whooshing and roaring]
[chanting in Latin continues]
Finn?
[intent groove rises, rhythmic and steady]
[]
[knocking hard]
[pounding]
Cassie? What's wrong?
I remember him!
I remember my son.
Sam!
I'm so sorry! I remember him!
[sobbing] I remember Finn! I'm so sorry.
Please forgive me.
[TV plays indistinctly]
Sam...
did you hear me?
Uh... [chuckles awkwardly]
[]
[shakily] Hi?
Hi.
-I'm just gonna take this.
-Oh!
Okay, excuse me. Thank you.
Garth, where's Sam?
I grounded Becks tonight,
and the little devil must've snuck out.
They're probably out trick-or-treating.
I'll go round 'em up.
I'll look for Finn, too.
-I'll come with you.
-No. Hey.
You gotta stay here in
case they all come back.
Okay.
God.
Don't worry, Cassie.
Redhaven is the safest place there is.
[rattling]
[muffled raging and banging]
[hissing]
[sobbing inconsolably] Oh...
Oh... no!
Dad?
This... wasn't supposed to be like this!
It should have been me.
I know... I know that's what you wanted.
No one was ever supposed to get hurt.
You started a sacrificial Satanic curse.
What the hell did you
think was gonna happen?
No, son!
No.
[roaring]
[both] "Frange silentium... "
Finn! Finn!
Finn!
[grunting intensely]
Keep going, it's working!
"Incantationem."
Redde vultum,
"solve carnem."
[thud]
-Finn! Finn.
We have to get him out of here.
We have to finish it!
The curse is still alive!
Finn! Finn!
"Sub ultima noctis luce...
Memoria surgat!"
[vines creaking]
[gasping]
[thrilling theme pulses with danger]
[]
[yelps]
Finn, wake up. Finn!
[phone rings]
-[angry crowd agitating]
-Uh, Buckley residence.
[woman] Put the Sheriff on, ma'am.
No, he's not here.
Um, I can take a message.
-[crowd murmuring]
-There ain't no more units!
Send the car out to the Mitchells'!
[to Cassie] Do you know where he is?
It's an emergency situation.
He-He's trying to find my kids.
They're missing, and...
Ma'am, like I've told
all the other parents...
We're doing everything
we can to find these kids.
There are others?
Wait!
Thank you, Ma'am.
We'll let you know if we hear anything.
Earlier, my son, he was
trying to tell me something.
You...
-[dial tone buzzing]
Palmer.
Becka!
Dad!
-Get back!
-Wait, wait, wait!
We need to finish it!
Sheriff, help!
Help us!
[]
Finn!
[Palmer sobbing]
[groans] Ugh...
Boring. Drop the act, old man.
No. No.
Okay? You did this. You made the choice.
-No.
-This was you.
You started this!
No, he-he-he-he-he-he...
He said it was a blessing.
Who said that?
That-That-That he
would... he'd heal the land!
He said it would be safe!
Who said?
[shouts] Who said?
Who?
[]
[Becka] Dad, come on!
We're running out of time!
[door rumbles]
Dad, come on!
We have to finish it!
[cuffs ratcheting]
[click]
What...? Wha...?
What are you doing? Dad!
[rustling]
[fires]
That's far enough, son.
[]
[gunfire]
Rusty.
Rusty! No!
[]
We have to stop it.
We can't lose everything we've built, son.
I won't let this town suffer again.
[]
Here is my offering.
[Sam screams]
-Help!
-Stop it!
Help!
Dad, stop!
The harvest gives...
the harvest takes.
[screaming] No!
Why-Why are you doing this?
For you.
For all of us!
Our town desperately needed help.
I found it.
Palmer couldn't know the truth.
I told him it was a miracle spell,
and he clung to that like a fool.
Thought he was growing a
magic pumpkin every year.
He wasn't strong enough
to accept the real sacrifice.
It's been my burden to carry.
Year after year,
I have kept this town alive.
[sobs] Dad... no.
Oh...
Sweetheart...
it's okay.
It's okay.
When you're old enough, you'll forget him.
The pain will be gone.
I'll make sure of that.
No, no, no. Stop, stop. Dad, stop! Stop it!
Omnis...
qui ex hac...
[tense, pulsing theme rises]
[growling]
[clattering]
[growling]
[thud]
[gasping]
[energy whooshing]
terra...
Stop! Stop it, Dad!
manducat.
Memoriam amittat...
no men obliviscatur!
[thud]
[Finn roars]
[both grunting]
[]
[Sam screaming]
[theme swells with hope]
[]
[]
[beeping]
[beeping continues]
[dark energy whooshing]
[Palmer] Rusty!
[]
[shot rings out]
[]
[shot rings out]
[roars]
[thud]
[growling]
[grunting]
"Sub ultima noctis luce. Memoria surgat..."
"Veritas dicatur.
Et maledictio rumpatur!"
[Becka continues chanting in Latin]
Becka!
[keys jangle]
Sam!
Sam!!
[resumes "Reverso" anti-curse]
[energy whooshing]
Finn? Sam?
[ominous theme rises]
[]
[squishing]
[roaring]
[rages]
[screaming]
[]
[both] Mom!
Uh...
You go help her. I'm almost free.
[resumes "Reverso" anti-curse]
Go!
"Veritas dicatur...
et maledictio rumpatur!"
[growls]
-What the...?
-Finn!
[]
Hey! Hey, over here!
[hisses]
Hey!
[Rusty] Hey, Straw-Guts!
[]
[growling]
"Veritas dicatur...
et maledictio rumpatur!"
[beeping]
"Seges putrescat,
radices evellantur!"
[]
[cries out]
[shrieking]
[thud]
[peaceful theme rises]
[]
[whoosh]
[snap]
-[gasps]
[mound gulps and grumbles]
[whooshing]
[]
Sam, listen...
Mom! Finn!
[]
I'm gonna live with mom.
[]
[Cassie] Oh, hey, happy birthday.
Not exactly the party I
had in mind for your 18th.
[chuckling]
Happy birthday, doofus.
I didn't get you anything,
but saving your life's gotta
count for something, right?
[confused] Uh, hi.
What's your name, sweetie?
Okay... not funny.
[Cassie] Where are your parents?
[Sam] Mom, stop it. It's me!
Finn, tell her it's me. It's Sam!
[Finn] I'm sorry, Sam.
We don't know you.
Do you need help?
-What? No, Mom!
-Hey, hey, hey!
Take it easy, man.
Sam?
Becka, what's going on?
The land still had a
hold on you at midnight.
They've forgotten you.
No. No, no, no. We have to fix this.
The book. The book.
The book...
That poor boy.
Will he be all right?
