A lesson I already knew was to know the difference between Mike Myers and Michael Myers. You have to say “Michael Myers,” instead of “Mike Myers,” or else some might be confused with the comedian. The Michael Myers I’m referring to is the movie serial killer in the “Halloween” franchise.
The 40-year-old sequel to the 1978 John Carpenter horror classic ignores “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” and “Halloween: Resurrection,” by placing itself on a better timeline. Director/co-writer David Gordon Green and writers Danny McBride and Jeff Fradley all keep the spirit alive in this generation without being the boring and routine jump scare. Obviously, Horror Moths will have a lot of fun, and I did, too.
Jamie Lee Curtis reprises her iconic role of Laurie Strode, who lives as a hermit with security systems and locks. She’s preparing to kill Michael Myers (played by both Nick Castle, reprising his role, and James Jude Courtney) the day he escapes. Just in time for Halloween, the bus transporting Myers crashes, and he escapes. She learns about this and tries to warn her estranged daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) who both think she’s mentally unstable. But when Myers begin terrorizing their neighborhood, they realize she’s not as crazy as they think she is.
The supporting characters also include two British investigate journalists (Jefferson Hall and Rhian Rees), who are looking more into the Myers story; and Dr. Samuel Loomis’ successor Dr. Sartain (Haluk Bilginer), who knows his true motives, and plans to understand the mind of evil. He’s probably the best supporting character in the movie, based on his analysis and acting, while everyone else outside of Myers and Strode is annoying.
The youngsters are mostly annoying with their typical teenage cliches, including break-ups, would-be love stories, and a teen thinking another teen is joking about being killed. And you all know the horror movie mistakes-pulled by the legs, standing around, and getting caught on something. Even Greer has to play the usual cynical mom, but she gets better.
Aside from those elements, this “Halloween” offers a lot of thrills and chills, and every Michael Myers moment is provocative. On par with recent great horror movies like “It,” “Get Out,” and “A Quiet Place,” I admire the patience, style, and ambitions that David Gordon Green presents here; and I’m amazed at how Curtis can reprise her role without humiliation. She smart and determined, and that’s what makes her entertaining.
You still get the famous theme music by John Carpenter with some help from Cody Carpenter and Daniel A. Davies, and I enjoy the beat mixed in. And even the new score keeps things feeling and looking scary. Ignore some of the annoying characters, and appreciate the famous/infamous characters for what they do. In fact, appreciate the movie for what it does: live up to the standards.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
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