Halloween (2018) | Film Review

If there is one aspect that remains consistent throughout the entirety of the Halloween franchise, it is the absence of consistency. Where most horror franchises have some vague semblance of continuity, Michael Myers and friends reboot themselves almost every other film. With Halloween III: Season of the Witch, the filmmakers even kicked Myers to the curb for an outing, only to bring him back immediately after. And now, 40 years after John Carpenter’s original masterpiece terrified an entire generation with its enigmatic boogeyman, Michael Myers has returned to Haddonfield…and Laurie Strode is waiting for him.

Writer-director David Gordon Green (along with co-writers Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley) chose to this time ignore all of the previous sequels, instead setting this as the only sequel to the original horror that plagued Haddonfield, IL so many decades ago. In this iteration, Michael Myers has remained institutionalized since 1978, where he remains stoic and silent. Ever the silent killer, this shark in an ocean has simply been awaiting his moment to bite. A transfer to a more secure facility affords him a chance to escape via bus crash, and Haddonfield once again becomes his immediate tourist destination for another round of Halloween havoc.

Returning to her role as sole survivor Laurie Strode, Jamie Lee Curtis is no stranger to the retcon game. 20 years ago, we were introduced to an alternate version of Laurie who was trapped in fear. In Halloween: H20, Strode has went into hiding, fearing a return from her brother – the masked boogeyman who disappeared on Halloween night – and ultimately took his head off with an axe. This version of Laurie was frightened, only finding her strength as Myers comes calling on his blood feud for her son.

This go-round, Laurie has never left Haddonfield nor is she Michael’s sister (that concept was not introduced until Halloween 2). Instead, she has suffered with survivor’s guilt, her life plagued by the haunted memories of that singular night. Laurie is a twice-divorced mother and grandmother enduring an isolated life off of the grid, forever preparing for Michael’s inevitable return. Her estranged daughter, Karen (Judy Greer), and granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak), are exhausted from a life encapsulated in the world of a vicious serial killer.

It’s an intriguing choice, to see Halloween through a survivor’s eyes in this way. Echoing Scream 4’s take on perpetual victim Sidney Prescott, Laurie’s pain has led her to create a fortress of solitude in her own remote home. And when news of Michael’s escape hits, she refuses to play victim again, taking the fight directly to him…even as he now lays his sights on her granddaughter.

Much has been made about David Gordon Green’s respect for the original Halloween, and the proof of this is reflected throughout the proceedings. Nods and homages abound, even the title credits are a direct correlation to those from the original. Even though Green and company’s screenplay displays a noticeable respect and reverence to the source material, it completely misses (as did all of the sequels, honestly) what made the original tick: randomness.

The reason why Halloween 1978 was so terrifying was because it could happen to any of us. Michael Myers was the boogeyman, a masked killer in the shadows, with no particular goal in mind other than slicing-and-dicing anyone that either got in his way or fit his M.O. of the moment. Here, every single murder is so conveniently setup to lead Michael directly to Laurie’s door, it’s blatantly distracting. With an upgraded body count (and a strong emphasis on brutality), it’s patently absurd how many victims over the Haddonfield city limits connect directly to Laurie Strode or her kin. So much that late in the second act, a plot twist so bizarrely bonkers happens and you almost get behind it, simply because the movie is already so damn ridiculous in its plotting. At some point, let’s just roll with it, right?

God bless Jamie Lee Curtis and her insane wig. Almost single-handedly, Curtis and that completely unnecessary yet magically enrapturing rat’s nest of a hairdo save this film from the fate of many sequels in this franchise. Her performance showcases the pain of survival, wearing every ounce of a life spent reflecting on hell in each line on her face. Her daughter is ashamed and her granddaughter is desperate to connect, yet for Laurie this has always been about preparing them both to survive certain death as she once did. While her life is one of turmoil and plight, her demeanor reflects what lies underneath: strength. It’s fitting that an actress whose illustrious career began with a low-budget slasher flick returns to give her finest performance in a sequel to that very role.

While there are fun kills aplenty set to John Carpenter’s iconic score and several well-timed bits of humor, even as a huge fan of these films I have to admit the first two-thirds of Halloween are as off-the-rails and clunky as an 8 year-old’s Hot Wheels track. Despite the ludicrous events that essentially provide Michael with a bus ticket to Laurie’s front door, the last act is a rousing success. It captures the essence of the original film, as well as shakes up audience expectations as we edge ever closer to the ends of our seats. While we were ultimately left holding a mixed bag, this ending reel was the movie we all signed up for.