Halloween

 



Director - David Gordon Green (Vice Principals, Pineapple Express)
Starring - Jamie Lee Curtis (Prom Night, Escape from New York), Judy Greer (Ant-Man, Carrie), and Andi Matichak (Orange is the New Black, The Boonies)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Face your fate"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection)

Rating (out of 5):

 

     I have controversial opinions on popular horror series.  Not too long ago I reviewed a Texas Chainsaw Massacre film and I discussed my favorites in the series and which ones I felt were overrated.  I have similar opinions on the Halloween series as well.  Honestly, Halloween III is the best in the series but if you are looking at the Myers' films I absolutely love the first 6 films and Rob Zombie's remake.  I love them all and can watch them all back to back.  I want to like H20, Resurrection, and Rob Zombie's sequel but I can't.  When the trailer for the new Halloween premiered I was not impressed.  The trailer was pretty boring and did nothing to excite me for the film.  In fact, I was so not interested in this one at all so I didn't request it to review.  After the release I was at Wal-Mart and thought why not and grabbed it.  Now here I am...

     The film follows Laurie Strode several decades after the events of Halloween (ignoring all other Halloween sequels).  She has turned into a survivalist who refuses to let go of her past.  Laurie's daughter was raised to defend herself but she did not pass that down to her own daughter who is now a teenager in high school. With Halloween approaching Laurie is on edge and this years she has every right to be.  Michael is being transported to a new facility and the vehicle transporting him has crash and he is now loose.  Laurie tries to protect her family but they push it off as her being paranoid and old but Laurie is right.  Michael is able to get his hands on his old mask thanks to two true crime podcasters and now is making his way to Haddonfield settle the score.

     I wanted to like this but so much was just wrong about it.  The original Halloween and the sequel are amazing films that should be played back to back.  Honestly, I can't watch the first without watching the second.  They pick up just moments apart and follow Laurie.  Now, I understand the mythos with each film but how can a film that follows Laurie completely ignore the first sequel and still call itself Halloween?  A sequel to Halloween is Halloween?  Ok, I can look passed that.  It's stupid but doesn't make this movie a bad movie but other elements do.  The acting in this one is alright but nothing spectacular.  The cast does what is required of them and they do it well but the characters are just so damn unlikable that their performances seem lackluster.  Even Jamie Lee Curtis, the reason everyone loves Halloween, is now portraying a character that is just aggravating.  Her character has went from final girl to Crazy Ralph with a shotgun.  That sounds bad ass on paper but her personality is just so sour.  I know it's to fit with her backstory but it just doesn't work for me.  The same can be said about her daughter and granddaughter.  They are unlikable characters that just do nothing for the story.  In fact, I was extremely disappointed when they didn't die.  This is the first Halloween film where I was rooting for Myers.  The story itself is more of what we got in the original and the last portion of Rob Zombie's remake but with a much older Laurie Strode.  We once again follow Michael Myers as he escapes a mental health facility and makes his way after Laurie on Halloween while killing everyone in his way.  The big exception is how Laurie is now prepared for him and has built elaborate traps to catch him.  These changes are in the last act of the film and then the ending is obviously left open to write in a sequel or three.  Finally, this installment has some brutal kills.  The kills we get are what you would expect from a Halloween installment.  They are fierce and brutal while showcasing amazing practical effects.  This one does not shy away from the gore and that is the only reason this film scored as high as it did for me.  Overall, Halloween is another cash grab at the expense of horror fans.  The movie offers up nothing new to the saga of Michael Myers.  We get characters we don't like and want to watch die and a story that is mostly made up of the story from the original Halloween and part of the remake.  It does change it up at the end but that doesn't save it.  I recommend checking it out for the kills alone but this is one Halloween film I don't recommend which is saying something considering I love part 6!