‘Tis the season! The “Halloween” franchise is as synonymous with fall as pumpkin-flavored treats, leaves, and well, the namesake holiday. Often cited as culturally influential, John Carpenter’s “Halloween” ushered in a new era of horror-film making, electronic music, and creepy masks. Since the original movie’s debut in 1978, the franchise has produced a whopping 12 films (with at least one more on the way). The New School Free Press is all about public service, so we took a dive into all the movies to help you pick out the best ones to watch. No thank yous necessary. Here’s the Free Press guide to all the “Halloween” flicks!
Halloween (1978)
Dir. John Carpenter
Written by John Carpenter & Debra Hill
Author: John Rieg
The one that started it all. Critics in the past have erroneously credited “Halloween” as the first slasher film, often ignoring movies that pre-date the series such as “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974), or “Black Christmas” (1974). The film, however, can be credited with popularizing the genre further, as well as influencing and spawning some of the 80’s most beloved horror franchises like “Friday the 13th” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
On Halloween night, December 1963, a young Michael Myers murders his older sister in the upstairs bedroom of the family home. He is committed to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium and placed under the care of Dr. Samuel Loomis, portrayed by the late Donald Pleasence. Fifteen years later, Michael escapes the hospital and returns home to Haddonfield, carrying out a series of murders.
The film marks the first major film appearance of Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode. Lee was cast due, in part, to her mother’s iconic role as Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 thriller, “Psycho.” The movie is monumental in concocting a Hitchcockian level of suspense through Carpenter’s use of unique camera angles, and minimalist approach at composing the score. Both the film and score have since been lauded by critics and fans worldwide — sparking the creation of subsequent films and inspiring hours of content not nearly as good. Lucky for you and the rest of the world, the original is readily available via AMC for viewing annually, come October.
There are a number of far-out kills in this film, but my favorite has to be that of Bob and Lynda (played by future “Rock N Roll High School” star, P.J. Soles!). After the two characters finish up a romp in the sack, Bob heads downstairs to grab a couple of cold, refreshing “beerski’s” for him and his chick. Unbeknownst to the couple, Michael Myers had entered their house, his spree of murder already in progress. Michael lifts Bob up and stabs him, pinning him against a door (he never had a chance!) Michael then puts a sheet over his head, and adorns Bob’s glasses, because Michael, despite being evil incarnate, apparently has an incredible sense of humor. Who says serial killers can’t have a little fun? He goes upstairs and tricks Lynda into thinking he is Bob before he strangles her with a telephone cord. Props to Nick Castle as Michael Myers (credited as “The Shape”) for helping a truly terrifying figure come to life, retrospectively and indisputably in its finest form.
Kill Count: 7
Rating: 10/10
———————-
Halloween II (1981)
Dir. Rick Rosenthal
Written by John Carpenter & Debra Hill
Author: Harry Batalingaya
The second “Halloween” flick picks up right where the first ended. Michael Myers continues his spree of murders, first killing another woman in her home, while Laurie is taken to the hospital to heal from the wounds she suffered in the first film. The police believe they have killed Michael, but it turns out to be a random trick-or-treater. Michael ventures to the hospital where Laurie is being treated. We soon learn through a series of dream sequences and an eventual reveal of records that Laurie is, in fact, Michael Myers’ younger sister.
Michael goes to the hospital and kills almost the entire late-night staff. Laurie anticipates his arrival and escapes to a car outside. Dr. Loomis arrives and shoots Michael, interrupting his pursuit of Laurie. Surprise! It doesn’t work. Myers gets up and slits a police officer’s throat. Later as Loomis and Laurie are hiding in the hospital, Myers finds them and stabs Loomis in the gut. Laurie shoots Michael in both eyes and Dr. Loomis pours gasoline around the hospital, instructing Laurie to ignite a flame and run. Laurie lights the hospital up but sees Michael in the distance, emerging from the flaming structure. She is transferred to another hospital the next day.
