Director: David Gordon Green
Writers: David Gordon Green (screenplay), Danny McBride (screenplay)
Stars: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak 

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) confronts her ultimate adversary, Michael Myers, the masked menace who has tormented her since her narrow escape from his killing spree on a chilling Halloween night four decades ago.

Under the direction of David Gordon Green and a screenplay crafted in collaboration with Danny McBride, “The Shape” AKA Michael Myers returns to the big screen, with the blessing of John Carpenter, and the reunion of Jamie Lee Curtis with the original Myers, Nick Castle. This marks a resurrection of the franchise, which had seemingly met its end after those Rob Zombie interpretations. Forget Halloween II, Halloween III (which had nothing to do with Michael Myers anyway), Halloween IV, Halloween V, Halloween: H20, and Halloween: Resurrection because Halloween (2018) is a direct sequel to the original Halloween (1978).

Is it a worthy sequel? Perhaps. Is it a great film? Well, it’s decent, but not exceptional.

The trailers for this release were undeniably impressive, teasing action, Laurie Strode, Michael Myers, and that spine-tingling John Carpenter theme. What’s not to love? However, I did have some concerns that the trailers might have revealed too much. As it turns out, the movie’s 1-hour-and-46-minute runtime felt like an extended version of those trailers for the first half. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, as long as the second half elevates the stakes.

There were a few minor annoyances I had with the film, not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment, but they did stand out. Those two characters from the trailer who visit Michael in the institution, Aaron Korey (Jefferson Hall) and Dana Haines (Rhian Rees, were basically podcasters who somehow obtained the mask worn by Michael during his last killing spree. The ease with which they got their hands on such a vital piece of evidence seemed baffling. From the trailer, I had expected them to be FBI agents or law enforcement of some sort, but instead, their primary role is to provide exposition, which was a bit of a letdown in terms of screenwriting. It felt like there could have been more creative ways to convey information without such a contrived setup.

Dr. Sartain (Haluk Bilginer) effectively serves as the “New Loomis,” as Laurie Strode calls him in the film. However, you’ll see that this character’s storyline is somewhat predictable and lacks forethought, especially after his initial plans are fulfilled. I won’t delve into spoilers, but you’ll see what I mean when you watch the movie.

Jamie Lee Curtis has reprised her role as Laurie Strode four times since the original 1978 film, and in this sequel, we get the Laurie Strode we’ve been waiting for. Comparing her transformation from the first film to this one, I’d say it’s reminiscent of Sarah Connor’s evolution from The Terminator to Terminator 2, both in body and mind. The mental scars from the original film have undoubtedly prepared Strode for Michael’s potential return. However, Curtis and her character don’t grace the screen as much as I had expected. Her screen time is shared with her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and, more prominently, her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). So, the film takes a direction that focuses more on a teenage audience’s perspective, which wasn’t a problem for me. I had anticipated a head-to-head showdown between Strode and Myers, but the movie leans toward the teenage experience, as in the original. The strained relationship between Laurie and Karen, as well as the stronger bond between Laurie and Allyson, takes center stage.

As a child, Michael Myers terrified me. My grandmother once played Halloween II, and the shock factor from that film stayed with me. In the new movie, there are sequences that harken back to the original and Halloween II. I’m sure there will be side-by-side comparisons on YouTube soon, and that’s perfectly fine. David Gordon Green pays homage to the original and incorporates some role reversals among the main characters, which I found to be a nice touch. It’s also great to see Nick Castle return, adding a human dimension to the character and revealing a glimpse of his face. Fortunately, they don’t fully unveil him, and Michael remains silent throughout. James Jude Courtney handles the physicality of Michael, making the right call for the action scenes, given his background as a stuntman, while Nick Castle’s participation in the film feels more like an honorary tribute.

In conclusion, Halloween (2018) wasn’t exactly the film I had envisioned. It slots in nicely as a sequel in terms of visual aesthetics, but there were moments of misplaced humor and dialogue that felt out of sync with the overall screenplay. The closing scenes leave the door open for a sequel, and Danny McBride has hinted at the possibility. I’m somewhat torn in this case. As much as I love the characters and John Carpenter’s haunting theme, I’m unsure if the franchise can sustain another installment without succumbing to the pitfalls of the now disregarded sequels. It’s an enjoyable watch, and I recommend giving it a chance.

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