Yeah, he'll be fine.
[]
We have to find it!
[]
Becka, help me!
It's gone.
No. No. No!
We have to fix this.
[]
Rusty! Help me, please. Please.
I know it's hard, kid...
We have to make them remember.
We can't...
We can't.
I'm so sorry.
[car engine starting]
-[gasps]
Mom!
[tender theme rises]
[]
[cries out] Mom! Finn!
[]
[]
You still got us.
Yeah.
And I got plenty of instant
noodles to go around.
[]
Long road, long climb
I can find the strength to try
And make it out alive
I don't like what's out there
Through the smoke that's everywhere
I feel it in the air
In the end I'll do it all over again
When there's nowhere left to hide
Will we live or will we die?
With the strength I have inside
I know I will survive
We get, we take
We test love and we test fate
But we can't run from mistakes
Lost world
Lost time
I get lost inside my mind
[]
Our future's intertwined
In the end
I'd do it all over again
When there's nowhere left to hide
Will we live or will we die?
With the strength I have inside
I know I will survive
[]
When there's nowhere left to hide
Will we live or will we die?
With the strength I have inside
I know I will survive
I know I will survive
[]
[]
[panting]
[]
[screaming]
[]
[]
[gasping]
[ominous chord strikes]
[screaming]
[]
[screaming]
[]
Keep it up
The night is young...
[Mom] The Killers.
[Finn] Uh...
Linkin Park?
Uh... Madonna!
Solo artist... but I'll allow it.
Uh...
Nirvana.
Uh, "O"? O... Um...
Uh...
You're running out of time!
Oh, no. Sam, help me out!
A band that starts with "O"?
It's a dumb game.
[Finn] Okay, time is up.
Come on! Oasis. Offspring.
One Direction.
Okay, smarty-pants.
I choose "flowers" as the next category.
[Finn sighs irately]
[Mom] Yeah, that's right!
Prepare to get humbled.
Oh, check it out, boys! We're here.
[Finn] "Where the harvest never ends."
Logistically impossible, but sure.
[quiet theme rises: Subdued intrigue]
[]
[Sam] Wow.
It's just like the photos, but sadder.
Dude, it's way bigger than the apartment.
We have our own rooms.
Yeah, but the city was like our backyard.
This place has...
[door thuds] -...a whole lot of nothing.
[man] Oh, hey there, folks!
Welcome... to Redhaven!
Our own little...
slice of heaven.
Sheriff Buckley, right?
Cassie. We spoke on the phone.
Please, call me Garth.
And it's nice to put a face to a name...
And a lovely one at that.
Well, thank you
for letting the movers in last week.
I can't tell you how helpful that was.
No need to thank me.
Around here, we take care of our own.
They're from our favorite deli.
Dangerous stuff.
I could finish a whole box in one sitting.
Yeah, sugar is a...
[chuckles] ...it's a sneaky thing.
These are my boys.
Uh, this is Finn, my eldest.
Whoa! That is a solid handshake.
How old are you, son?
-18, sir.
[sighing] 17.
Yeah, for, like, two more days.
And this is Sam.
You look about my daughter's age.
Becka!
I-I'm real glad y'all could make it
for the harvest festival today.
It is a big Redhaven tradition.
[sighing] Do we have to go?
Sam, we were invited.
It's okay. Of course not, son, but...
folks will sure love to welcome you.
And Mr. Palmer?
He's extra-generous to newcomers.
Trust me, you're gonna get the good stuff.
[Garth chuckles]
Hey, Becka. These are our new neighbors.
This is Cassie and Finn and Sam.
[Becka] From New York, right?
Cool.
Why'd ya leave?
Oh, uh... that's their own business, Becks.
Oh, well, we wanted a fresh start,
and we heard all that
this town has to offer, so...
[Becka] Astro Vengeance. Nice!
Final boss took me, like, 20 attempts,
but I wrecked him with
a triple-flame combo.
It was legendary.
All right, uh,
well, plenty of time
to grill 'em later, kiddo.
Let's let 'em settle.
Now, things will sure feel different here
for you big-city folk,
but what we lack in food-delivery apps,
we more than make up
for in homegrown charm.
[Garth chuckles awkwardly]
All right, Becks, let's go.
Thank you. Bye.
[]
[Finn] Dude, let's go!
To worship vegetables?
I'm good.
Yeah, it'll probably suck,
but it's one afternoon.
Just suck it up.
Easy for you to say.
You can escape soon.
I'm the one stuck here.
Okay...
you tag along today,
make an effort,
and you can visit my dorm.
Really? For an entire weekend?
-For one day.
-Overnight.
Fine.
And you'll get me a fake I.D.?
Hell no, bro!
Now let's go! Come on.
[]
[indistinct chatter]
[]
[]
I'll come back for some later.
[sinister chords strike]
[Mom] It's great!
Hey, folks!
Hi!
Oh, I am real glad y'all could make it out.
Thank you, Finn.
What are they doing?
[Garth] Oh, yeah.
Folks are just thankful
we're living in better times.
Oof! One more bite
and you'll have to roll me outta here.
[chuckling]
-Oh, thanks.
-Sure. Thank you.
-Mm!
-Mm-hmm!
It's really good.
Come on, let me introduce you around.
[Mom] So fun!
[Garth] Cassie, you're
gonna love this little station.
This is a pumpkin carving contest.
[Mom] Great.
Sam!
Come pick one.
That's for kids.
Guess I'm a giant kid, then.
[]
Hi.
[]
[]
[theme swells with intensity]
[theme grows dark]
[]
[malevolent growling]
Rude to be snooping, boy.
Sorry.
I got lost.
You with that new family?
Yeah.
What is that?
You city kids don't know your veggies.
That, there... is a pumpkin.
Why's it look so...
different?
It's not ripe.
You shouldn't be in here, boy.
[Becka, perky] There you are!
I've been looking all over for you!
Ha!
New kid!
Poor thing.
No hot-dog stands or coffee shops
to orient himself. [Chuckles]
Great party this year, Mr. Palmer!
Thanks again for the free grub!
[eerie theme rises]
[whispering] It's almost time.
Not to be dramatic, but...
stay away from Palmer.
Gladly. The guy's major sus.
What the hell is he doing in there?
Grows a prized pumpkin every year.
Hates people going near it.
[]
Or anywhere on his property, really.
So, just stay away.
So why was I forced to come here, then?
Today's different.
It's, like, the one day
a year people visit...
to thank Palmer and his land.
[Sam] Why are they so obsessed?
It's just a farm!
My dad told me that,
a really long time ago...
I'm talking turn of the
century, like 2003...
This town was dying.
Nothing would grow.
Then, one day...
Palmer... tch!...
turned it around.
