Michael Myers is back again for another frightening turn
Halloween Kills marks the sequel to the 2018 retcon and while it certainly satisfies the rabid fan base, I’m not sure if it does anything to advance the franchise.
The movie picks up immediately after the events of the previous one where Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie and her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) trap Michael Myers inside the Strode house and watch it burn, but then realize firefighters are on their way to put it out.
The firefighters put out the fire, Michael does his gruesome shtick and continues his path of carnage.
On the 40th anniversary of the very first Halloween, the residents of Haddonfield are remembering the events of that fateful night and vowing to make sure it never repeats itself. That is, of course, until Michael makes his presence known and the townspeople decide to unite to take Michael out once and for all.
Anthony Michael Hall plays the ringleader in charge of hunting Michael down and coins the often-repeated phrase, “Evil dies tonight!.” As for Curtis, she spends much of her time in a hospital room recovering from her injuries with a deputy (Will Patton) who may have a connection to the Halloween of 40 years ago.
The original Halloween was a staple of a new kind of horror. It combined atmosphere and suspense in a clever way that made its premise intriguing and its characters compelling. I can’t say the same about all the detours that the series has taken since then.
I didn’t think the 2018 retcon was in the same league, but it certainly gave a similar feel as the original and I guess we shouldn’t expect anything more. This sequel, on the other hand, has some moments of buildup and others that are flat-out perfunctory.
Halloween Kills may provide the type of gory thrills that the Saturday night crowd may crave, but the ’78 and 2018 films were better made and had more to offer.
I’m right on the edge, but I can’t quite spare this one from the knife.
Grade: B-
(Rated R for strong bloody violence throughout, grisly images, language and some drug use).
