Sadly, unlike Michael Meyer's infamous knife, _Halloween_ (2018) is a bit dull. The film falls victim to the same pitfalls that drain the life from other horror films (vicious clichés, violent WTFs...) but also suffers from writing sloppier than a sleep away camp crime scene.

The script is really what kills this movie. Most of the deaths are of characters who have absolutely nothing to do with advancing the story (international true crime podcasters ) and are killed in the least interesting ways imaginable.

In addition to the silly murders there's a plot twist involving a character we can predict in the opening minutes, story lines that appear and disappear faster than Columbian drug dealers and an ending that is so ridiculous when considering Laurie's motivation throughout the film that it gutted me. As I said, the Michael Meyer's knife is the only thing sharp about this film.

So what works? The nostalgia factor is strong (when we first see Laurie Strode's granddaughter Allyson, she's wearing a sweater and carrying school books just like Laurie in the 1978 original), John Carpenter's soundtrack is titillating, and the whole continuation of the _Halloween_ mystique is fun.

One could argue that it would be impossible for this film to live up to the reputation of the first, but I'd argue it died trying.

For Curtis's sake, I hope that the paycheck cleared.

This was...not good. So much stupidity. First among the biggies is the table setting of it all, which required some rocket scientist to decide that just before Halloween would be the perfect time to transport Michael by bus to a new facility. And let's do it at night just for fun! And with a bunch of other inmates along for the ride and only a guard or two to ride along on the bus. And no support vehicles to accompany the bus. Golly gee whiz, what could go wrong with *that* plan?

Then fast-forward to the end and there's the fact that Laurie had 40 years to prepare for a showdown by building a safe room and stockpiling guns and rifles, but her first move when the time comes is to leave the safe room with only one weapon and hunt room by room in the dark. Hunt for Michael. Who somehow magically knew where she lived after 40 years. Then they get him in the safe room and instead of emptying every weapon of its supply of bullets into his unconscious body, they just leave and, in typical Halloween fashion, he revives. Because of course he does. But at least he doesn't escape the fire. Or does he? By not putting a few hundred bullets into him before torching the place, they leave room for a sequel that I won't be watching.

In the end, they still haven't come close to equaling the original, let alone surpassing it. And it doesn't seem like it's going to happen anytime soon if this is the writing quality that we can expect at this point.

"A worthy successor"

40 years after the events in ‘Halloween’ (1978) Laurie Strode faces off once again with Michael Myers.

Strode has been preparing for 4 decades for an eventual showdown with Myers. Of course Michael escapes and it’s only a matter of time before the 2 meet. Strode’s doomsday prepper storyline is a bit far-fetched but that doesn’t make it less entertaining. Jamie Lee Curtis makes a triumphant return as Laurie Strode. It also marks the return of Nick Castle as Michael Myers. And Myers lives up to his reputation. His killings are more brutal than ever.

Director David Gordon Green executes it almost perfectly. A lot of killings happen offscreen but you get to see the horror afterwards. And there’s of course the delicious tracking shot where Myers returns to Haddonfield. The camera follows him through a suburban home where he slaughters someone. The camera follows him back onto the street and into the next house to kill again. Michael’s introduction in the psych ward is also pretty memorable when all the psychos start to go… psycho. After that sequence we get the opening credits with the iconic theme. Brilliant.

Credit has to go to writer Danny McBride. He respects the original, as is obvious in the countless references (Laurie standing in front of the window, Michael missing an eye) but isn’t afraid to give it a spin. Who’s hunting who? There’s also the humor he brings to the story. And it works (the babysitting scene).

Of course it’s not all great. At times ‘Halloween’ falls victim to several genre tropes (girl falling when chased, questionable decisions). And although Strode’s been preparing for 40 years she doesn’t do a top notch job.
The biggest letdown was the character of Dr. Sartain (Haluk Bilginer). He’s a poor man’s Dr. Loomis whose role is too expanded.

All in all David Gordon Green and Danny McBride finally make up for 40 years of mediocrity and less (Halloween: Resurrection says boo). Although the 2018 version will not achieve the same cult status as the original it’s a solid entry in a disappointing franchise.

Full review: https://www.tinakakadelis.com/beyond-the-cinerama-dome/2021/12/28/guess-whos-back-backnbspagain-halloween-2018nbspreview

It’s hard to justify the return of Michael Myers, the looming boogeyman who made his first appearance in 1978’s _Halloween_. In 2018, after ten _Halloween_ movies in that forty-year span (some outright sequels, others attempted reboots), Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is back for _Halloween_. One would think those forty years would have given the town of Haddonfield a sense of clarity or compassion toward Laurie’s enduring trauma, but that’s not the case.

2018's 'Halloween' is... good!

It is hard to keep up with all the continuity (or the lack thereof) of this franchise at this point, though this apparently a direct sequel to the 1978 original as it practically nullifies every other sequel that preceded it. Not a big fan of that, I never am (I much prefer the 'Fast & Furious' method of utilising every entry of the series, no matter how well receieved), but I guess in this messy franchise it made sense to do so.

Michael Myers still doesn't set the world alight for me as an antagonist, he is perfectly serviceable and does the job but personally I like my villains to have more about them. As in Myers doesn't have any great lines, any varying expressions, a dull look and a repetitive MO... he just doesn't do anything for me.

In terms of onscreen performances away from that guy, Jamie Lee Curtis is a cut above any of her co-stars here. I wouldn't say she is at her best in comparison with her prior showings in the series, though I'd still put this one near the top in that particular regard. Elsewhere, Haluk Bilginer is decent.