Now, every year, he
grows the perfect harvest.
Has no one ever heard of a Whole Foods?
It's not just the food.
He makes the town a lot of money,
so, you know, people treat him like God...
if God loved plaid and
smelled like wet compost.
[chuckles]
I see you dressed for the occasion.
I hate this place.
Really?
Couldn't tell at all.
The sulking is so subtle.
Barely noticing it!
Yeah. I'm-I'm sorry if I was rude earlier.
You were.
And apology accepted.
[laughs]
I'm just... I'm fed up
with my family controlling
everything I do.
I wanna make my own decisions.
[]
Finn... that's disgusting!
What? It's a work of art.
You both did one?
Well, only one of us took it seriously.
[Cassie] You wanna pick one?
What's the point? You're already finished.
Well, I can help. I'm a pro now.
Are you sure? That one's a little basic.
[Cassie] Well, at least I can pick it up.
How are you carrying pumpkin guts home?
If you make a mess in the
car, you are cleaning it up.
Can we go now?
What'd I tell ya?
Newcomers always get the good stuff.
Now, no Redhaven welcome's complete
without meeting the man behind the harvest.
This is Mr. Palmer.
My goodness. This is very generous.
Here, I can... pay.
The land takes care of its own.
Thank you. That's very kind.
I'll get that.
This here's Cassie's eldest, Finn.
18 in a few days.
Time to hang up childhood.
Step into the soil as a man.
Yeah.
And this youngster's Sam.
Youngster? I'm 13!
Nothing wrong with being a fledgling.
All part of the cycle.
Can't rush maturity.
Yeah, well, Sam's
definitely not rushing that.
Shut up, Finn.
[Garth] You be nice now.
[Finn] I'm sorry. I'm kidding.
[]
[]
See you later, "Emo"!
See ya.
[]
[]
[creaking]
[uncertain theme continues]
[]
[squishing]
[]
[theme swells with danger]
[]
Come on, stupid pumpkin!
Come on!
[ethereal screaming, faint and distant]
[]
[Sam exhales tensely]
[Cassie] Where's your brother?
[Finn] I don't know.
Thanks.
Hey, you found one!
Wait here. I'll go pay for it.
No! Um, Palmer gave it to me.
Oh, that was nice of him.
[Finn] Yeah.
Thanks for making an effort.
[quiet, unsettled theme rises]
[]
[car doors shut]
[rock music plays faintly in the distance]
On a mission I never listen
[blasting on stereo]
The boy's no competition
He's gonna find out sometime...
Ugh. Gross.
He won't rest until there's no...
Hey, want help carving your pumpkin?
You youngsters shouldn't
be playing with knives.
Shut up.
Didn't steal it to carve.
It's that stupid farmer's prized pumpkin.
Seriously? You stole it?
Yeah!
Want a game?
Take it back.
Uh... no.
People here are actually trying to help.
You're being a jerk.
Oh, no!
We won't get free
cabbage and kale... tragedy!
Grow up, Sam. You're not
the only one in this family.
Yeah, well, I wish I was.
And, newsflash...
Pretending to be a grown-up
doesn't make you one!
You're still 17!
[mutters] Doofus.
[]
[dark theme rises]
[]
No!
No! No!
No-o-o-o...!
[Palmer's scream echoing]
[squishing]
[munching]
Mm.
[munching loudly, echoing]
[Cassie] Mm!
Not bad. How is it?
Mm. Mm-hmm.
You know Uber Eats doesn't
even come out this far?
Like it matters to your broke ass.
-Don't say "ass".
-Just saying!
If the apocalypse hits,
we couldn't get supplies.
Yeah, 'cause in that situation,
Kevin in his Prius is risking everything
to keep his five-star rating.
Supply runs would be in high demand!
You'd make serious bank.
Look, dude, I'd totally
take my chances out here.
The city's, like,
the worst place to be
in a zombie apocalypse.
Who said zombie apocalypse?
Okay, literally any apocalypse...
Like nuclear, biological, alien invasion.
-No way!
-Anarchy. A.I. uprising...
Aliens always go for small towns like this!
economic collapse.
Okay, okay, boys. [Sighing]
Sam...
we'll survive without take-out.
And Finn...
it is honestly alarming how
many apocalypses you can name.
That was just the warm-up round.
Okay, it's been a long day.
How 'bout we give
unpacking a rest for tonight
and throw a movie on instead?
Oh, can we do Aliens?
Oh, what was the one that
you mentioned that it was, like,
um... it-it was, like...
-It's on the tip of my tongue.
-Or any of them...
Just not Predator.
Something-something "Goodnight"?
- The Long Kiss Goodnight!
-Yes, that's it!
[Cassie] That was such
a good movie in the '90s.
I can't promise it'll hold up, but...
Sam, what do you think?
Why even ask?
You two have already decided.
No, we haven't. We were just...
Sam! Sam...
Well, I mean, in our defense,
he's already seen those
movies, like, 40 times.
[doorbell chimes]
Evening, Cassie.
Is everything okay?
[Garth] I know this might
sound kinda trivial, but, uh...
did Sam steal a pumpkin
from Mr. Palmer today?
Steal? Um...
[Garth] Usually, he wouldn't mind.
I mean, you've seen the
man's generosity, but, uh...
well, it was his prized pumpkin and all.
I'm so sorry.
He said Mr. Palmer gave it to him.
Ah.
I'll bring it back immediately.
If it's all right,
I'd suggest Sam return
it to the barn himself.
It'd go a long way to
smoothing things over.
And after all Palmer's done
for the folks around here,
it'd be the decent thing to do.
No, of course.
I'll talk to him right now.
[Garth] Okay.
It's okay, Mom. I've got it.
Thank you. I'm sorry.
[video game blasting]
[game continues]
I already cleared that base.
[player dies]
Did you get the stealth mod
hidden in the back room?
Duh!
[attack waging]
Draxels respawn.
You gotta cloak out or else they'll swarm.
I see that!
Don't waste your plasma...
It only charges them.
Ah, dude, we almost got it.
So close.
Ah! No, no, no, no! Shield up!
[Sam] We got it, we got it, we got it.
-Yes!
-Yes!
[laughing]
-Damn, dude.
You got some serious moves.
Thanks.
Dad taught me that one.
You guys used to play a lot together, huh?
Yeah.
You're making a lame first impression, bro.
I don't really care
if the stupid farmer
and his flock likes me.
You know you gotta take it back,
so, come on, I'll go with you now.
It's a dead pumpkin. Who cares?
You should... Sam.
You stole something.
That's not who you are.
How do you know who I am?
This is the longest we've hung out since...
Since Dad?
Yeah.
We kinda left you out today, huh?
