It’s been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. Locked up in an institution, Myers manages to escape when his bus transfer goes horribly wrong. Laurie now faces a terrifying showdown when the masked madman returns to Haddonfield, Ill. — but this time, she’s ready for him.
Okay…despite what I am going to be saying below, I actually liked the film. However, I also have to be honest when I spot problems, and there are problems.
First, I have to give David Gordon Green and Danny McBride and A for Effort in this story. They worked hard writing this script, and it shows. But, honestly, it is nowhere near as good as John Carpenter’s horror masterpiece, and is chock full of story problems.
Second, I loved the soundtrack. It’s so cool seeing Carpenter step in just for the soundtrack.
Third, I know they chose to make this a direct sequel to the 1978 film. But, by ignoring 1981’s Halloween II completely, which was written by the creative master himself, John Carpenter, along with Debra Hill, we lose the whole reason behind Michael’s obsession with Laurie Strode, which was explained by Doctor Loomis, that Laurie was Michael’s baby sister, that she was adopted off to the Strodes, after the events in 1963. With that missing nugget of info, there is no logic behind Michael’s singular obsession with her. That whole “she’s the one that got away,” horseshit, is fucking dumb.
The fourth problem with the film was its lack of focus. It was somewhat schizophrenic, and didn’t know who its main character was, and jumped around so much, it was hard to really connect with any one character. Horror films require someone for the audience to connect with, and follow. Jamie Lee Curtis was fantastic, but she should have been relegated as the Doctor Loomis character this time around. She was super bad ass. I loved it. But, yeah, she was not to the side enough. They should have stuck to the tried and true dynamic of the old Carpenter films.
So, as much fun as the film was, there was just way too much going on, switching between characters, for us to really connect with any one of them, when we should have. We become like that placating moment with Palmer in Carpenter’s The Thing, when he wants everyone to get along and said, “Yeah, yeah, man.” It was robotic and insincere response. Just like rooting people on in this film, only because we know we are supposed to, and NOT because we really want to. It becomes mechanical instead of a true emotional response.
The writing had way too much deus ex machina going on in it; specific things that have to happen, that without it, wouldn’t lead to the next scene. It’s using plot devices to push the story forward, instead of allowing a story to unfold. Excessive use of plot devices to push a story forward really is one of the first signs of bad writing.
Then there the whole not really caring about anyone, which I will address in the spoiler version of this review. I will say this, as a very good writer friend of mine once told me, “It’s easy to write characters no one likes or cares about. It takes actual effort to create a character or characters the audience connects with, likes, and wants to root for.” Well, in Halloween 2018, pretty much all of the rooting we had in this film was for Laurie Strode, and it wasn’t from her portrayal of her character in this film, but from the history we have with her from other people’s writings in other films.
HALLOWEEN 2018 was a fun film. Had some great moments. The cast and soundtrack were fantastic. So, I have no issue giving the film 7 out of 10 Potatoes.
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