Halloween

[lancerman]

Just got out. Here’s my hot take. It was the best sequel. It was the closest to nailing the original idea and having the atmosphere and feel if the original. It was the gore fest 2 was, it wasn’t the blatant cash grabs of 4, 5, 6. It didn’t try too hard to reunite the characters like H2O but did while sacraficing the feel (H2O felt like Scream and was a bit too sanitized). 

Here he was just a crazy guy who broke loose and started killing without rhyme or reason on Halloween night. He didn’t even target Strode until other characters placed too much importance on them and literally led them to her (which could be a critique of the sequels). Here he wasn’t family killer Michael Myers. He was just the evil boogeyman. Easily the best sequel imo and doesn’t surprise me the creator gave it his stamp of approval.

Thay said, the original was better and if money didn’t matter it was the only one necessary

[lancerman]

13 hours ago, thebestever6 said:

What did you like the end was anti climatic. They literally make myers a ##### in this movie. 

The good guys just were too dominant lol. Never had a oh my god they're running out of time hes coming feeling with the main characters. 

 

Myers shouldn’t be too strong. In the original he was literally going after unsuspecting teenagers and was stopped the minute a guy with a gun who actually played offense came into the picture 

[Chinaski_86]

On 20-10-2018 at 1:25 PM, thebestever6 said:

What did you like the end was anti climatic. They literally make myers a ##### in this movie. 

The good guys just were too dominant lol. Never had a oh my god they're running out of time hes coming feeling with the main characters. 

 

Well the ending in the first movie wasn't exactly world class either. All it took was a couple shots fired to stop him. It takes a lot more to stop him in this movie.

I don't agree with you that they made him look weak in this movie. Until the final fight, he was brutal. He kills more people in this movie than the first two combined and sometimes in much more violent ways. I don't think anyone expected him to do what he did in the truck so he can escape.

The reason this movie didn't have that "they're running out of time" vibe is because Michael isn't the only hunter. Laurie is also the hunter. She's more obsessed with killing him than Michael is with killing people. She even raised her daughter not to be afraid of him. 

[Chinaski_86]

This character's son is also in the new movie. 

[thebestever6]

1 hour ago, Chinaski_86 said:

Well the ending in the first movie wasn't exactly world class either. All it took was a couple shots fired to stop him. It takes a lot more to stop him in this movie.

I don't agree with you that they made him look weak in this movie. Until the final fight, he was brutal. He kills more people in this movie than the first two combined and sometimes in much more violent ways. I don't think anyone expected him to do what he did in the truck so he can escape.

The reason this movie didn't have that "they're running out of time" vibe is because Michael isn't the only hunter. Laurie is also the hunter. She's more obsessed with killing him than Michael is with killing people. She even raised her daughter not to be afraid of him. 

I just thought that was a terrible approach.  You got him going into fort nox the last 35 min of the movie it just took the thrill out.

[Chinaski_86]

1 hour ago, thebestever6 said:

I just thought that was a terrible approach.  You got him going into fort nox the last 35 min of the movie it just took the thrill out.

For me it worked. It helped show how crazy and paranoid Laurie had become over the years.  I would have left the movie theater laughing if this movie had ended with a one-on-one physical fight between Laurie and Michael. There was only one way for her to catch and kill him. Shooting him isn't going to get the job done.

It's those last 20 minutes when the hunter becomes the hunted. I love that spin. The entire movie people thought the house was build to keep people out but it wasn't.

[StLunatic88]

If you were going into this movie expecting jump scares, you dont know the original Halloween very well (Michael stalks Laurie in broad day light for goodness sake)

Halloween is one of the original slashers that changed movies forever, and its a distinction like that for a reason. Its not just about jump scares, or gore (it has those things) its about the tension an fear that continues to build, keeping you looking in every corner of the screen. Thats where the true terror lies, along with Carpenters amazing score that still gives you chills every time it builds into a scene. 

This was an amazing homage to the original by two guys who clearly loved and were inspired by Carpenter. Not only did it take Michael to the next level of evil (his first Kill we see is of a Little Kid!) but it also take Laurie to her logical elevation. This all started because she happened to be the unfortunate on to walk up to Michaels front door, to drop off a key. And to have this new finale start with Michael coming to her front door was just so perfect.

The Fortress, that is really a cage was so good. I had that as a possibility in my head early on, but as much as her daughter Karen hated that place, the way she looked at the automatic island door to the basement, made me think otherwise.Made me feel like she was still trapped and defeated in there (mentally) 

I do wish they had made a point to tell us that Allyson wasnt allowed there ever, would have made sense she ran into the woods rather than down the road, and mainly the creepy mannequin scene, felt like that could have been done better. And also the switch Karen flips, tricking Michael into showing himself, I like it, but I felt like i needed something more between her and Laurie. A realization that she was always right, a pep talk that this is what all those years were for. Because it goes from Karen resenting and not wanted Laurie around, to "gotcha!" without much. I walked out asking myself, were Karen and Laurie planning this whole "breakup" since she was young? Was it all for show? I mean i know that wasnt the intention, but that is for sure what it felt like.