Not like today was an exception, but...
[quietly] ...yeah.
Sorry, man.
[]
[]
[foreboding theme rises]
[]
Hello?
[gravel crunching]
Hello?
Mr. Palmer?
Mr. Palmer?
[foreboding theme resumes]
[]
Uh, Mr. Palmer?
I'm sorry my brother took this.
[mutters] Guess I'll just...
leave it here?
[screaming] Ahh!
[]
[malevolent growling]
[Finn grunting]
[crying out]
[screaming in terror]
[flesh squishing]
-[Finn gasping]
Happy Halloween!
I'm heading to the store.
Candy or chocolate
for the trick-or-treaters?
[grunts] Mm.
Good thinking. I'll get both.
Eat some breakfast.
Not dry cereal!
[groans groggily]
Yo, Finn!
[]
Finn?
[]
Yo, Finn!
[]
New kid!
If you're done being emo,
wanna go trick-or-treating tonight?
Pass. Get the impression
people here hand out celery sticks.
That's why you stick with me.
I know who's dishing
out the sugar... and cash!
Old Lady Marge up the hill...
A crisp $10 every single year,
with minimal costume effort.
Finn's bike isn't here.
What?
This... This could be the
mystery of the century.
Or maybe...
maybe...
he went out?
He did last night.
It just doesn't even look
like he slept in his bed.
There's literally nothing
to do in this town.
-Where'd he go?
-To Palmer's.
[alarmed] He went to the farm? Why?
He returned a pumpkin I stole.
It wasn't my finest moment, okay?
Did you not listen to a thing I said?
Stay away from the farm!
Why?
Becka, what's going on?
[]
[theme turns uncertain]
[]
Finn!
Finn!
[]
Finn?
Finn!
[sinister chords strike]
[Palmer] You shouldn't be here.
Where's my brother?
Finn! Where is he?
Whatever it is you're looking for, boy,
you won't find it here.
Finn!
You need to leave.
[]
[]
[sinister chord plays]
[]
Mom! Mom!
What do you think?
Not exactly spooky, but
I thought it was so cute.
Finn's gone!
-What?
-Sheriff Buckley, help!
[door thuds]
Sam, what is going on?
Palmer did something to him!
Okay, just slow down, honey.
He-He's in danger.
Who's in danger, son?
Finn!
I'm sure he's fine, honey.
Is this a new friend?
What?
"Finn," is it?
No! Come on, Mom! This is serious.
Well, who is it, honey?
He's your son!
Whoa. You have another son?
No. Sam.
What is this, some Halloween prank?
No. We gotta go now! Palmer has him.
Okay, Sam, we've wasted
enough of the sheriff's time.
-Grab a bag.
-You're not listening!
Finn's in danger!
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, hey.
Calm down.
Sam!
[scoffs irately]
-What?
I am so sorry.
That's okay.
[]
Okay.
Here, look!
Finn! My brother.
[]
Okay.
I appreciate the dedication to the bit,
but you can stop now... it's not funny.
What the hell's going on?
You know Palmer has him, right?
You warned me about him!
Becka?
What's he talking about?
[]
[cracks up]
Gotcha, guys!
[keeps laughing]
You guys should've seen your faces!
Classic Sam, am I right?
No, seriously...
[sternly] Walk. Now. [Forced laugh]
[Becka laughing]
Becka, what the hell are you talking about?
I believe you, all right?
Palmer has your brother.
-Then tell them!
-Shh!
Keep it down, dummy.
You wanna vanish, too?
What?
Ask any kid in Redhaven...
We all know someone who vanished.
A few years ago,
a girl in my class just disappeared.
Why didn't your dad do anything?
No one filed a report...
because no one remembers her.
Not her parents.
Not her teachers.
Her big sister remembered for a while...
then she turned 18
and just... forgot.
That's insane.
-That doesn't make any sense.
-I know!
But either every adult in this town
is gaslighting us
with a ridiculous level of commitment,
or there's something
seriously wrong with that farm.
And if you ask too many questions,
you dig too deep...
You disappear.
Well, he's not taking my brother.
Don't! He'll get you, too.
Then I'll get help!
No one in this town will help!
Except...
Except who?
There's this one guy...
[]
Let's hope he's "weird" recluse
and not "serial killer" recluse.
[knocking]
[man] Don't move!
Whoa, don't move! I said don't move!
There's landmines right under you.
[]
What are you doing here?
[hushed] Where the hell are we?
We live in town.
I'm Becka...
Buckley! Sheriff's daughter.
You're the new kid.
[Sam] How do you know that?
Because ol' Rusty knows everything
that happens in this here town.
[crossbow rattles]
Oh. It's, uh...
it's not even loaded.
Doesn't even have a drawstring.
Pew! Pretty cool, huh?
[imitates shot]
-Agh!
Just jokin'.
[crossbow hits ground]
So... what brings you to...
Rusty's part of the world?
Sam's brother.
The farm has him.
[]
Palmer! It's Palmer.
He's got him.
What makes you think Rusty gives a hoot?
A few years ago, I saw
you at the harvest festival.
You made a scene...
Like...
full-on meltdown kind of scene.
My dad escorted you out.
That doesn't ring a bell.
You were drunk.
[sucks his teeth] Continue.
You were telling us... the kids...
To stay away from the farm.
You said that it was dangerous.
When I asked my dad what you meant,
he just said you were crazy.
I prefer "strategically delulu".
[bee buzzes]
Whew! That was fast.
He's got my brother.
And now... my mom
doesn't even remember him.
Please...
help me.
[sighs resolutely]
All right.
Take a seat.
Why you still there?
You said there were landmines.
Oh, yeah. No.
There's no landmines there.
Oh...
I think?
Decades back...
Redhaven went belly-up.
The soil was dead and the crops failed,
folks left town. You see?
And those that did stick around, well...
they barely scraped by.
Yeah, yeah! Then Palmer
brought the farm back to life.
Becka told me.
Can we skip the origin
story? What happened to Finn?
Hey! Kid!
You don't come
to the forest hermit for straight answers!
I got one job here...
It's called world-building,
so shut up, and let me monologue!
Come on!
[sighs irritably]
Where was I?
Right.
Then, one day... boom!
[darkly] ...the land prospered.
Crops taller than your head.
You name it, it grew.
Perfect harvest, year after year.
See, the folks, well... they
thought it was a miracle,
but ol' Rusty, eh, he knew the truth.
You see, the land...
it was cursed.
[loud squeal]
-Oh, this thing!
Well, that is so squeaky.
I really, really gotta oil that thing.
What do you mean... cursed?
Hexed. Jinxed.
Energetically infected.
