HALLOWEEN

Retconning franchises has become a bit of a trend in Hollywood recently, studios deciding to disregard franchise entries after the first and usually best film. Forty years after the original events in Haddonfield, Halloween is the eleventh film of the franchise but the new direct sequel to the original, with the same name. You keeping up? 

Forty years after his murder spree, Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield intent on killing Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). What he isn't prepared for though is a fully prepared Laurie who's been waiting and training for his return.

It's great to see one of the most iconic movie villains of all time gracing the big screen again in Halloween and I'm glad to report that David Gordon Green does a great job in making Michael Myers feel like a terrifying and unstoppable force of nature in this brutal sequel. The body count is high and there are a couple of genuinely great moments that really do highlight why Myers is such an iconic character, a moment involving a motion sensor light and a tense showdown in Laurie's house being the icing on the cake.

The film becomes a tad predictable in places and there is some forced humour in there that often feels out of place, which could be down to Danny McBride's presence in the writing room. I really liked the decision to have Laurie Strode as a Sarah Connor type figure, hell-bent on exacting revenge on Myers for traumatising her entire life. It would have been easy to just have her as a damsel in distress again however, it makes this sequel feel fresh and not just a carbon copy.

Talking of Laurie Strode, Jamie Lee Curtis works wonders to bring her new-found fierceness to life. The original scream queen is certainly back and it's so good to see someone like her return to a role that opened so many doors for her career wise. The supporting cast is made of capable actors playing incredibly stereotypical characters for a horror film.

While it may not better the original, which was always going to be a hard task, Halloween is great fun and a worthy sequel that offers something a little different to the original. John Carpenter's iconic characters and score have been given a new lease of life, so just enjoy the ride.

Verdict: ★★★½