Road to Kills: Revisiting Halloween (2018)

Back when it was first announced, I was super excited about Halloween (2018). It had David Gordon Green working along with Jason Blum and Danny McBride. Their pitch was so strong that it was bringing John Carpenter back to the franchise. It had everything going for it. 

Then the first trailer dropped. You know the one. Michael stalking the streets of Haddonfield. One continuous take as we witness Michael disappear from the shot and rememerge in brilliant fashion to enact his spree. It was beautiful. 

However, when I initially saw the finished film. I will say that I was not thrilled. I was not pleased with it. And it felt a little like it was overrated to me. 

But over the years, I have had time to watch the film again. And then I would think on it. Eventually come back to it again. With each new viewing, I began to slowly appreciate the film more.

Now after all this time, I will admit that I was harsh on the film. I went in expecting something akin to what Halloween (1981) presented. Instead what we got was something different and more relevant to today. 

David Gordon Green and Danny McBride delivered a fantastic story. It's easy to understand why it was this specific pitch that worked. That it brought Carpenter back. It was because of the fact that it is a different beast entirely. It subverts the audience's expectations so much. And it's a natural evolution of the story from what happened in the original film. 

Jamie Lee Curtis also returned as Laurie Strode. I didn't forget to mention it. It's something that did not feel new. The reason being she had returned for H20 and then cast aside in Resurrection. The difference though is her character is vastly different from the H20 incarnation. This is someone that literally turned herself into The Shape knowing one day she would see Michael again. But we are able to witness the cost of that with her interactions between her and her daughter Karen (Judy Greer). It's a very tragic evolution for Laurie. 

While we are talking about Karen, Judy Greer delivers an incredible performance. There are many layers to it. With each watch I could see a new layer unfold as the pressure of being trained to be a fighter by her mother was too much. She so desperately wishes for the normal life. And we see glimpses of that life with her husband Ray (Toby Huss) and daughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). Yes, that even includes the embarrassingly infamous peanut butter comment from Ray. But then everything comes crashing down once Michael returns as that unstoppable force. 

Andi Matichak also does a great job of making Allyson her own and not just a carbon copy of what Laurie was in the first film. Yeah, we see her be strong with her friends. And she holds her own, especially as she walks away from her boyfriend Cameron (Dylan Arnold). 

(Side Note: Arnold does a great job at being a unlikeable douchebag. Karma will hit him at some point.)

Michael Myers. In this film, we are able to see him. Fully see him as a man. James Jude Courtney delivers an incredible performance. He's able to communicate so much in his body language. One thing I wish is that we could have seen Michael's face. I understand that we don't till he gets the original mask - because that is his face. But we've seen the behind the scenes look at the makeup they did for Michael. That's a killer creepy look to it with the milk eye where he was stabbed.  But ultimately this is Michael fully unleashed in this film.

Now, there are a few things that I still don't like. It's not the characters. All of the actors and actresses delivered incredible performances. Officer Hawkins (Will Patton), Vicky (Virginia Gardner), Dana (Rhian Rees) and Aaron (Jefferson Hall). Why? 

Vicky was a very likeable and awesome babysitter. She had a lot of personality. However, her death felt wrong. Yeah, she could have been injured and then used in the next film. But I chalk it up to the performance of doing a great job at making such a likeable character. 

Dana and Aaron. The podcasters. Really, these two characters helped set the film in motion. The trailers even felt like there was going to be more with them. But then David Gordon Green subverts expectations as Michael crosses their paths. Though, I can see where in another story that Aaron could have become the next Loomis. 

Maybe that was the point of Aaron's character. Set up a Loomis type then get rid of them. Since fans are going to try to figure out who the next Loomis is. I mean even Laurie asks Dr. Sartain if he's the next Loomis. 

Speaking of Sartain, what the hell? His whole schtick is he's nuts? He wants to see what makes Michael tick? Oh, I'm going to just point Michael in Laurie's direction. Let's see what happens. That twist is something that still does not necessarily sit right with me. But again, that's the point. I see and understand it now. Subvert what hour expecting and how you expect it to go. It just happens to come at Officer Hawkins expense. 

Officer Hawkins felt like was going to be more involved. I mean it's Will Patton. He's a great actor. He has such a gravitas and physicality to him that you expect him to fight or help somehow. I guess it's taking the tropes of Halloween and then cutting them down. So we as an audience then are left to figure out where it's going to go next. 

