Rating 18
Length 1h26
Release 23.10.1998
Director Steve Miner
About After escaping serial killer Michael Myers’ attacks, Laurie Strode relocates to California and adopts a new identity. However, years later, Michael returns to finish what he started.
Moon: no moon sighting
Where to Watch: Netflix
Trailer:
Trick
- I spent a lot of the film writing down question: how has Michael learned to drive? (Rather well I might add), why does Laurie/Keri have a pumpkin that she’s taken the time to carve even though she does let Josh Harnett celebrate Halloween? Why has a coroner been called if the psycho hasn’t been declared dead and why THE FUCK has no one taken that mask off to aid in said declaration?
- What I feel is an attempt to humanise Laurie and keep an element of her ‘Final Girl’ innocence, is that bullshit hand reaching tender moment we get between her and Michael. Fuck the hell off, Laurie is not soft and she doesn’t really know him as a brother. No one needed the moment of hesitation from her.
- Laurie’s reveal to the boyfriend. Bullshit. Not a chance would he respond like that. He’s not some horndog teen wanting to get his leg over, you’ve spent the last almost-50 minutes building this life around Curtis’ iconic character, making it quite clear that she’s fucking hard work for anyone she lets in. It seems like a well established relationship that’s being kept hidden, that’s one patience dude.
It doesn’t matter the reason for the deception, it is still exactly that and I just wish he’d had a more realistic response that that of a frat guy distracted by his hard on. Acceptance without process is such bullshit, and only happens when there’s one person writing both sides.
Seriously, give me Will walking away, furious that she’s lied. A natural division that is typical for a horror movie. Have Will killed because he’s refusing to believe Michael Myers is behind him and will no longer humour his paramour. Or, have him realise too late.
Literally anything other than “Okay, take your shirt off.” - For a short film, we really do spend a lot of time doing fuck all. There’s interesting things at play, but there’s no payoff. There’s the interesting attempt at exploring Laurie’s trauma and how it manifests as functioning alcoholism. Can you imagine if that’s explored further? She’s told Will who she really is, he’s fucked off to process and she drinks to the point that she’s hazy. That scene in the what I assume is the lunch hall becomes very different. Hell, own the alcoholism and firebomb the bastard?! Probably not the right message, but it’s certainly better that the half baked one we get.
Treat
- Jamie-Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh sharing scenes together. Oh what a joy it is to see.
- The “Williamson Opening”. I couldn’t put my finger on it while I watched, but there was something so familiar but not “Halloween” about that pre-credits, almost detached, sequence. Then I read that it was written by Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson and it all makes sense. However, do not get me started on the mis-casting of Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the oft-expelled Jimmy.
- Speaking of the opening, I do love the use of Mr Sandman. Not only as a call back to Carpenter’s second outing, but just in terms of it setting the scene of an idyllic town, the calmness of the 50s ‘family values’ and the charm that brings with it nostalgia. For it to cut mid song, just to remind you what film you are actually watching.
- There’s a fair few Easter eggs and homages to other movies. Lip service thank you to Scream and its prominent use of Halloween (1978) in the first of that franchise, the car that Janet Leigh gets into at the end of the day and away for her weekend, down to the mirrored scene between Laurie, Molly (Michelle Williams) and the Shape. There’s so many more. I must say, I’m so very glad that Mike Myers turned down a walk-on cameo. It read like the Jay and Silent Bob one from Scream 3 and just a tad overkill.
- Points for not killing my man LL Cool J. Extra points for not referring to or commenting upon the trope that the ‘black guy dies first.’
Final Thoughts
Upon reflection, this probably wasn’t the best film to put on after week-long nightmares regarding my father, Michael, being returned to me three years after his death. You know, with the whole Michael Myers being unkillable, to the point that he’ll return for yet another sequel despite having his head lobbed off.
The Queens of Geekdom 