You see, Palmer,
he unleashed a dark,
twisted evil on that place,
because in order to
keep the land prospering
year after year, it demanded one thing.
[]
It demanded...
-[both] Okay?
-Guys, guys, guys!
That was my dramatic moment!
What are you doing?
Man, it's kinda why I'm here, you know?
[Rusty groans]
But, yes, a child...
A sprout, a half-pint whippersnapper.
Every year...
one was taken was taken by the land.
"Well, how are they forgotten by the town?"
I hear you ask.
[both] Uh...
[awkwardly] How are they forgotten?
Oh! Well, that's interesting that you ask.
You see...
the harvest given out every year,
it's grown on cursed soil.
You eat it... [munches and smacks lips]
"Mm, oh"... you forget.
Pretty poetic, huh?
But I ate it too... last night...
And I still remember.
Yeah, me too.
Well, yeah, yeah, yeah...
'Cause you're kids, you're still growing.
But the minute you turn 18,
the land'll consider you ripe, and... boom!
you're gonna forget too.
But you remember,
and you're definitely over 18.
Okay, first of all, that's rude.
Secondly...
ol' Rusty don't do farm-to-table.
He's more of a...
-[door rattles and thuds]
- can-to-mouth type of guy.
[bangs door shut]
Is my brother...
is he still alive?
Mm-hmm.
In some form or another.
The moment that clock strikes midnight
on All Hallows' Eve,
he'll be lost to the land forever.
That's tonight! We have to do something!
[chuckles] Yeah, good luck with that.
How can I save him?
[Rusty] Nothing you can do.
Well, I'm not leaving him!
Please, Rusty, there must be something.
How did you learn about this curse?
Ah, a book.
What do you mean, "a book"?
Like a book! Like, a normal
leather-bound, ancient-ritual book.
It's... you know, it's normal.
So, this book...
it'll tell us how to stop it?
Look, Palmer keeps that
book under lock and key.
You try to take it... [imitates shot]
He'll kill ya.
Help us find it.
[cackling] "Help us find it."
No, no, no, no, no!
How do you think ol'
Rusty stays alive this long?
'Cause I stayed out of it.
You know what's going on,
and you still choose to do nothing?
That makes you just as bad as him.
Nuh-uh!
[]
At least do us one small favor.
What do you got in mind?
[tense theme begins playing]
[]
[]
We need another way in.
Rusty'll come through.
Pfft. Guy's a coward.
[]
[mutters indistinctly]
[photo crinkles]
[sighs tensely]
Ahem.
[phone clacks open]
Ahem.
[buttons beeping]
[deep voice] Good afternoon.
[tense, high voice] Do you have a moment
to talk about your
extended warranty, like...
[grunts irately]
[drawling]...for the Lord...
Ahem!
[deep country voice]
for the Lord our savior?
[higher voice] "Our savior?"
[grumbly] That's our... ahem, our savior.
[grunts]
[phone begins ringing]
[quietly] It worked.
[ringing]
[ringing]
[ringing]
Yeah?
Ahem!
[in a country drawl] Yeah, a-afternoon.
I'm with the, uh...
Power Operations Overload Patrol...
Emergency Region.
The Power Oper... w-what?
It's, uh, P-O...
O-P-E-R.
"P.O.O.P.E.R."
Uh, we-we-we love acronyms,
so, you know...
My power's fine. Goodbye.
No! Wait-wait-wait. Wait a second.
We... Now, we got a signal anomaly
pinging off your junction node.
Protocol says we gotta, uh,
send a team out there immediately to check
your, uh, source,
but that's gonna take a couple trucks.
You know, drones...
and a whole lot of binders.
They're bringing sandwiches.
-It's a whole thing.
-No, no, no, no, no!
I, uh... uh, today's not possible.
Okay, all right, all right.
Just wait a second.
If you don't rat me out to Susan...
[chuckles]...'cause she's a real doozy...
I'll do you a solid.
I'll let you check the
flux capacitor yourself,
and I'll, uh, keep the boots
and the binders off your lawn?
How's that sound?
[stammers] Fine.
What do I have to do?
[uncertain, dark theme plays]
[]
[]
[finger creaks]
[]
[calls out] Finn?
[]
Finn!
H-He's not here.
The barn!
Wait! We don't have long.
You check the barn.
I'll search the house for the ritual book.
Okay.
[dryly] Split up, Becka? Yeah, great idea.
[sighing]
[country drawl] Okay,
well, I gotta tell ya,
last time we saw one of these things,
a goat just caught fire.
Just... yeah, spontaneously exploded!
[Rusty laughs]
I'm at the edge of the property.
Now what?
All right, so you're gonna be looking for
a blinking... junction port.
It'll be, uh,
stored in a cool, dry place,
and may contain traces of nuts.
I don't know what I'm looking for.
All right.
All right! Uh, let me pull
up your full report here.
Hang on there.
-[clicking and blipping]
-Oh, wow... that is blinking.
You know, I've seen that...
That is definitely irregular...
Because I have never...
That's off the charts!
That's gotta be an 11 or somethin'.
[shouts] Donny, you gotta see this!
This is nuts!
[]
[theme grows sinister]
[squishing]
[Sam] Finn?
Finn!
[chains clacking]
Finn?
[ominous chords strike]
[]
[steps creaking]
[]
[Rusty, drawling] 45... 46... 47...
48... 49... 50!
Should be good.
There's nothing here.
Am I supposed to be near
the power lines or something?
Yeah, no, no. Those are just...
Uh, those are just legacy relics, man.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Wait a second. You said,
"50 paces to the east"
should've been west.
Should've been west.
You're gonna have to go back.
[phone beeps]
Uh, battery's dying.
I'm going back.
Uh, no. Look, wait a second!
We're almost there. We're almost there!
[toy] "The cow says moo."
What?
Sorry, that's just a-a minor...
system hiccup.
You know, you just bear with me there, uh...
[click, dial tone]
-Hello?
[]
[]
[sighs] Aw... P.O.O.P.E.R.
Finn?
You in there?
Finn?
[splat]
[raging]
Ahh!
[thud]
[shrieking]
[quiet eerie theme rises]
[]
[theme turns ominous]
[exhales anxiously]
[eerie theme resumes]
[]
[clasps rattling securely]
[clank]
[]
[]
[theme swells]
[]
[thrilling theme plays]
[squishing]
[snarls]
[growling]
[]
[roaring]
[shrieks]
[door shuts]
[breath shaking]
[]
[lock slides and clacks]
[]
[floorboard creaks loudly]
[ominous theme rises]
[]
[]
[theme grows oppressive,
tinged with danger]
[]
[]
[theme turns thrilling]
[]
[roaring] Stop!