This picture doesn’t quite live up to the magic present in the first film but it is a worthy sequel, nonetheless. “Halloween II ” features much more gore than the original. While the narrative is simple and less intriguing than the first movie, the sibling reveal and sheer ruthlessness of Michael Myers make this a top three film in the “Halloween” franchise.
Kill Count: 10
Rating: 8/10
———————-
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Dir. Tommy Lee Wallace
Written by Tommy Lee Wallace
Author: Karen Arrobo
Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1982 flick, “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” begins with actor Al Berry as store owner Harry Grimbridge being chased down an alley by a mysterious businessman. Harry, nearly strangled by the businessman, is sent to a small Northern California hospital, clutching a latex jack-o’-lantern mask made by Silver Shamrock Novelties. Harry is under the care of Dr. Daniel Challis, portrayed by Tom Atkins. Dr. Challis is introduced into the film alongside his ex-wife and kids, who bought the same Silver Shamrock Novelties masks depicted earlier. A mysterious man in a suit intrudes the hospital, kills Harry, then self-immolates in the car. (WTF?)
Harry’s daughter, Ellie, portrayed by Stacey Nelkin, discovers her father’s death and decides to investigate it. Dr, Challis and Ellie partner up to investigate Silver Shamrock, and the company’s involvement in Harry’s death. They head to a small town on the outskirts of Southern California called Santa Mira, the home of the Silver Shamrock Novelties factory. They discover Santa Mira is a town full of emotionless, evil residents and regular shop owners who invest in Silver Shamrock Novelties’ masks. They rent a sketchy motel room next door to shop owner Marge Guttman, who finds the town eerie and suspicious as well. Dr. Challis meets the Kupfer family, also shop owners who have business at the company’s factory. The residents all reference and salute to Conal Cochran, toy salesman and creator of Silver Shamrock Novelties and founder of Santa Mira. One night, Marge finds a trademarked microchip depicting the Silver Shamrock logo. It shocks and kills her. Cochran and his minions take measures to cover up the circumstances surrounding her death.
Daniel and Ellie end up touring the factory with the Kupfer family and Conal Cochran. Androids take Ellie and detain her, whilst Conal Cochran remains with Dr. Challis. Cochran turns out to be an evil wizard whose goal is to turn childrens’ heads into gut-wrenching masses of insects. Through the company’s advertisements, he uses an ancient Celtic message from his family lineage to initiate mass murder through hypnotization. We see that he has amassed a crew of lab-coated android men who do all his dirty work. We also begin to see that the advertisements affect the masks and force their wearers to kill.
A mask is placed upon Dr. Challis, but he escapes, saves Ellie and destroys Cochran’s television sets. He throws the trademarked microchips at the android men, causing them all to explode and exuding a yellow mucus from their bodies. He kills Cochran with the very same microchip, and he disintegrates into nothingness. We soon learn that Ellie had been killed by Cochran and is now an android copy of herself. Dr. Challis kills the android and runs to the nearest gas station, seeing the Silver Shamrock Novelties’ advertisement broadcasted on a screen there. He calls his ex-wife and kids to tell them to destroy the latex masks.hen he calls the television broadcast companies to tell them to cease playing the advertisements immediately. Only one company refuses l to turn them off — a channel broadcasting the chant, “one more day ‘till Halloween, Halloween… Silver Shamrock.”
The film was long panned by fans and critic, but has earned an audience in recent years due in part to frequent convention appearances by Tom Atkins, and mentions on Shudder’s, “The Last Drive-In, with Joe Bob Briggs.” One of the most gruesome of the 28 kills in the film has to be that of Buddy’s. Seeing his eyes absorbing the screen, while his pumpkin head disintegrated and turned into a mushy, varmint nest was truly unsettling. I would rate this movie 5/10. Contrary to what many might say, the low rating isn’t because of the abandonment of the Michael Myers plotline. The film, in the beginning, was packed with all the mysterious kills and suspense that the franchise’s legacy has become famous for. As the movie progressed, however, things grew disappointing. What was up with that random on-screen chemistry between Ellie and Dr. Chalice? Did he want to investigate Silver Shamrock Novelties for Harry, or to pursue his desire for Ellie? In my opinion, the plot should have focused more on Ellie, rather than the androids and businessmen.
