In a series with as many installments as Halloween its hard to have a story that is truly original or unique. Is this movie original? No, does it borrow heavily from the previous installments? Yes, but I still feel this is probably the best Halloween movie since the original. Despite some stupid scenes, the movie is enjoyable, well directed, and the little kid with the babysitter is hilarious, best part of the movie.
Halloween... I saw the original at the start of the month, and skipped to the end 30 days (and 40 years!) later, jumping over the middle films now all usefully labeled "urban legends" (that IS a fun trick to ignore pieces of a franchise yet keep them "in continuity"). Anyway, while you can't take away the iconic power of Carpenter's first opus, I think I liked 2018's just as much or more. First, it's a gorgeous-looking movie, slick and sumptuous. Second, it makes the slasher victims likable or at least interesting before they meet their untimely ends at Michael Myers' hands, and very effectively too (who knew podcasting could be so dangerous?). And third, I like that it's about a survivor's trauma. Laurie Strode hasn't come out of her brush with death unscathed. It turned her into Sarah Connor! Michael is finally back and she's going to kill him or die trying, which leads to a satisfying reversal at the end. There's a turning point nearing an act change that hinted at a sort of dead man's gun way to continue the franchise, but they back away from it. It's for the best for the Strodes story, but might still have been an intriguing avenue to explore. So good, visceral fun, both as slasher movie (a LOT of people die) and as a "badass woman takes back control of her life" revenge flick.
Fucking stupid. She prepared 40 years and that's what she came up with? An arsenal of weapons and she burns him? Michael Myers could easily walk out of those flames. As he stood there staring at them, they could have riddled his face full of bullets and hacked him apart. Dumbest trap ever! Ruined it for me!
He’s no longer dormant.
He only knows how to keep moving and to keep killing.
And he will kill again unless he’s captured.
Exactly 40 years ago the film “Halloween“, directed by John Carpenter, was released. A milestone in the slasher genre. It was in this film that Laurie Strode (a very young Jamie Lee Curtis) escaped from the psychopath Michael Myers in the nick of time. And so the legend about Myers arose. And now, 40 years later, the follow-up appears. To my surprise, this is already the 11th movie in the “Halloween” universe. No idea what happened in the other episodes, because I never bothered to watch them. And even though I feared this would simply be a continuation of the same concept (and it sure is) and that I would have a “haven’t-I-seen-this-before” feeling, I have to admit it. I kind of liked this movie.
Maybe this has to do with the nostalgic value of this film. Everything feels like the original film. The same creepy soundtrack is used. Even the font used in the credits has a nice old-fashioned look. Jamie Lee Curtis is also back again. Again it takes place in the Halloween period. And the masked Michael Myers bumps into fresh meat once more. And he’s eager to plant his butcher’s knife in their body. It feels like old-fashioned, old skool horror, as they appeared in the 70s.
I only wondered about one thing. Was it really necessary to make a sequel to the famous first film? After all, you’ll know in advance that they are going to continue on the same thing and you can already predict which direction it will take. What gives new impetus is the older Laurie who has withdrawn into a house in the forest, protected by ingeniously invented systems and strategically placed spotlights. A kind of fort equipped with all sorts of gadgets to keep unwanted intruders out. There’s even a panic-room with a food supply enough to survive a 3rd world war plus an arsenal of weapons with which you can eradicate a whole flock of zombies. The reason why Laurie has installed herself in this way is of course Myers. Her paranoia about this figure hasn’t disappeared over the years and she expects that he’ll show up again someday.
Films of this genre are usually richly filled with illogical reasoning and stupid behavior. For example, the extremely dangerous Michael Myers has been locked up in a highly secure establishment for 40 years. And during all those years, this psychopath hasn’t uttered a single word. The fact that a bunch of amateur journalists can talk to him for a moment, wouldn’t be admitted without additional measures in reality. They would be thoroughly searched so they couldn’t smuggle prohibited articles inside (like a mask for instance). But especially the fact that this notorious murderer is treated as an average patient during a transfer, could be called hilarious. An ordinary orange school bus with a few other detainees is used for this purpose. If it were me, he’d be captured in a block of concrete and he’d be guarded by a whole battalion of guards. I wouldn’t take the risk. As always, you as a viewer know what is about to happen. Not them apparently.
Well, fortunately, because otherwise, the movie “Halloween” wouldn’t be what we expected. A nerve-racking slasher in which Myers scares everyone by standing motionless and emotionless somewhere in a dark corner while observing. And everyone who crosses his path gets acquainted with the razor-sharp knife he carries with him. And as always, housewives, babysitters, and teenagers will be the victims. Unfortunately, all this didn’t have the desired effect on me. It wasn’t scary. Only the inevitable final fight provides the necessary tension for a moment.