[theme becomes tense and quiet]
[]
[branch snapping]
[twig snaps]
[]
[raging]
[crying out]
[]
[dark energy whooshing]
[]
[blade sings]
-[Sam gasps and wheezes]
-[corpse hits ground]
[coughing and wheezing]
What the hell is that thing?
Part of the curse. Pretty fun, huh?
Come on.
Let's go.
[Rusty grunts]
[]
[fingers squishing and cracking]
[]
Hey! Hey!
Give me that!
No!
[both grunting]
Becka Buckley!
[]
[Sam] Becka!
-Run!
-Come on, Becka!
Come on! Let's go, let's go, let's go!
Hey. Hey!
Take it, take it, take it, take it.
Becka!
[]
[stunned] Rusty?
Let's go!
Rusty, wait!
[theme swells with suspense]
[]
[low growling]
[shrieking]
[growling]
I had it! The book!
I was so close.
-We have to go back!
-No, we can't.
He'll be on high alert.
Why did Palmer recognize you?
Uh...
well, y-you know,
I'm-I'm the local oddball...
It comes with a certain notoriety.
Tell us the truth, Rusty!
[somber theme rises]
[]
Okay.
When your dad's the founder
of a child-harvesting produce operation,
it's not exactly something you lead with.
You're Palmer's...
son?
Yeah.
[paper crinkles]
[]
Who is she?
It's my sister.
Lilly.
She was the first kid
taken by the sacrifice.
He sacrificed his own daughter?
No, no, no. He loved Lilly.
She meant everything to him.
I don't think she was the
kid he meant to sacrifice.
[]
I was 17
when he got his hands on that cursed book.
[]
He said he found a way to save the town.
He spent all night in that barn,
locked away like a madman.
When he went to sleep,
I snuck in to see what he was up to.
Inside, there was just this pulsing mound...
Like it was alive.
Roots and vines,
clawing their way through the ground.
I thought that I would
wait until the morning
and ask him what the hell he was up to,
but then Lilly came in.
Just as curious,
she wanted to see what
the hell that thing was.
And then, out of nowhere,
it just attacked her.
The vines... they were alive.
They were wrapping around her body
and pulling her away from me!
So I tried to cut her loose,
but my dad came up
behind me and hit me hard,
and I blacked out.
I woke up in the morning and...
the farm was different.
I'd never seen it so alive.
My dad was ecstatic.
He was stuffing his face full of food
and clutching that book,
raving about "a miracle".
So I asked him what happened to Lilly
and why did he hit me so hard.
He just looked at me like I was crazy.
There wasn't even a flicker of recognition.
He had no idea what I was talking about.
He had no idea who Lilly was.
I kept looking for Lilly.
No one in town remembered her,
but I wouldn't let it go.
I just kept on him.
He got angry.
He got angry that I was making up stories,
that I was disrespecting "the miracle".
So I left.
But over the years,
I pieced together the gist of it.
You see...
The curse feeds the crops,
the crops feed the town,
and the town forget every
single mutated sacrifice.
What do you mean...
"mutated"?
Those aren't prized pumpkins
he's growing every year.
They're kids.
[ominous note strikes]
Or they were.
You knew?
All these years, you
knew he was doing this,
and you did nothing?
No. No, no, no! I went back!
I went back to the farm
and I found the book,
but that thing you saw...
caught me.
Yeah, that's right.
Ol' Rusty got a hoot of
that death smoke as well,
and it nearly killed me,
but my dad let off a warning shot,
and it dropped me.
He... saved you?
Oh, please, don't make it sound noble.
He was just worried my corpse
was gonna ruin the soil pH.
Well, we know he still has the book.
We can end it... tonight!
No.
It's too dangerous.
Well, duh.
Breaking a child-sacrificing curse
doesn't exactly sound
like a walk in the park...
but do it for Lilly.
[hopeful theme rises]
[]
All right.
Time is ticking until it's midnight,
when your brother really will, you know...
pumpkin.
We had a lot more time
until a certain somebody
wasted an eternity on a tragic back story.
And let's face it...
Plans are just lies we tell ourselves
until things go sideways...
but still...
I think we should do one anyway.
All right, here's what's gonna happen.
[energetic theme plays]
[]
There you are.
I haven't seen you all day.
Uh, Becka was showing me around town.
Oh, that's great, honey.
I'm so glad you're settling in.
Uh, hey, how 'bout you and I
throw on a scary movie tonight?
Or we could game?
You could teach me some of your sick moves.
You wanna game with me?
Don't sound so shocked, brah.
I mean...
I beat your dad at Mario
Kart, so I can't be that bad.
You...
beat Dad?
Yep. Once.
[laughs]
And he let me get a head start.
But it still counts!
You pick.
[sighs]
I...
I told Becka
I'd go trick-or-treating with her.
Oh, that's great, honey!
I'm so glad you're making friends.
Oh, don't forget the costume I got you.
Is it lame? It's lame, isn't it?
-You don't have to wear it.
-No, no, no, no, no.
It-It's great. Thanks.
Can we hang out tomorrow?
It's a date.
[chuckles]
Hey, Mom?
Mm-hmm?
Would you ever forget me?
Forget you?
You're my only child.
I couldn't forget you if I tried.
Have fun.
I love you.
Ready?
[Becka] Ready.
[]
[car approaches]
[engine rumbles off]
[Becka] Hey, Dad.
We're going out trick-or-treating.
Where were you two today?
Just... showing Sam around town.
Really?
You weren't trespassing
on Mr. Palmer's property?
It's a part of town, isn't it?
Don't get smart.
You know it's off-limits.
All right, you're staying in tonight.
What? Seriously?
Come on, Dad! It's
Sam's first Halloween here!
Look how good we look!
Actions have consequences.
It-It's not her fault.
I asked her to take me there.
It's good of you to own up to it, son,
but we all make our own choices.
Inside, Becka. Now.
Could we... watch a movie instead?
[]
[sighing quietly]
Nothing gory.
[]
[Becka] I hope this works.
What choice do we have?
So, what'd ya pick?
[shoes hit table]
No! No, Sam. That one's not scary enough.
Come on, Sam.
It's Halloween.
I'll be in the other room, if you need me.
[]
[footsteps recede]
[irritably] Where are you?
[grunts]
Well, what do you expect when you team up
with the Gen-Alpha Mulder and Scully?
Ol' Rusty, boy, you think
they're gonna be late.
They wouldn't even be on
time. Why would they be on time?
Not like this is, uh, life
or death, or anything.
[]
Okay...
these look like contenders.
Finally.
[doorbell rings]
Hey, we could just leave
the candy outside, Becks.
No need to keep stopping the movie.
No. No, it's okay.