Kill Count: 28, including 16 of Cochran’s androids!
Rating: 5/10
———————-
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
Dir. Dwight Little
Written by Alan McElroy
Author: Harry Batalingaya
At the beginning of this film, Michael Myers has been in a coma at Haddonfield State Hospital since his pursuit of Laurie 10 years prior. Michael is awakened, however, when he is transferred to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. While being transferred, he overhears that Laurie had birthed a daughter who is currently living in Haddonfield. Michael kills the entire crew, and sets off. Laurie is said to have died an off-screen death. On Halloween night, Michael’s niece Jamie goes trick-or-treating in the neighborhood, only to discover that he is following her and her foster sister Rachel. In an effort to protect Jamie, Dr. Loomis and Police Sheriff Meeker begin to look around town for the masked killer.
Loomis and Meeker find Jamie and Rachel in the streets and enlist the help of a group of vigilantes, as Michael had killed the rest of the police officers. After they murder someone who they believed to be Michael, everyone retreats to the sheriff’s house in hiding, unaware that the real Michael is already inside the home. Conflict ensues, as Michael pursues the group. He kills a guard and ends up on the roof of the house with the girls, knocking Rachel off. He then attacks Loomis and Rachel reappears, blasting Michael with a fire extinguisher. The vigilantes attempt to drive off with the girls and lead them to safety, but Michael shows up and — you guessed it — kills them all, leading Rachel to take control of the wheel and run him over. Other officers and vigilantes arrive, shooting Michael and knocking him down. The movie concludes with Jamie stabbing Darlene, her foster mother, through the mask, showing a clear connection between the teen and her killer uncle.
Despite the lack of Jamie Lee-Curtis, the film is worth a watch. Fans will find the film’s return to a familiar storyline refreshing. The filmmakers choice to shift the story’s focus to a young, new character is also essential in helping the plot move forward. While still a good movie, I believe it to be weaker than the first two.
Kill Count: 19
Rating: 7/10
———————-
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
Dir. Dominique Othenin-Girard
Written by Michael Jacobs, Dominique Othenin-Girard, Shem Bitterman
Author: Harry Batalingaya
Michael Myers falls into another coma for a year and awakens on Halloween to — you guessed it — return to Haddonfield, trying once more to kill his niece. Jamie had been committed to a mental institution and has remained mute since the events of the last film. It is evident that the two share a psychic connection. Michael lures Jamie out of the hospital by killing her sister, Rachel. Dr. Loomis and Sheriff Meeker once again set out to take on Michael as well.
On Halloween night, Michael, in pursuit of Jamie, kills Rachel’s friend Tina, but Loomis takes Jamie to safety. Loomis lures Michael to the house where he killed his sister in 1963 and tries to convince him that Jamie could help him suppress the urge to kill. He ignores this, slashing Loomis across the chest. Jamie coerces Michael into taking his mask off, which buys Loomis enough time to set a trap utilizing tranquilizer darts. Michael is taken to prison, but a man in black helps Michael escape. It is clear that he will return again.
“Halloween V” deepens the relationship between Michael and Jamie. Killing off Rachel in the first half hour, however, was a bad move, the character had potential for growth! The movie offers little character development for Michael Myers and because of this, “Halloween V” marks a definite downgrade in the franchise.
Kill Count: 20
Rating: 5/10
———————-
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
Dir. Joe Chappelle
Written by Daniel Farrands
Author: John Rieg
Michael and Jamie are abducted by a man in black, who is revealed to be a cult leader. Jamie gives birth to a baby some years later, and on October 30 (who would’ve thought?), escapes.. Michael pursues and kills Jamie in a car crash, but her baby was not present in the car. Paul Rudd plays Tommy Doyle, a child who Laurie Strode babysat during the events of the original film. He encounters the baby and cares for it. We learn that relatives of Laurie Strode occupy the old Myers house.