Needless to say that only Jamie Lee Curtis excels here as the stressed out grandmother who has been preparing for this confrontation for 40 years. The rest of the cast is secondary and the only reason why they are present is to raise the total number of casualties. Some characters are even annoying. And actually, it makes you happy that they are being murdered (like the bickering policemen who discussing their sandwiches). Apparently, Jason Blum wants to make 10 sequels of “Halloween“. I guessù Jamie Lee Curtis won’t be in it. Because even though she still has the perfect feminine curves, she starts to look like a painting by Rembrandt. She’s slightly cracked and a cultural heritage.
Although a nice premise......skipping all the sequels and picking up 40 years after the first one.........but its all too prdeictable and beyond stupid decissions from the main characters. HAs it's moment but not that great.......still way better than all the sequels
6/10
I seriously wonder if I do not think this is the best in the series, even better than the original. I almost rated a 5/10, but it manages well with minor difficulties.
This is incredibly lame and uninspired that i am thinking of un-disliking H20 (1998). Jamie is a likable actress and it is another example of star power, in other words: i watched this only because she is in it.
Just leave these old films in the past unless you have something truly interesting to offer.
There's some interesting feminist themes going on here as well as the effect of familial trauma cross generationally. A more cerebral entry in the series as most of the kills occur off camera.
This was entertaining enough, but not without its problems. But let's not pretend Halloween is somehow the end all be all slasher considering it took liberally from Peeping Tom, Psycho, Black Christmas and other films
If this is a fine entry in the series, the series is really not worth looking into.. Unbelievable and dumb characters, way too many stupid decisions and bad communication turning into misunderstandings. Just cheap.
Humor was on point though, the father and the babysat kid were hilarious.
This movie is a decent demonstration of toxic white masculinity -
everyone: "Michael Myers is PURE EVIL."
white men: "Yes, but he's HUMAN, we must study and/or protect him."
everyone else: "No, he needs to DIE."
white men: "we must preserve him for our own individual needs!!!"
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Comments 1 - 14 of 14
Michael12
In a series with as many installments as Halloween its hard to have a story that is truly original or unique. Is this movie original? No, does it borrow heavily from the previous installments? Yes, but I still feel this is probably the best Halloween movie since the original. Despite some stupid scenes, the movie is enjoyable, well directed, and the little kid with the babysitter is hilarious, best part of the movie.Siskoid
Halloween... I saw the original at the start of the month, and skipped to the end 30 days (and 40 years!) later, jumping over the middle films now all usefully labeled "urban legends" (that IS a fun trick to ignore pieces of a franchise yet keep them "in continuity"). Anyway, while you can't take away the iconic power of Carpenter's first opus, I think I liked 2018's just as much or more. First, it's a gorgeous-looking movie, slick and sumptuous. Second, it makes the slasher victims likable or at least interesting before they meet their untimely ends at Michael Myers' hands, and very effectively too (who knew podcasting could be so dangerous?). And third, I like that it's about a survivor's trauma. Laurie Strode hasn't come out of her brush with death unscathed. It turned her into Sarah Connor! Michael is finally back and she's going to kill him or die trying, which leads to a satisfying reversal at the end. There's a turning point nearing an act change that hinted at a sort of dead man's gun way to continue the franchise, but they back away from it. It's for the best for the Strodes story, but might still have been an intriguing avenue to explore. So good, visceral fun, both as slasher movie (a LOT of people die) and as a "badass woman takes back control of her life" revenge flick.helpineedsomebody
ikkegoemikke
He’s no longer dormant.He only knows how to keep moving and to keep killing.
And he will kill again unless he’s captured.
Exactly 40 years ago the film “Halloween“, directed by John Carpenter, was released. A milestone in the slasher genre. It was in this film that Laurie Strode (a very young Jamie Lee Curtis) escaped from the psychopath Michael Myers in the nick of time. And so the legend about Myers arose. And now, 40 years later, the follow-up appears. To my surprise, this is already the 11th movie in the “Halloween” universe. No idea what happened in the other episodes, because I never bothered to watch them. And even though I feared this would simply be a continuation of the same concept (and it sure is) and that I would have a “haven’t-I-seen-this-before” feeling, I have to admit it. I kind of liked this movie.
Maybe this has to do with the nostalgic value of this film. Everything feels like the original film. The same creepy soundtrack is used. Even the font used in the credits has a nice old-fashioned look. Jamie Lee Curtis is also back again. Again it takes place in the Halloween period. And the masked Michael Myers bumps into fresh meat once more. And he’s eager to plant his butcher’s knife in their body. It feels like old-fashioned, old skool horror, as they appeared in the 70s.
