Rating: 7.5
Don’t kill me… but I actually enjoyed “Halloween Ends”! I was surprised, especially considering I went in with extremely low expectations. I was not a fan of “Halloween Kills”, I thought the movie was pretty dumb, repetitive and a step down from the 2018 “Halloween”. This offered something new, something fresh! It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it took the franchise in a few different directions that I wasn’t expecting! The film is surprisingly character driven, and while Shakespeare it is not, I thought it was pretty interesting. It’s about the nature of evil, and may not have had as much Michael Myers as the other films, but showed how his shadow still looms large over Haddonfield.
I really liked that the movie showed the effects the mass killings had on this town and how it scarred so many of the people. I really liked the elements focusing on Corey especially, and his story after society turns on him was probably one of my favourite parts as it really showed how true evil can grow in a person. Don’t get me wrong however, the film did feel rushed and didn’t take the time to flesh out Corey’s story. Plus I’m almost certain this is what long time “Halloween” fans will not like about the film; the lack of focus on Michael and instead his lasting effects. They for sure won’t like what happens to his mask either…. but I hate to say it, it worked for me! And while there isn’t a lot of Michael, the scenes he does get are awesome! It does make you want more of him, but what we get is good. He almost doesn’t fit in the story, even feels shoehorned in at times to speed up Corey’s character’s journey. Laurie and Michael’s big final showdown shown in the trailers, while exciting, even feels quite obligatory, like they had to stick it in for the fans. I’m glad they did it though. This was a sort of “Joker” in a “Halloween” movie, they stuck the “Halloween” title on it to sell tickets but really had the Corey story in mind. It’s like a “Halloween” spinoff that remembers it is supposed to be the conclusion of Laurie and Michael’s story at the very end.
What I did like about this film as a conclusion to the new trilogy was that it made me realize this whole trilogy has been about Haddonfield, the town, the people, and how a killer on Halloween night changed everything and everyone in the following years. It is quite an interesting idea, and makes me appreciate the trilogy more. I also loved how they left off Laurie’s story throughout the film, it felt like a natural place for her character to be. Jamie Lee Curtis was also pretty awesome in the movie, reprising one of her most iconic roles. She even has some great, brutal, action scenes. Her character’s dialogue— all the dialogue for that matter— wasn’t very well written however. The dialogue never sold the character’s feelings, and dialogue scenes would shift tone really quick, one going from understanding to anger and tension with one cut. It felt like they cut a lot out of some scenes, but at least the film did sort of work in a way. I also loved how the edited in clips of the original film at times, it had a really cool effect. It does feel like it was missing something, and is not the great horror film you’d hope this iconic franchise would end with, but I liked it! Do not mistake me, it is not a great film, and heck its not scary at all (even the few kills are pretty PG-13), but I came out of it satisfied. I can’t explain it better than this, it is a divisive movie that I came out of liking! It’s a weak film with so many missed opportunities, but the new direction re-awakened my interest in this 45 year old franchise! And of course, that iconic John Carpenter theme was awesome to hear one last time!
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IMDb Rating: 5.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 39%
RT Audience Score: 57%
Metacritic Score: 45
CinemaScore: C+
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Universal
Directed by David Gordon Green
Written by David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, Chris Bernier & Paul Brad Logan
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Rohan Campbell, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, James Jude Courtney
Runtime: 1hr 51min
Rating: 18A
Horror, Thriller
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Four years after the devastating events of losing her daughter, Laurie Strode is now living with her granddaughter and without Michael Myers. But when a young man accidentally murders the boy he was babysitting, the town of Haddonfield begins to look down upon him so he tracks down and gets guidance from The Shape.
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Fun Fact: Nick Castle has a non-Michael Myers cameo for the first time in this trilogy as a partygoer who flashes his costume at Corey and says "see anything you like?" This is a nod to the iconic line said by Lynda in Halloween(1978).
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