Hubie Halloween, a seasonal comedy starring Adam Sandler, was released on Netflix on Oct. 7 as a Netflix Original Film. Directed by Steven Brill and produced by Happy Madison Productions, the movie contains several famous actors ranging from Juliet Bowman as Violet Valentine to younger stars such as Noah Schnapp playing Tommy Valentine and Adam Sandler playing Hubie Dubois.

Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the movie takes place on Halloween, a day heavily celebrated by the town. Every Halloween, Hubert (Hubie) Dubois, the town’s designated “Halloween Monitor” goes around making sure everyone has a safe Halloween. The problem is, no one takes him seriously. Hubie is the town’s target for laughs and often finds himself in situations far more dangerous than any potential Halloween trouble. This year, however, things are different. A psychopath from a nearby institution, Richie Hartman, has escaped. At about the same time, Hubie finds himself with a new and suspicious neighbor, Walter Lambert, who has the tendency to act like a werewolf. As the night’s events progress, viewers are left wondering about what spooky events will transpire that Halloween. 

The movie has an extremely stereotypical Halloween plot, which is made worse by the unnecessary dramatics that result in off-putting characters. For example, Hubie’s love interest Violet Valentine is considered to be a caring and sweet woman by everyone in Salem,  but because of the way she is portrayed throughout the story, she comes off as overbearing and excessive. While the film’s plot is not much to write home about, the movie’s over exaggerations make the content appear worse than it really is. The only thing worth laughing about are the ridiculous characters, rendering the “comedic” scenes of the movie unintentional and arbitrary. 

Despite its lacking comedy and creativity, the movie redeems itself by casting famous actors that appease both older and younger audience members. One such character is Michael Mundi, played by Karan Brar, a high schooler who often bullies Hubie. Another positive aspect of the movie is how well it connects itself to its set, Salem. Characters often make allusions to the famous Salem witch trials, utilizing the town’s history really well. A particularly striking example of this is when Hubie makes references to one of his great-grandmothers, who died standing up for those accused of witchery. Hubie is able to connect this situation well to his own plight with present-day bullies in Salem, further bolstering a spooky and mysterious mood that’s crucial to the setting of the film.  Overall, Hubie Halloween ties in various elements of Halloween such as spooky features and unsettling suspense by starring famous actors and alluding to history. However, its dry plot and lacking humor diminish the anticipation and excitement the film was intended to create, ultimately detracting from the movie’s quality. From superfluous actions to unsettling lines, Hubie Halloween proves itself to be all hype and no payout.