" You've fooled them, haven't you Michael? But not me." This is a quote by Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) of the original. Halloween is the direct sequel to the original Halloween and so you are supposed to ignore all the parts that came after. Totally not confusing that this eleventh instalment has the exact same title as the original. Why did I use this quote? Well, in a way it still carries weight. It has significance towards Michael and how he is perceived. And then there is the whole meta meaning attached to it. We, the audience, are very aware of what is going to happen. Secretly we are all rooting for Michael Myers to get loose and stat the slashing. but it is asked of us to keep quiet and play along.
And when you do this you will get rewarded for it. I was pleasantly surprised to see how entertaining this last part in the franchise was. It's far from perfect. Trust me it's filled with mistakes and flaws. Especially the main characters act like complete morons. Including Laurie Strode. The now grandmother had forty years to prepare her daughter and herself for the battle against Michael. For someone as prepared as she was she sure makes a lot of rookie mistakes. Not too mention the stupidity and stubbornness of some of the characters. Even when danger stares them right in the face they choose to ignore it. This of course is due to the slasher clichés that have been applied like these were compulsory. Happy Death Day and Scream are examples of slasher horror titles where you can play around with clichés and bring something fresh to the table. But somehow they thought it would be wise to stick to slasher 101 with only one or two deviations. These deviations are very welcome. One I won't spoil. But the other is the blood and gore. While still tame compared to most slasher films it certainly is bloodier than the original. Somehow it ups the ante tenfold and makes events more compelling. Perhaps because it is fun to watch Michael kill people. BTW the kill count is quite high and the kills themselves are effective.
What did I think of the return of Jamie Lee Curtis? At first I was all hyped up since there was the promise of her battling it out with Michael Myers. She, old, angry and paranoid. Michael, still the same powerhouse killer he always has been. The odds were always against her. Or has she found a way to get rid of him forever? If that doesn't sound epic to you nothing will. Unfortunately, grandma Laurie Strode is far from dangerous. She is looney toons but that is about it. You still root for her but that is mostly because the other characters are so annoying. Somehow I expected something similar to Sarah Conner and her feud with the machines. Only with more tension because of Laurie being old and lacking physical strength forcing her to outsmart the boogeyman. For me this should have been the main event. It would have made things far more compelling. But that being said I can't dismiss the energy and high fun factor that is present in this latest part. Despite it's many flaws you never feel bored.
What did I think of the return of Jamie Lee Curtis? At first I was all hyped up since there was the promise of her battling it out with Michael Myers. She, old, angry and paranoid. Michael, still the same powerhouse killer he always has been. The odds were always against her. Or has she found a way to get rid of him forever? If that doesn't sound epic to you nothing will. Unfortunately, grandma Laurie Strode is far from dangerous. She is looney toons but that is about it. You still root for her but that is mostly because the other characters are so annoying. Somehow I expected something similar to Sarah Conner and her feud with the machines. Only with more tension because of Laurie being old and lacking physical strength forcing her to outsmart the boogeyman. For me this should have been the main event. It would have made things far more compelling. But that being said I can't dismiss the energy and high fun factor that is present in this latest part. Despite it's many flaws you never feel bored.
I think what also plays a part is the fact that slasher films are quite rare these days. You really have to look real hard to find some. And then you just have to hope they are good. I personally love the genre and am craving for new titles. I wouldn't mind a sequel to this last part. Or having other classic franchises be revived. Like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. Or why not mix them up? Have these slasher icons battling each other. Why stop with Freddy versus Jason? You could have Freddy versus Jason versus Michael Myers versus Victor Crowley etc. Who would come out on top? Or would they decide it's pointless and have a beer then decide to kill all the humans just for fun? There are so many possibilities. If those big studios wouldn't get to hung up about the property issues they would rake in a whole lot more than the way they do now. Think about it. The popularity of the original franchises would increase and thus would open up a saturated market. Or would that make too much sense? Anyway bring those slasher films back please!
Overall Halloween is a welcome addition and am very much looking forward to the sequel which apparently is coming.
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