I'm living vicariously through them.
[]
[both] Trick-or-treat!
These two? Really?
They'll have to do.
[]
[hushed] You can either take one piece now,
be on your way...
or...
you can take this entire bowl.
[]
I scratch your back, you scratch mine.
-Okay.
-Go on.
[]
Show up!
Show up now. Right...
[Sam] We're here! We're here!
[Becka] Unforeseen complications!
Totally under control.
Blood pressure's up, patience is down.
Time is ticking!
Let's go.
[bike horn squeaks]
[]
There's Palmer.
Let me see those.
Can't see Murder McStrawface anywhere...
Still, it's out there.
I'll draw him away.
We meet back at the barn?
Good idea.
All right.
Oh...
Don't die.
It's not on my bingo card.
Good. All right.
[]
[fireworks popping]
[loud boom]
[fireworks popping]
[slick pulsing theme begins]
[]
[dialing]
[fireworks popping]
[pop-pow]
[phone ringing]
Buckley residence.
Where's that kid of yours?
She's here with me.
Why?
And her new friend?
[Garth] He's here, too.
What's going on, Palmer?
[call ends]
[]
You two good?
[]
[sets receiver down]
[]
[fireworks continue popping]
[overlapping] Let's go.
[fireworks popping]
[]
[door creaks]
It's not very Final Girl of us, but...
we'll cover more ground if we split up.
Okay.
[door latches shut]
[quiet eerie theme plays]
[]
[clack]
[]
[]
[firework whistles then pops]
[pop]
[whap]
[]
[]
Rusty?
Standard issue for a forest hermit.
You'd be amazed at what
tries to steal my beans.
Raccoons, bears...
aggressive hikers.
[]
[Palmer grunts]
[]
Please tell me you had better luck.
[]
Becka.
[]
This feels... too easy.
[]
[squishing]
-Ah!
-Knew it!
[swish]
Ah!
-[Screaming]
[bat clatters]
[grunts]
[growling]
-Becka, run!
[snap]
-[whap]
Go, go, go, go, go!
Go! Go, go, go, go, go!
[]
[raging]
Wait! We need that book.
[]
[banging]
Come on!
Okay, let's go. Let's go.
[banging]
[]
[chair scrapes floor] -[growling]
[squishing]
[growling]
[squishing and growling]
[]
[growling]
[squishing]
[]
[snap-whack]
[roaring]
[]
[]
[thud]
[thud echoing]
[roaring]
[footsteps]
We gotta hide!
[footsteps]
I got an idea.
[]
[growling]
[croaking and squishing]
[]
[growls]
[]
[shrieking]
[thud]
[slam]
[clack]
[clicking]
[growling]
Uh, we've maybe bought a couple of minutes.
If that! Let's go!
[muffled raging]
Bathroom's over there.
[]
[munching popcorn]
Hey...
how's the movie?
[]
[movie plays, indistinct]
[hissing]
It starts... now!
[screaming]
Look, I know you're mad.
I did not wanna be the bad guy tonight.
[]
I'm sorry, Becks.
Forgive me?
[]
Ooh...
these vampires are
nothing like the Cullens.
Sweetie, vampires are not real!
[eerie theme plays]
[Palmer groans groggily]
Oh.
How was your nap, sleepyhead?
What are you doing? Let me go!
And ruin the most cathartic moment
of my emotionally-stunted life?
No.
You know, losing her was tough,
but grieving alone, that's a...
That's a whole different
type of hell, you know?
Who are you talking about?
We're talking about... [chuckles bitterly]
We're talking a... oh, yeah, right...
"Lilly."
Rusty... there's no one there!
[laughs darkly] Yeah,
good one. That's good!
I get it. I get it.
You eat the food and you forget...
Blah, blah, blah...
Well, let me refresh your memory, okay?
She's your daughter...
Or she was your daughter,
until you murdered her.
Rusty... you need help, son.
Says the man
who made a salad bar on kids' graves.
That's funny.
What are you talking about?
Playing dumb's not gonna help.
I'm not gonna let you hurt anybody anymore.
The curse ends tonight.
[Becka] Where's Rusty?
It's almost midnight.
We can't wait.
[]
[chain cracking]
[chain rattles]
Whew.
Finn?
[cries out] Finn!
Where's his body?
Okay, okay...
[Sam] Finn, we're going to fix this.
[Becka] Harvest rite,
prosperity...
Uh...
Becka, hurry!
[Becka] "Offering"... that's you.
[Finn moaning wailfully] -[pages flipping]
[Becka] Uh... uh...
Oh, here! "Reverso".
This must be the counter-curse.
[Sam] What does that even say?
I feel like most curses
are in Latin, right?
-You understand Latin?
-No!
But "reverso" sounds
pretty self-explanatory.
What if we make it worse?
Worse than this?
[roaring]
There's no troubleshooting section in here!
[reading together] "O terra quae pasic
et oblivisceris."
[eerie whooshing begins]
"Animae non perierunt.
Voces eorum...
non extinctae sunt."
[crying out]
[Palmer] There is no curse, Rusty!
Look at what it gives us.
Look at what it takes!
-[chanting in Latin]
-[Palmer begins groaning]
Oh!
Dad? Dad.
[groaning]
-Dad?
[cacophony of discordant, echoing voices]
[voice shaking] Lilly.
You remember Lilly?
[sobbing deeply] Oh... my God!
Rusty...
[crying out] What have I done?
[]
It's working! It's working! Keep going!
Okay. Um, uh...
[reading together] "Sub ultima noctis luce!
Memoria surgat!"
[indistinct whooshing and roaring]
[chanting in Latin continues]
Finn?
[intent groove rises, rhythmic and steady]
[]
[knocking hard]
[pounding]
Cassie? What's wrong?
I remember him!
I remember my son.
Sam!
I'm so sorry! I remember him!
[sobbing] I remember Finn! I'm so sorry.
Please forgive me.
[TV plays indistinctly]
Sam...
did you hear me?
Uh... [chuckles awkwardly]
[]
[shakily] Hi?
Hi.
-I'm just gonna take this.
-Oh!
Okay, excuse me. Thank you.
Garth, where's Sam?
I grounded Becks tonight,
and the little devil must've snuck out.
They're probably out trick-or-treating.
I'll go round 'em up.
I'll look for Finn, too.
-I'll come with you.
-No. Hey.
You gotta stay here in
case they all come back.
Okay.
God.
Don't worry, Cassie.
Redhaven is the safest place there is.
[rattling]
[muffled raging and banging]
[hissing]
[sobbing inconsolably] Oh...
Oh... no!
Dad?
This... wasn't supposed to be like this!
It should have been me.
I know... I know that's what you wanted.