Over the years Doyle has become increasingly interested in what motivates Michael to kill. We soon learn that Michael had been cursed with “Thorn,” a condition inflicted by the cult led by the man in black, that urges its victims to kill. The investigation brings the characters back to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium, where we learn the cult and the hospital had been working together to try to control “Thorn.” Tommy arrives on the scene. After some usual violent conflict, he beats Michael down and escapes. We see Michael’s mask on the hospital floor, and we hear Dr. Loomis scream.
The plot is weak. It waters down the aspects of Michael that made him so scary in the original film, and his mask is just fucking awful in this one. Despite these major misgivings that would otherwise drop this film’s rating considerably, it is in a sense saved by the novelty of watching a young Paul Rudd, in one of his first major film roles, play a character like Tommy Doyle. Rudd would go on to become a household name. More important, however, is the fact that this film features the final performance of the late, great, Donald Pleasence, and for this reason alone the film’s memory should be preserved.
Kill Count: 17
Rating: 6/10
———————-
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Dir. Steve Miner
Written by Robert Zappia, Matt Greenberg
Author: Miranda Bucio
“Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” directed by Steve Miner, is the seventh movie of the “Halloween” franchise, but it ignores the events of the previous four movies, picking up after “Halloween II.”
H20 sees the return of Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, Michael Myers’ long lost sister who has been hunting the killer since 1978. Laurie stages her own death, assuming the name “Keri Tate.” She moves to California where she works as the headmistress of a boarding school, where her 17-year-old son, John (played by Josh Hartnett) is a student.
The movie begins in Langdon, Illinois where Dr. Sam Loomis, voiced by Tom Kane, fulfills his final years under the care of nurse Marion Chambers. Marion returns home one day to find the house broken into. She asks her neighbor Jimmy and his friend Tony, for help. They call the cops and Jimmy goes inside her home to investigate. They find nothing. Both friends leave and Marion notices that a file containing information on Laurie is missing. This prompts her to believe that Michael Myers has returned. She soon discovers her neighbors dead, before being killed by the masked madman himself.
Meanwhile, Laurie is still trying to cope with the trauma brought on by her experiences with Michael. She is overprotective of her son, which incites arguments. She maintains a relationship with the school counselor, Will, but can’t bring herself to tell him about her past. After much deliberation, Laurie reluctantly agrees to let John go on a trip to Yosemite National Park, but unbeknownst to her he had made plans to hang out with his girlfriend and friends, opting to remain on their school’s campus.
Later that night, Laurie reveals to Will that she is Michael Myers’ sister, and that he is after her. When Will asks Laurie how old she was when Michael pursued her in Haddonfield, Laurie realized that she was the same age as her son, 17 years old, and Michael is surely after John now. She then notices that John left his camping gear in his bedroom, leading her to suspect that he never went to Yosemite.
Michael finds the teens and begins to slay them one by one. Laurie and Will save John, but Will is eventually killed by Michael. Laurie then decides to confront Michael face to face, once and for all. The two duke it out — and share a moment of serenity, touching each other’s hands while Michael is pinned against a tree. The moment ends when Laurie ultimately decapitates Michael with a fire ax.
“Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” is not the best Halloween movie, but it’s not the worst either. Rated 52% on Rotten Tomatoes, it is the franchise’s third-best according to the internet. Is it my favorite movie in the world? No. Boasting 6 (or so) kills, it was entertaining, but did it scare the crap out of audiences? According to fans, not so much. It was a better production than some other sequels, but it just didn’t do it for me. There were no memorable jump scares and not once did my heart race. I give “H20” a 3.5/10 as opposed to the 5.8/10 it has on IMDb. I’m not one of those cinephiles who feels the need to critique every little thing about films, however, I found “H20” to be relatively boring and forgettable. I still have considerable love for the franchise, but I don’t think I’ll be re-watching this one every Halloween.
