The Boogeyman lives, and continues to reign terror in “Halloween Kills” and I absolutely loved it. It was so rad, but I’m mostly referring to Michael Myers. Because unfortunately, there were flaws.
Although there’s several things I didn’t like, I’ll focus on the fact that the film sped through so much in one setting. It loses its touch in various moments when Michael’s not on-screen. The disconcerted execution of the storyline results in it being less appealing, which made me want to get straight to the next on-screen Michael scene.
In addition, scenes such as the hospital were longer than needed and took up time that could’ve been dedicated to Michael Myers. Michael no doubt gets plenty of the action, but his presence felt absent at times, because you get sucked into prolonged scenes. I think the epic soundtrack makes up for that flaw, making the prolonged scenes bearable and tolerable.
Unfortunately, it also lacks scenes and action with Laurie. It’s logical and understandable that while she’s gutted, stitched, and doped up on pain meds, she’s not in the position to fight especially when she already went through hell trying to kill Michael.
It’s disappointing though, after the hype of how she’s been readying for this day for 40 years as we know from “Halloween” (2018) and the marketing of Laurie for this film. I just wonder what they were going for with Laurie in this film, compared to the first. Perhaps Laurie is being saved for a big finale.
Moreover, all of these old and new characters featured were not what I expected them to be. Several were annoying, or pointless, as well as some of their actions. In general, the character portrayal expectation for almost all characters was a let-down.
Nonetheless, I appreciate the homage to “Halloween” (1978), which includes bringing old characters (Tommy Doyle, Lindsey Wallace, and Nurse Marion Chambers) into the plot.
Before I get into why Tommy (a kid Laurie babysat in 1978) is an unlikeable character, Allyson (Laurie’s niece) and Karen (Laurie’s daughter) are no better. Karen is super demanding and frustrating. Yet, she’s logical and calm at times, but every other time, I couldn’t stand her. Karen felt like a real-life “Karen,” she complained and held people back a lot, then would out of nowhere be convenient in helping in a situation.
Allyson is just an angsty teenager, and suddenly a pro at using a shotgun for the first time. I understand she’s upset Michael killed her father, but her character, alongside Karen, falls flat.
I feel the promotion of the Strode women was good for marketing, but there’s really no empowerment nor appeal of them in this film. Except Laurie to an extent. This gives me plenty of reasons to root for Michael.
Aside from several characters being unlikeable, the main thing is that Haddonfield’s people turn into a chaotic mob, paranoid and bloodthirsty for Michael. Tommy incited this paranoia and terror, being cocky and overconfident, determined to end Michael.
Despite Laurie saying this chaos is Michael’s masterpiece, Tommy is still at fault for riling everyone up, making everyone reckless.
These downsides accumulate to the film’s convolution with too many stories being introduced to establish foundation. Including trying to explain or find reasoning behind Michael’s motivation. Michael isn’t supposed to be explained, nor tried to be explained. He is an enigma, and should remain that way. That’s what makes him an iconic horror character.
Speaking of Michael, what I loved most was that Michael is absolutely relentless. I just love Michael Myers even more as a horror icon.
Even though some fans did not like his killing style, opposed to his simplistic nature in 1978, I think this aspect substantially accentuates his character arc. It’s 40 years later. It makes sense that Michael may have developed a newfound savage aggression during re-institutionalization. He’s messy, merciless, and callous. He’s defined and coined as the boogeyman, and the shape. In this film, he demonstrates his extent of being the epitome of evil.
Walking out of the theater for “Halloween” (2018) and this film, I felt this lurking feeling that Michael was watching me. Totally creepy, but that means the film did an excellent job!
Alongside that, this film does not hold back on blood and gore. It’s explicit, raw, and brutal. Yet, even some deaths that weren’t as brutal were still gnarly. One of my favorite scenes (also teased in the trailer), is the firemen scene. It was exquisitely executed, macabre, and impressive. Michael does not discriminate! It’s not often you see a fireman, let alone the entire squad, get massacred in a horror film.
So, when will Michael put the knife down? When will Halloween end? If you keep up with the franchise, you’d already know it doesn’t end here, because it was a planned trilogy. We’ll find out in October 2022 in “Halloween Ends” if Halloween indeed ends.
Overall, this was my favorite horror film of 2021, next to “Spiral: From the Book of Saw.” I loved it, despite its flaws, it’s a brilliant “Halloween” film, and I am absolutely viewing it for the third time in theaters!
Get your tickets to see “Halloween Kills” on AMC, or watch by subscription on Peacock! Fans of vinyl can still order a copy of the soundtrack on Amazon! It was unfortunately sold out on Waxwork Records and ShoutFactory, but you can stay up-to-date in case of any restock from cancellations.
With that said, I hope my insight has enlightened you and I’d love to talk about things horror and more! If you’d like to see more of my content or would like to contact me, you can find me on Instagram or Twitter. You may also email me at jrnw99@gmail.com if you prefer.
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