No one was ever supposed to get hurt.
You started a sacrificial Satanic curse.
What the hell did you
think was gonna happen?
No, son!
No.
[roaring]
[both] "Frange silentium... "
Finn! Finn!
Finn!
[grunting intensely]
Keep going, it's working!
"Incantationem."
Redde vultum,
"solve carnem."
[thud]
-Finn! Finn.
We have to get him out of here.
We have to finish it!
The curse is still alive!
Finn! Finn!
"Sub ultima noctis luce...
Memoria surgat!"
[vines creaking]
[gasping]
[thrilling theme pulses with danger]
[]
[yelps]
Finn, wake up. Finn!
[phone rings]
-[angry crowd agitating]
-Uh, Buckley residence.
[woman] Put the Sheriff on, ma'am.
No, he's not here.
Um, I can take a message.
-[crowd murmuring]
-There ain't no more units!
Send the car out to the Mitchells'!
[to Cassie] Do you know where he is?
It's an emergency situation.
He-He's trying to find my kids.
They're missing, and...
Ma'am, like I've told
all the other parents...
We're doing everything
we can to find these kids.
There are others?
Wait!
Thank you, Ma'am.
We'll let you know if we hear anything.
Earlier, my son, he was
trying to tell me something.
You...
-[dial tone buzzing]
Palmer.
Becka!
Dad!
-Get back!
-Wait, wait, wait!
We need to finish it!
Sheriff, help!
Help us!
[]
Finn!
[Palmer sobbing]
[groans] Ugh...
Boring. Drop the act, old man.
No. No.
Okay? You did this. You made the choice.
-No.
-This was you.
You started this!
No, he-he-he-he-he-he...
He said it was a blessing.
Who said that?
That-That-That he
would... he'd heal the land!
He said it would be safe!
Who said?
[shouts] Who said?
Who?
[]
[Becka] Dad, come on!
We're running out of time!
[door rumbles]
Dad, come on!
We have to finish it!
[cuffs ratcheting]
[click]
What...? Wha...?
What are you doing? Dad!
[rustling]
[fires]
That's far enough, son.
[]
[gunfire]
Rusty.
Rusty! No!
[]
We have to stop it.
We can't lose everything we've built, son.
I won't let this town suffer again.
[]
Here is my offering.
[Sam screams]
-Help!
-Stop it!
Help!
Dad, stop!
The harvest gives...
the harvest takes.
[screaming] No!
Why-Why are you doing this?
For you.
For all of us!
Our town desperately needed help.
I found it.
Palmer couldn't know the truth.
I told him it was a miracle spell,
and he clung to that like a fool.
Thought he was growing a
magic pumpkin every year.
He wasn't strong enough
to accept the real sacrifice.
It's been my burden to carry.
Year after year,
I have kept this town alive.
[sobs] Dad... no.
Oh...
Sweetheart...
it's okay.
It's okay.
When you're old enough, you'll forget him.
The pain will be gone.
I'll make sure of that.
No, no, no. Stop, stop. Dad, stop! Stop it!
Omnis...
qui ex hac...
[tense, pulsing theme rises]
[growling]
[clattering]
[growling]
[thud]
[gasping]
[energy whooshing]
terra...
Stop! Stop it, Dad!
manducat.
Memoriam amittat...
no men obliviscatur!
[thud]
[Finn roars]
[both grunting]
[]
[Sam screaming]
[theme swells with hope]
[]
[]
[beeping]
[beeping continues]
[dark energy whooshing]
[Palmer] Rusty!
[]
[shot rings out]
[]
[shot rings out]
[roars]
[thud]
[growling]
[grunting]
"Sub ultima noctis luce. Memoria surgat..."
"Veritas dicatur.
Et maledictio rumpatur!"
[Becka continues chanting in Latin]
Becka!
[keys jangle]
Sam!
Sam!!
[resumes "Reverso" anti-curse]
[energy whooshing]
Finn? Sam?
[ominous theme rises]
[]
[squishing]
[roaring]
[rages]
[screaming]
[]
[both] Mom!
Uh...
You go help her. I'm almost free.
[resumes "Reverso" anti-curse]
Go!
"Veritas dicatur...
et maledictio rumpatur!"
[growls]
-What the...?
-Finn!
[]
Hey! Hey, over here!
[hisses]
Hey!
[Rusty] Hey, Straw-Guts!
[]
[growling]
"Veritas dicatur...
et maledictio rumpatur!"
[beeping]
"Seges putrescat,
radices evellantur!"
[]
[cries out]
[shrieking]
[thud]
[peaceful theme rises]
[]
[whoosh]
[snap]
-[gasps]
[mound gulps and grumbles]
[whooshing]
[]
Sam, listen...
Mom! Finn!
[]
I'm gonna live with mom.
[]
[Cassie] Oh, hey, happy birthday.
Not exactly the party I
had in mind for your 18th.
[chuckling]
Happy birthday, doofus.
I didn't get you anything,
but saving your life's gotta
count for something, right?
[confused] Uh, hi.
What's your name, sweetie?
Okay... not funny.
[Cassie] Where are your parents?
[Sam] Mom, stop it. It's me!
Finn, tell her it's me. It's Sam!
[Finn] I'm sorry, Sam.
We don't know you.
Do you need help?
-What? No, Mom!
-Hey, hey, hey!
Take it easy, man.
Sam?
Becka, what's going on?
The land still had a
hold on you at midnight.
They've forgotten you.
No. No, no, no. We have to fix this.
The book. The book.
The book...
That poor boy.
Will he be all right?
Yeah, he'll be fine.
[]
We have to find it!
[]
Becka, help me!
It's gone.
No. No. No!
We have to fix this.
[]
Rusty! Help me, please. Please.
I know it's hard, kid...
We have to make them remember.
We can't...
We can't.
I'm so sorry.
[car engine starting]
-[gasps]
Mom!
[tender theme rises]
[]
[cries out] Mom! Finn!
[]
[]
You still got us.
Yeah.
And I got plenty of instant
noodles to go around.
[]
Long road, long climb
I can find the strength to try
And make it out alive
I don't like what's out there
Through the smoke that's everywhere
I feel it in the air
In the end I'll do it all over again
When there's nowhere left to hide
Will we live or will we die?
With the strength I have inside
I know I will survive
We get, we take
We test love and we test fate
But we can't run from mistakes
Lost world
Lost time
I get lost inside my mind
[]
Our future's intertwined
In the end
I'd do it all over again
When there's nowhere left to hide
Will we live or will we die?
With the strength I have inside
I know I will survive
[]
When there's nowhere left to hide
Will we live or will we die?
With the strength I have inside
I know I will survive
I know I will survive