I only wondered about one thing. Was it really necessary to make a sequel to the famous first film? After all, you’ll know in advance that they are going to continue on the same thing and you can already predict which direction it will take. What gives new impetus is the older Laurie who has withdrawn into a house in the forest, protected by ingeniously invented systems and strategically placed spotlights. A kind of fort equipped with all sorts of gadgets to keep unwanted intruders out. There’s even a panic-room with a food supply enough to survive a 3rd world war plus an arsenal of weapons with which you can eradicate a whole flock of zombies. The reason why Laurie has installed herself in this way is of course Myers. Her paranoia about this figure hasn’t disappeared over the years and she expects that he’ll show up again someday.
Films of this genre are usually richly filled with illogical reasoning and stupid behavior. For example, the extremely dangerous Michael Myers has been locked up in a highly secure establishment for 40 years. And during all those years, this psychopath hasn’t uttered a single word. The fact that a bunch of amateur journalists can talk to him for a moment, wouldn’t be admitted without additional measures in reality. They would be thoroughly searched so they couldn’t smuggle prohibited articles inside (like a mask for instance). But especially the fact that this notorious murderer is treated as an average patient during a transfer, could be called hilarious. An ordinary orange school bus with a few other detainees is used for this purpose. If it were me, he’d be captured in a block of concrete and he’d be guarded by a whole battalion of guards. I wouldn’t take the risk. As always, you as a viewer know what is about to happen. Not them apparently.
Well, fortunately, because otherwise, the movie “Halloween” wouldn’t be what we expected. A nerve-racking slasher in which Myers scares everyone by standing motionless and emotionless somewhere in a dark corner while observing. And everyone who crosses his path gets acquainted with the razor-sharp knife he carries with him. And as always, housewives, babysitters, and teenagers will be the victims. Unfortunately, all this didn’t have the desired effect on me. It wasn’t scary. Only the inevitable final fight provides the necessary tension for a moment.
Needless to say that only Jamie Lee Curtis excels here as the stressed out grandmother who has been preparing for this confrontation for 40 years. The rest of the cast is secondary and the only reason why they are present is to raise the total number of casualties. Some characters are even annoying. And actually, it makes you happy that they are being murdered (like the bickering policemen who discussing their sandwiches). Apparently, Jason Blum wants to make 10 sequels of “Halloween“. I guessù Jamie Lee Curtis won’t be in it. Because even though she still has the perfect feminine curves, she starts to look like a painting by Rembrandt. She’s slightly cracked and a cultural heritage.
More reviews here
Earring72
Although a nice premise......skipping all the sequels and picking up 40 years after the first one.........but its all too prdeictable and beyond stupid decissions from the main characters. HAs it's moment but not that great.......still way better than all the sequelsEmiam
6/10I seriously wonder if I do not think this is the best in the series, even better than the original. I almost rated a 5/10, but it manages well with minor difficulties.
dantheman89
Pretty fine entry in the seriesThe wise-cracking black kid alone made it worth watching :D
Bolero Tenebris
This is incredibly lame and uninspired that i am thinking of un-disliking H20 (1998). Jamie is a likable actress and it is another example of star power, in other words: i watched this only because she is in it.Just leave these old films in the past unless you have something truly interesting to offer.
dianeorbetty
There's some interesting feminist themes going on here as well as the effect of familial trauma cross generationally. A more cerebral entry in the series as most of the kills occur off camera.Adrian B AWESOME
This was entertaining enough, but not without its problems. But let's not pretend Halloween is somehow the end all be all slasher considering it took liberally from Peeping Tom, Psycho, Black Christmas and other filmsJumping Elephant
except Dr. Sartain is Turkish... so that kind of blows apart your shoddy, divisive metaphorsthekure23
If this is a fine entry in the series, the series is really not worth looking into.. Unbelievable and dumb characters, way too many stupid decisions and bad communication turning into misunderstandings. Just cheap.Humor was on point though, the father and the babysat kid were hilarious.
Joker of Gotham
This movie is so bad, it made me angry. I cant wait to see the cinema sins video of this movie.Home Alone it is a more realistic movie.
satisfythecrave
This movie is a decent demonstration of toxic white masculinity -everyone: "Michael Myers is PURE EVIL."
white men: "Yes, but he's HUMAN, we must study and/or protect him."
everyone else: "No, he needs to DIE."
white men: "we must preserve him for our own individual needs!!!"