Oh my it's another ret-con after we endured Rob Zombie and before that the 1998 "H2O", but it was worth the whiplash. Despite the strange choice of stoner comedy director David Gordon Green, the director delivers a solid entry in this long-running franchise especially with the aid and blessing of John Carpenter (who produces and co-wrote the new score).
Picking up forty years after Michael Myers' original rampage for which he is re-incarcerated at Smiths-Grove, the psychopathic killer gets loose once more and seeks out the sole survivor of his spree in 1978: Laurie Strode. However, Laurie is prepared for this eventuality and is set on murdering the man who killed her friends. With the aid of her estranged daughter and granddaughter, the showdown is tense and bloody which is what we wanted in a new "Halloween".
Supporting players in the fray of this horror film includes the likes of TV actress Judy Greer and newcomer Andi Matichak. Greer plays Laurie's estranged daughter, Karen, a psychologist who resents her mother for her paranoia and obsession with Michael and his 1978 murder spree. This dysfunctional relationship results in strains within her own family despite how much she loves her daughter, Allyson and husband, Roy. Soon Karen learns how correct her mother was when Michael attacks Allyson and her friends and eventually makes it to Laurie's compound where they hide. Though she is afraid of the psychopathic killer, it comes down to Karen to take down Michael in an empowering moment for her.
As for newcomer Andi Matichak, she brings back the nostalgia of the good girl that actress Jaime lee Curtis brought to Laurie in 1978. Allyson is a typical millennial, but stuck with a dysfunctional family since her grandmother is treated like the town and family nutcase. She does love her parents, but shows disdain for her family's maltreatment of Laurie who she loves dearly. Though she doesn't believe (like her family) that Michael will escape, when confronted by the killer she is convinced and is afraid but does display a bravery from her grandmother in the climax.
Returning to the fold after lengthy hiatuses from the franchise, two familiar faces are more than welcome back. First up is stuntman/actor Nick Castle who originally portrayed The Shape in 1978. While Michael Myers has been portrayed by various other actors over 40 years, it was the silence of Castle that first terrified moviegoers. We get to see more glimpses of Castle than we did in 1978, but the filmmakers still cleverly shoot closeups from the side or blur full-faced shots of the actor without his mask. Credit also goes to James Jude Courtney who stands in for Castle in the more intense physical scenes.
And then there's our aging heroine, Laurie Strode, portrayed with quiet gusto by Jamie Lee Curtis. Deeply traumatized by Michael's spree, Laurie lives in a heavily armed house in the woods and touts her firearms with astute prowess. While we know Laurie will inevitably be correct about Michael's coming for her, it's easy to understand why her family isn't proud of her and her (well-founded) paranoia. When the final showdown comes it's a pleasure to see Jamie Lee Curtis toting a shotgun and taking down her tormentor; finally facing the man who nearly killed her 40 years earlier (forgetting the original 2nd film).
A special mention to the dearly missed presence of the late Donald Pleasance from the original films. You can't replace Dr. Loomis.
The original score returns once more with minor tweaks, but is still as iconic as the first time it was played in 1978.
Picking up forty years after Michael Myers' original rampage for which he is re-incarcerated at Smiths-Grove, the psychopathic killer gets loose once more and seeks out the sole survivor of his spree in 1978: Laurie Strode. However, Laurie is prepared for this eventuality and is set on murdering the man who killed her friends. With the aid of her estranged daughter and granddaughter, the showdown is tense and bloody which is what we wanted in a new "Halloween".
Supporting players in the fray of this horror film includes the likes of TV actress Judy Greer and newcomer Andi Matichak. Greer plays Laurie's estranged daughter, Karen, a psychologist who resents her mother for her paranoia and obsession with Michael and his 1978 murder spree. This dysfunctional relationship results in strains within her own family despite how much she loves her daughter, Allyson and husband, Roy. Soon Karen learns how correct her mother was when Michael attacks Allyson and her friends and eventually makes it to Laurie's compound where they hide. Though she is afraid of the psychopathic killer, it comes down to Karen to take down Michael in an empowering moment for her.
As for newcomer Andi Matichak, she brings back the nostalgia of the good girl that actress Jaime lee Curtis brought to Laurie in 1978. Allyson is a typical millennial, but stuck with a dysfunctional family since her grandmother is treated like the town and family nutcase. She does love her parents, but shows disdain for her family's maltreatment of Laurie who she loves dearly. Though she doesn't believe (like her family) that Michael will escape, when confronted by the killer she is convinced and is afraid but does display a bravery from her grandmother in the climax.
Returning to the fold after lengthy hiatuses from the franchise, two familiar faces are more than welcome back. First up is stuntman/actor Nick Castle who originally portrayed The Shape in 1978. While Michael Myers has been portrayed by various other actors over 40 years, it was the silence of Castle that first terrified moviegoers. We get to see more glimpses of Castle than we did in 1978, but the filmmakers still cleverly shoot closeups from the side or blur full-faced shots of the actor without his mask. Credit also goes to James Jude Courtney who stands in for Castle in the more intense physical scenes.
And then there's our aging heroine, Laurie Strode, portrayed with quiet gusto by Jamie Lee Curtis. Deeply traumatized by Michael's spree, Laurie lives in a heavily armed house in the woods and touts her firearms with astute prowess. While we know Laurie will inevitably be correct about Michael's coming for her, it's easy to understand why her family isn't proud of her and her (well-founded) paranoia. When the final showdown comes it's a pleasure to see Jamie Lee Curtis toting a shotgun and taking down her tormentor; finally facing the man who nearly killed her 40 years earlier (forgetting the original 2nd film).
A special mention to the dearly missed presence of the late Donald Pleasance from the original films. You can't replace Dr. Loomis.
The original score returns once more with minor tweaks, but is still as iconic as the first time it was played in 1978.
