[Shangrila] Towers of Terror - Halloween (2018 sequel)

Halloween is upon us again, and as usual, I'll be putting up horror-themed posts throughout the month. Here's my review of "Halloween," the 2018 sequel directed by David Gordon Green.

The best entries of the "Halloween" series involve the original film's final girl, Laurie Strode. Played by Jamie Lee Curtis, the greatest scream queen of them all, Laurie is key because she represents a worthy foe for the implacable Michael Myers. Otherwise, Michael just wades through a forgettable horde of horny babysitters and hapless police officers - expected for a slasher flick, but still boring.

Laurie fought Myers to a savage draw and then apparently defeated him in 1978, confronted him again in 1998, and she returns to face him one last time in this year's sequel/reboot, confusingly titled "Halloween":


The 2018 film ignores every sequel (even "Halloween II," which was written by series creators John Carpenter and Debra Hill). Instead, 40 years after the events of the original movie, Michael and Laurie are both old souls and weird mirror images of each other. He's locked up in a sanitarium, she's locked and loaded in a rural compound with a bunker full of food and weapons. So, when Michael inevitably escapes to wreak havoc on Haddonfield once again, it's up to Laurie to save the disbelieving townsfolk (and her estranged family) by becoming predator to the most evil prey.

Director David Gordon Green gets it right in the broad strokes. The movie wisely omits any backstory or motivations for Michael's killing, avoiding the cardinal mistake of the Rob Zombie remakes. It also has respectful nods to every film in the series, even the cult standalone classic "Halloween III: Season of the Witch." And most importantly, Jamie Lee Curtis turns in a stellar performance as a damaged Laurie Strode, itching for one last cathartic battle.

Where the 2018 "Halloween" fails is in the details. The drastically increased body count and constant humor might be de rigueur in a modern horror flick, but they prevent the movie from developing much tension or paranoia. And while John Carpenter provided the film's score and executive produces, the movie still lacks his subtle shot composition and gift for pacing. I think it deserves to be a hit, but hopefully it drives the youngsters of today to see where it all began.

Rating:7/10