The perfect revival for a new generation of horror fans.
[Spoiler Free Territory Below!]
I’m going to go ahead and say it: this is the best Halloween sequel ever. Actually, I’ll add a caveat to that—the best sequel featuring Michael Myers. Halloween III holds a very special place in my heart. The Shape has come home to Haddonfield, and he’s more ruthless than ever.
I was nervous going into this movie, I’ll be honest. My expectations were high. While some people expressed mixed feelings about it, horror fans and enthusiasts seemed to be in universal agreement. I didn’t want to be the one to report back and say, “guys, it isn’t as good as everyone thinks it is”.
The great news is that I don’t have to say that. The writing trio of Jeff Fradley, Danny McBride, and David Gordon Green have put together an intense and incredibly effective slasher film. There are nods to the original (as well as to Halloween III) and a decent amount of humor as well, but this is a serious movie. I’m thankful they went with that tone, because I don’t want another humorous slasher movie. We already got Hell Fest this year and Happy Death Day last year—which, by the way, I got a trailer for its sequel before this movie, and I’m 100% ready for February to get here.
The serious tone is important because it makes Michael Myers scary again. He’s not taking any kicks from Busta Rhymes here. He stabs, strangles, and stabs his way through person after person. This Michael is reenergized. When he needs to be terrifying, he is. I appreciate the fact that they brought back not only Nick Castle, but also Tony Moran, the guy who portrayed Michael when he wasn’t wearing his mask in the original. It doesn’t make or break the movie, but it demonstrates the care Green took in making this movie and love he has for the franchise.
Halloween, to me, is what Halloween H2O should’ve been. Laurie Strode finally gets to confront the Boogeyman that has driven her into isolation and ruined her life. Jamie Lee Curtis is a badass. She’s been training for decades for the night he came home again. However, she’s also a deeply troubled character. Her paranoia broke her family apart. She is on bad terms with her daughter, but has a secretive and closer relationship with her granddaughter. The dynamic between three generations of Strodes is well-executed and one of many highlights in the movie.
Lastly, I want to talk about the makeup effects in Halloween (designed by Christopher Nelson). I was talking with someone on Twitter about how the series hasn’t relied heavily on bloody death scenes to be scary. The original is practically bloodless, and the sequels aren’t known for their excessive brutality. This Halloween…it is brutal. One character mentions early on how the killings back in 1978 weren’t anything special and that a lot worse has happened since. And he’s right…a lot worse happens this Halloween night. Halloween doesn’t beat out The Littlest Reich or Terrifier for goriest picture of the year, and that’s certainly for the best, but it is the bloodiest a Halloween movie has ever been—yes, even more than Rob Zombie’s Halloween movies.
The music is a refreshing update, and the opening credits are a brilliant nod to the original’s iconic credits. There. I’ve said all I’m going to say. If you’re a Halloween fan and you haven’t bought your tickets yet to see this movie, stop what you’re doing and go buy them right now! Do it or the Boogeyman will getcha!
The Dead Ward 