Kill Count: 6
Rating: 3.5/10
———————-
Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
Dir. Rick Rosenthal
Written by Larry Brand, Sean Hood
Author: Miranda Bucio
The events of “Halloween: Resurrection” follow that of “H20.” This one was directed by Rick Rosenthal, who also directed “Halloween II.”
In “Resurrection,” we learn that the man Laurie killed at the end of “H20,” was not Michael, but a paramedic in his clothes. Ridden with guilt over killing an innocent man, Laurie is admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Michael, determined to finally kill his sister, sneaks into the facility, killing two security guards in the process. He breaks into Laurie’s room just as she anticipated, striking him from behind. Laurie sets a trap on the roof and leads Michael there, capturing him, but before she can execute the masked killer, she must be certain it is him — and not an again an innocent man. She reaches out to remove his mask but is pulled in by Michael. He stabs her and tosses her off the roof.
College students Sara, Jen and Rudy are then introduced. The three are cast in a reality television show called “Dangertainment” to investigate the Myers murders by returning to Michael’s house, spending a night where the murders took place. The three friends attend a meeting with Freddie and Nora, the directors of the show. There they meet three other students who were cast, Donna, Jim and Bill. On Halloween, a cameraman is killed by Michael while setting up for the show. Later that day, the six students venture into the home, which has been set up with microphones and cameras for a live broadcast of their escapades. They go into the Myers house and the group splits up. Michael begins to pick the teens off one by one. Viewers watching the live broadcast on t.v., are unable to distinguish the very real deaths they are witnessing from staged events.
The director Freddie dresses up as Michael Myers intending to scare the rest of the cast, but soon bumps into the real Michael before resuming his act. He then tells the remaining students, Rudy, Jim, Sara, and Jen, that everything is staged and asks them to go along with it in order to increase monetary revenue from the show. Jen finds Bill’s dead body before she is decapitated by Michael. The teens and audience watching at home then realize that Michael is actually in the house killing them. Jim and Rudy try to stop Michael, but they are killed. Freddie electrocutes Michael and escapes with Sara, and the masked killer is presumed dead. The film ends with a coroner preparing to work on the body, when Michael suddenly awakens.
“Halloween: Resurrection” is rated 4/10 on IMDb and 12% on Rotten Tomatoes. I feel like the only things that saves this movie are the scenes depicting humor , the ten kills (that were definitely better than the kills in “H20”), and the jump scares. I would give “Resurrection” a 4.5/10 instead of just a 4/10. Many horror fans feel like “Resurrection” was unnecessary. Do I hate it? No. Freddie’s face-off with Michael is memorable, but in comparison to the first two in the series, “Resurrection” just doesn’t cut it.
Kill Count: 10
Rating: 4.5/10
———————-
Halloween (2007)
Dir. Rob Zombie
Written by Rob Zombie
Author: Valentina Graziosi
Rob Zombie’s “Halloween” (2007), a remake of the original 1978 John Carpenter classic, offers an inside look into the mind of our favorite fictional serial killer, Michael Myers. In the original movie, the opening scene is shot in first person POV form. We see Michael — through the eye holes of a clown mask he finds on the floor — mercilessly killing his older sister. After fifteen years committed to a sanitarium, he escapes.
Zombie’s movie offers a slightly different perspective, adding a humanizing touch to the classic horror story. In his version, we take a deeper dive into Michael’s life. We see him develop mental health issues — exasperated by bullying, neglect, and constant verbal abuse by his mother’s partner Ronnie. This allows the audience to sympathize with the character -— to some extent -— for Michael is shown to be a rather lonely child who faces deep psychological instability. This instability is eventually channeled into a murderous spree.
Zombie’s interpretation follows Michael through his formative years at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium under the care of Dr. Sam Loomis, played by the great Malcolm McDowell. His mother Debra visits often, seeing her son’s descent into madness as he begins to only wear masks, and eventually kills a nurse. Debra kills herself with a shotgun, leaving behind a baby named Angel, who later reemerges as Laurie Strode.