But returning to the who's the next Loomis? Looking back now, it's evidently clear that Laurie spent time trying to figure out who would be that person. When she should have been looking at herself. She literally becomes the next Loomis in this story. 

The gore in this film was intense. It was not over the top. It fit today's modern sensibilities. This is especially evident in the fact that Michael took an officer's head and turned it into a jack o lantern. 

The music. Oh, how do I love the music in this film. It's clear to understand why. Carpenter. Well in this case, Carpenters. Hearing that it was John returning to the franchise was awesome. Hearing that he was bringing his son to work with him was something else entirely. The way they work with one another is awesome. It brings the music into today beautifully. My favorite piece of music is when Michael is in the backyard after Allyson's friend. The bowed guitar is beautiful. 

Looking back now, I appreciate this film more than ever. It's an effective continuation that evolves the story and subverts any expectations whatsoever. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

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Road to Kills: Halloween (1978)

  John Carpenter's Halloween. The film that started it all. It gave us the wonderful Dr. Loomis, Laurie Strode and defined Evil in the form of The Shape. It hit the world like a freight train and changed it forever. 

  

  Many have talked about the film. I, for one, have seen countless articles about it. What is it about the film that makes it so note worthy? 

  I would say that one of the reasons why it's considered to be such a classic is the story. When you take a minute and think about it, the story is very simple. Dr. Loomis is pursuing The Shape as he returns home to stalk a babysitter and her friends. It's definitely one of the large parts of what makes it work. It's the story of Good vs. Evil. 

  

  I mean sure, there are some other things that happen in the story. But that's the large picture of it. And I would say that it's all thanks to the characters that John Carpenter and Debra Hill created when they crafted this story. They made those characters memorable. Each of them have some thing that defines them. Whether it's Laurie's strong nature or Dr. Loomis' desire to keep pursing The Shape. They are all memorable in some way. And yes, that even includes Bob. 

  Then there is Michael Myers. The terrifying unrelenting force that is The Shape. He is very iconic. Not once during the film does he utter a single word. He's just there. Dr. Loomis does say it best when he talks about Michael, "I met him, 15 years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this... six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and... the blackest eyes - the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... evil.". He is the personification of Evil. 

Now, I know that there is a novelization to the 1978 film. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of reading it. It had a few things that were really eye opening not just for this film but the franchise as a whole. 

In the prologue, it is the dawn of the Celtic race in Ireland. There was a young disfigured boy of 15, Enda. He was madly in love with the King's daughter, Deirdre. Enda is severely humiliated for attempting to win her love. On Halloween, he attacks and murders Deirdre and her fiancee. The villagers kill Enda and curse him to forever wander the earth, recreating these events. 

Then we are thrown into 1963. We see a young Michael and his grandmother. It is very eerie. The grandmother is concerned as Michael has been admitting to hearing voices and having visions and nightmares (of Deirdre and Enda). It is further discussed that Michael admits hearing voices that tell him to say he hates people. And then there's the cherry on top. It is mentioned that Michael's great grandfather had committed some violent act and that Michael was very much like him. This alone added so much to explaining why Michael is the way he is. 

I understand that there was a high chance it was added by the author of the novelization and not John Carpenter or Debra Hill. But it adds a lot of flavor to everything. I hope that makes sense. But if that is true, then there is a force that is trying to influence Michael. And further on in the franchise, we find out about the Cult of Thorn. Personally, in my head canon, I would agree that this all ties into The Thorn Trilogy of films. And honestly, it doesn't make that storyline seem like it comes out of nowhere anymore. 

The music by Carpenter is amazing. It perfectly sets the tone of the film as well as adds tension to it. I remember hearing somewhere that there was a screening of Halloween without the score. And it didn't do so well. Then they went and added and returned, it worked like gang busters. That alone should help illustrate the power of Carpenter's music in the film. And it is a character in the film as well. 

Now, the violence in Halloween. It's not something that I would consider to be super violent. There isn't much gore in the movie at all. So because of that, it allowed the film to hit with a much wider audience in my opinion. Those looking for a horror film, Halloween covers it. Those looking for a tense thriller, Halloween covers it. It allowed a large amount of flexibility. And I also know that because of there being not much gore that there are some parents that will use it as a way to introduce their children to the horror genre. I, for one, don't necessarily see anything wrong with that. 

All of this works to make Halloween a classic. The characters. The setting. The tone. The music. All beautifully work together. It's a film that every spooky season is easy to throw on to watch whenever. Or throw it on the tv for background noise, but be prepared that you'll soon find yourself sitting entranced in the story. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

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