The original Halloween has long been a favorite of not just mine, but of many horror fans. It was iconic, and literally jump started a genre of slasher films that we have enjoyed. This latest sequel, also entitled Halloween (2018)
While I skipped seeing it during the theatrical run, I was excited to finally pop it into my Blu-ray player and see how this new timeline unfolded. As a massive fan of the entire franchise (including Halloween III: Season of the Witch), any new Halloween is a good Halloween, right?
Right…mostly.
As you all know already, this sequel ignores everything after the original film, essentially making this film a new version of Halloween II. It’s been 40 long years since we have heard from Michael…what’s he been up to? Well, according to this new timeline, he’s been hanging out in a mental asylum, not talking, and being studied by the heir to the Loomis’ throne.
It’s not until two, wayward podcasters, doing a show about the original “babysitter murders” (a funny, and relevant angle considering how true crime podcasts are so huge these days) decide visit Michael at his new home that things begin to take a turn. Of course, Michael is scheduled to be moved to another location, one that will lock him away for the rest of his days and unable to be studied further by Dr. Sartain. This bus ride is the perfect opportunity to escape and wreck havoc once again.
Meanwhile, back in Haddonfield, Laurie Strode is a goddamn mess. The events of Michael’s killing spree have taken a toll on her, and have turned her into a sort of doomsday survivalist. Her extreme safety-taking precautions have also taken a toll on her relationship with her daughter, and in turn, her granddaughter. While her daughter, played by Judy Greer, has almost written her mother off, her granddaughter, Andi Matichak, still wants to be part of her life.
I’ll be honest, seeing Laurie in this new light was pretty jarring, especially after having seen her reprise the role in H20: 20 Years Later. Yes, I know, this is a different timeline, but it was kind of crazy to see how different this Laurie had become over the years. For the most part, though, it worked, and ultimately serviced the story when Michael eventually comes-a-knockin’.
Michael, stripped of all supernatural powers, and just back to a hulking, killing machine was a welcome change though. Without seven films of mythology weighing him down, he’s back to just…killing. And when the kills come, they come fast and ruthless. Each one was more vicious than the last, and many had me going “oooooooh” because of how brutal they were on screen. I really enjoyed that aspect of it.
Writers David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, and Jeff Fradley (with Green directing) clearly have a love of the franchise, and it shows. Every scene oozes with style, and they fit more franchise references and nods in there than I expected. The entire movie looks fantastic, and honestly will please most fans of the franchise.
Having said all that, I really felt that some of the decisions made by characters were unnaturally stupid. Like…unbelievably stupid. Yes, I know, new timeline, but a lot of things just seemed so out of character all around…even for the new folks.
While the final confrontation between Laurie and Michael was indeed satisfying, I could not help but feel like it was a series of seemingly random and unfortunate events that lead us to that point. Things just…happened. For a man locked away for many years, Michael seemed to have an awful lot of knowledge…such as where the podcasters are so he can retrieve his faithful mask.
Or, maybe I am projecting. We just assume Michael is coming for Laurie, as she is the one that got away. But…maybe he wasn’t? When he first returns, there is an awful lot of random killing. Maybe it’s Michael just doing what he does best…slashing his way through the town, with one kill leading to another. Even how he winds up at Laurie’s compound is seemingly random. After a twist I did not see coming (and frankly, kind of enjoyed?), Michael comes face to face to Laurie.
However, maybe his ultimate goal wasn’t to come for her. Maybe he just…happened to get there, at the behest of other characters. When he first sees Laurie (and I mean REALLY sees her), he does his infamous head turn…which, to me, implies that he is just recognizing her for the first time. Maybe we, the audience and the other characters in the film, are pushing a motive onto his killing that isn’t exactly there. And if that is the case, the filmmakers did something brilliant.
And if not…well, we got a pretty decent slasher out of it.
The fandom has been divided on the film overall, and I can see why. It tows the line, and creates a serviceable new entry into the series, while also leaving it open for a sequel. But much like Michael’s original mask, some cracks are showing, and it’s not as solid as I would have liked it to be. I’m sure in time, and after a few more viewings, I will enjoy it more, but for now, it almost read like a weird fan-fiction. Good, but not great.
The extra features on the Blu-ray are plentiful, at least in sheer number, but not in quality. There are some deleted and extended scenes that they were definitely wise to cut out (such as a weird one where Michael kills a dog?). There are also some featurettes focusing on the franchise’s legacy overall, along with Jamie Lee Curtis’ role in the series, and also how this film finally came together. They’re about as good as you’d expect from press kit-style featurettes, giving you just a tiny bit of information, but leaving you wanting more. The one about John Carpenter updating the film’s iconic score, though is pretty top notch. They are all fine, of course, but you will definitely be wanting to see what is likely to come on an anniversary edition of the disc in ten years.
All in all, the disc and features combined are a solid 6.5 out of 10. Not terrible, but not great like we would have wanted.