It is here where the two movies intertwine, as Zombie’s version boasts several nods to the original, in terms of scene construction and dialogue. Zombie’s version, much like the original, also portrays Michael as a stalker who kills with very little motive, other than hunting down his sister of course. For the majority of the film, Michael goes on one of his trademark killing sprees until he is face-to-face with Laurie. The two endings are relatively similar. In both, Michael falls through a balcony and is shot by his former therapist Dr. Loomis. However, in the final moments of the 2007 version, both Laurie and Michael fall through the balcony. When both siblings hit the ground, it is Laurie who manages to grab the gun, ready to end this conflict, once and for all. The remake ends ambiguously, however, as Myers grabs her hand right as she shoots — before the screen cuts to black.
Zombie’s version did an excellent job at paying tribute to the original film. Several scenes from the original were refilmed to mirror the ‘78 version. Many critics took issue with this, as they felt the movie lacked originality.
However, what is unique about Zombie’s interpretation is the humanization of this extremely well-known character. Michael’s humanization proved to be divisive among fans and critics. Some have said that the origin story was an interesting introduction into the psyche of Michael Myers, while others have argued that the combination of a merciless serial killer and a simply misunderstood child were not two things that could coincide easily. In my opinion, Zombie was able to add a bit of his own flavor to the series through some gruesome scenes and crass dialogue, a trademark of his films. I’m not much of a fan, however, of Michael’s repeated killing of bare-naked women throughout the film, which sexualizes violence in a way that is honestly just creepy. I suppose this speaks to a broader issue in Hollywood, as he is not the first director to be accused of sexualizing gruesome female violence for no good reason.
Kill Count: 20
Rating: 6.5/10
———————-
Halloween II (2009)
Dir. Rob Zombie
Written by Rob Zombie
Author: Valentina Graziosi
“Halloween II” (2009), the follow up the 2007 remake, is also very Zombie-esque. The movie is filled to the brim with several gory close-ups, shot on 16mm film, giving it an extra grainy touch. In “Halloween II,” Zombie continues to build on Michael Myers’ backstory.
The film begins with a flashback of Michael at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. His mother, Debra, brings him a white horse miniature as a gift. He confesses he has seen the miniature before, in a dream in which his mother was standing alongside the horse like a “really beautiful ghost.”
Much like 1981’s “Halloween II,” the film then picks up where its 2007 predecessor left off: with Laurie Strode (played by Scout Taylor-Compton) holding a knife and walking through the suburban streets of Haddonfield. Half-dead and covered in blood, she is rescued by police and taken to a hospital, where — in typical Rob Zombie fashion — we see grotesque close-up shots of Laurie’s surgery as doctors attempt to save her life. Meanwhile back at the crime scene, Dr. Loomis is transported to a hospital while Michael is strapped to a gurney and sent off in a van. When the van gets into an accident, the killer takes his drivers’ lives and escapes.
It isn’t long before Michael appears at the hospital, brutally murdering several nurses before finding and chasing his sister in a scene that is a shot-for-shot remake of the original 1981 sequel. Laurie wakes up in bed a year later, implying it was all a dream.
We soon learn that both Laurie and Loomis’ lives have progressed past the events of the first film. Dr. Loomis uses his encounter with Michael to sell books, while Laurie makes new friends since, well, all her old ones are dead. As life goes on, her and Loomis’ path’s cross again, as his book reveals to Laurie that Myers is, in fact, her brother. By the time Laurie finds this out, however, Michael has already escaped and is back at Haddonfield, murdering teens like usual.
The film follows Michael on one of his trademark killing sprees, and because it’s a Rob Zombie movie, there is plenty of unnecessary gore (Michael eats a dog on screen!) and naked women being murdered.
This culminates in the siblings meeting, once again. In the end, Loomis — after escaping death at the hands of Michael several times now — is finally and dramatically murdered in his attempt to save Laurie from Michael. In the last few scenes, we see Laurie stab the masked killer over and over, yelling “die, die, die” until he finally does.
