Stars: 3/5

Adam Sandler threatened last year that if he didn’t win an Oscar for his rather serious performance in the film “Uncut Gems” then he would make it his mission to make the worst movie that was “so bad on purpose.” The next movie Sandler put out was the Netflix original “Hubie Halloween,” and he may have fulfilled that promise. 

“Hubie Halloween” follows local outcast Hubert “Hubie” Dubois (Adam Sandler) and his quest to protect the town on Halloween night even though the townspeople relentlessly ridicule him. The film opens with the escape of mental psych ward patient Richard Hartman (Rob Schneider) then cuts to Hubie riding his bike through town and dodging various objects being thrown at him by children. We are then introduced to Hubie’s crush Violet Valentine (Julie Bowen) and some of his bullies like Pete Landolfa (Ray Liotta). 

Before the movie gets into its full swing, we are introduced to one more character that seems suspect. Enter Hubie’s new neighbor Walter Lambert (Steve Buscemi) who seems friendly but warns Hubie not to come over if he hears weird sounds coming from his house. 

On Halloween night, Hubie reclaims his annual role of being Salem’s Halloween monitor, but no one in town really takes him seriously. Things get weird pretty fast with four of Hubie’s tormentors going missing. At first, you’d think it be Richard Hartman. You know, that guy who escaped the mental institution? Or maybe it’s the weird neighbor Walter. Spoiler alert: it’s neither, but you have to go watch the movie to find out the true villain. The culprit has good intentions and was just trying to protect Hubie from his bullies, and let’s be honest they had it coming. 

This seasonal comedy may not be the best Sandler has starred in, but it has a few perks that I want to address before we write this one off as one of his worst films. First off, this cast is stacked. There’s literally not one actor who came on screen that I did not recognize. From Saturday Night Live cast members to people who starred with Sandler in “Grown Ups,” this movie really had a star-studded cast.

I took off major points for the “comedy” part of this movie. I know it was meant to be a funny Halloween movie, but it honestly only made me laugh maybe three times. I’ll be honest though, those three times were way more than a pity laugh, but I wanted it to make me laugh way more than that. Sandler always stars in these comedies where he plays the kind of dumb main character, and those other movies usually have me rolling, but I can’t say the same for “Hubie Halloween.” Be on the lookout for a surprise cameo by Shaquille O’Neal toward the end of the movie; I promise it’ll make you laugh if nothing else does.

Overall, I have to give this movie points for its cast and the few times it made me laugh. I’d say it’s worth a watch for fun, but I don’t think it’s going to be your next favorite Halloween movie. “Hubie Halloween” is essentially what would happen if you combined Sandler’s characters from “Billy Madison” and “The Waterboy,” made them a little less funny and put them in a PG-13 Halloween movie.

So I guess, Sandler delivered on that promise he made about making his worst film after his Oscar snub. I just expected a Sandler movie to have me laughing way more than “Hubie Halloween” did. Watch it if you love Adam Sandler, but if not then you’re not missing out on all that much. It’s okay, but it won’t be the next Halloween classic.