The final shot shows Laurie exiting the shack they were in while covered in blood and wearing the famous Michael Myers mask. This was the most justified way to kill off Michael Myers, who was a truly heinous creature. The symbolism behind Laurie wearing the mask — showing her indisputable connection to her monstrous sibling was also a nice touch. Overall, though, I didn’t love the flick, when compared to the originals. I liked the grainy nature of 16mm film and the ending was alright, but somehow the whole “mom and white horse” flashback thing was not my cup of tea.
Kill Count: 19
Rating: 3/10
———————-
Halloween (2018)
Dir. David Gordon Green
Written by Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Jeff Fradley
Author: John Rieg
The 2018 reboot of the franchise is the first to ignore the events of 1981’s “Halloween II,” in addition to the rest of the movies. The film once again marks the return of Jamie Lee Curtis as horror’s most infamous “final girl,” Laurie Strode, who has descended into a state of paranoia in the 40 years since the events of the original film took place. In anticipation of Michael’s return, she has spent her time learning self-defense tactics, amassing weaponry and setting traps, carefully planning for the “night he comes home” again. We learn that this has affected her relationship with her daughter, Karen, who views Laurie as neurotic and unstable, and her granddaughter Allyson, who is more sympathetic to her grandmother’s plight. On Halloween, Michael escapes and makes his way back to Haddonfield, where the Strodes are forced to face the masked madman once again. The movie culminates as three generations of women, whose lives were deeply and negatively impacted by Michael in ways both direct and indirect, set Michael ablaze in their home.
Audiences may be surprised to learn that the story was largely developed and written by comedy giant Danny McBride who has starred in works such as “Eastbound & Down,” “Pineapple Express,” and “Hot Rod.” A concept that re-legitimizes the franchise after decades of substandard work, the film aims to make Michael scary again, as many fans believed the over-explanation of his character in previous films weakened his fright factor. It is certainly a treat to see Nick Castle adorn the mask again in a key sequence in the film in which Michael sees Laurie again for the first time. The movie boasts some brutal kill scenes, such as the seldom included but always shocking death of a child, who was shown strangled in a car. Fans of the previous films will be delighted to spot easter eggs and references, like an appearance of the masks from “Halloween III” on trick-or-treaters. A refreshing return to formidable quality for the series!
Kill Count: 16
Rating: 8/10
———————-
Halloween Kills (2021)
Dir. David Gordon Green
Written by Danny McBride, David Gordon Green, Scott Teams
Author: John Rieg
Boasting the largest death count in the entire series, “Halloween Kills” surely lives up to its name. The concept of this movie sees the town of Haddonfield descending into riotous madness in the aftermath of Michael’s return. The town now mirrors the evil qualities of the masked killer himself — effectively reminding audiences that there’s a little bit of Michael Myers in everyone. Michael lives through the fire at the end of the last film and goes on a – if you can believe it – killing spree in Haddonfield. Fans of the original movie will be delighted to see the return of characters from the film’s 1978 predecessor, including Tommy Doyle (now portrayed by Anthony Michael Hall) and Leigh Brackett, Lindsey Wallace and Marion Chambers, characters who saw the return of original cast members Charles Cyphers, Kyle Richards and Nancy Stephens, respectively. The film also sees a number of flashbacks that rewrite events which immediately follow the original 1978 Halloween.
The movie caught some backlash from critics and fans on Facebook, but I’m not entirely sure why. I thought seeing Michael’s rampage was entertaining, and I love the concept of the town mirroring Michael’s evil. Out of all the whopping 34 kills we witness on screen, I think the most brutal is probably that of Allyson’s boyfriend, Cameron Elam, who’s neck is severely thrashed and twisted against the stair railings. If you’re a fan of the franchise, I recommend seeing this flick, I have high hopes for the next one!
Kill Count: 34
Rating: 7/10
———————-
We hope this guide was helpful, thanks for reading!
“Halloween Kills” is currently streaming on Peacock Premium and playing in theatres everywhere.