As stated before, for sure the best sequel, Im also glad it retconned everything. ESPECIALLY the sister thing. That has always been so lame. It much more terrifying that she is just some girl that Michael fixated on, makes the repercussions even more frightening, that you could be anyone, no matter how normal or wholesome, and Evil can still come for you. (Felt the old lady and front window kills gave the same impression) Great movie, amazing theater experience. A true love letter to old school slashers. Great work all around by McBride and Gordon-Green

 

[Chinaski_86]

As much as I like this movie, there were two parts that didn't work for me.

1. The opening scene. It was underwhelming. It didn't help either that they showed most of it in the trailer already. I wish they had a much better opening scene before cutting to the opening credits (which were awesome by the way! The rotten pumpkin coming back "alive").

2. The plot twist with the new psychiatrist. I hated it. It felt so out of place with the rest of the movie. 

[StLunatic88]

29 minutes ago, Chinaski_86 said:

1. The opening scene. It was underwhelming. It didn't help either that they showed most of it in the trailer already. I wish they had a much better opening scene before cutting to the opening credits (which were awesome by the way! The rotten pumpkin coming back "alive").

I agree, but it really did feel like a scene set up for the trailers. Most of what happens doesnt have to much of an effect on the plot, just a mechanism for him to get out, and also to go back to the original mask

2 main things though, it felt like a commentary on the "True Crime" podcasting craze, that not all things have something to be found out. But it also feels like there is some diolog missing, especially from Dr. Sartain, which actually leads into your second point.

29 minutes ago, Chinaski_86 said:

2. The plot twist with the new psychiatrist. I hated it. It felt so out of place with the rest of the movie. 

It did feel out of place. I did like the idea that he was the one who would have let Michael out, to see him in the "wild" trying to evoke responses out of him. That he would be SO obsessed with Michael and Dr. Loomis that he would do anything to "further his studies"

If they had made it Sartain who had reached out to the journalists to bring them in, had him obsessing that the guy bring the Mask with him (a "do you have it? Did you bring it?" line) as well as maybe Sartain detailing the ways he has tried previous to bring out the responses from him, would have really planted those seeds. Maybe even talking about the relationship with Loomis more, and having the journalist possibly drop a line that they heard Loomis wasnt all that fond of him as a student, that he was too extreme or something more subtle. 

The fact that he was handcuffed in the back part of the bus though befor the kid shoots him also seemed out of nowhere. Why not just have him injured, and hiding? Then pop out to get shot?

It could have been done well, because it is a nice little twist (that I saw coming as soon as Allyson was in the back seat) but the set up was missing.

(it was also a perfect spot to drop a H2 Ben Tramer nod, having Sartain plead that they need to make sure its actually Michael, and not some kid dressed up as him for Halloween. Especially if Hawkins and Sheriff Baker made a small comment about atleast one jackass still dresses up as him every year, during their "what are we gonna do cancel Halloween?" chat at the hospital. and thats when he could sneak attack Hawkins with his hidden scalpel, which they also should have set up at some point )

[INbengalfan]

7 hours ago, StLunatic88 said:

I agree, but it really did feel like a scene set up for the trailers. Most of what happens doesnt have to much of an effect on the plot, just a mechanism for him to get out, and also to go back to the original mask

2 main things though, it felt like a commentary on the "True Crime" podcasting craze, that not all things have something to be found out. But it also feels like there is some diolog missing, especially from Dr. Sartain, which actually leads into your second point.

It did feel out of place. I did like the idea that he was the one who would have let Michael out, to see him in the "wild" trying to evoke responses out of him. That he would be SO obsessed with Michael and Dr. Loomis that he would do anything to "further his studies"

If they had made it Sartain who had reached out to the journalists to bring them in, had him obsessing that the guy bring the Mask with him (a "do you have it? Did you bring it?" line) as well as maybe Sartain detailing the ways he has tried previous to bring out the responses from him, would have really planted those seeds. Maybe even talking about the relationship with Loomis more, and having the journalist possibly drop a line that they heard Loomis wasnt all that fond of him as a student, that he was too extreme or something more subtle. 

The fact that he was handcuffed in the back part of the bus though befor the kid shoots him also seemed out of nowhere. Why not just have him injured, and hiding? Then pop out to get shot?

It could have been done well, because it is a nice little twist (that I saw coming as soon as Allyson was in the back seat) but the set up was missing.

(it was also a perfect spot to drop a H2 Ben Tramer nod, having Sartain plead that they need to make sure its actually Michael, and not some kid dressed up as him for Halloween. Especially if Hawkins and Sheriff Baker made a small comment about atleast one jackass still dresses up as him every year, during their "what are we gonna do cancel Halloween?" chat at the hospital. and thats when he could sneak attack Hawkins with his hidden scalpel, which they also should have set up at some point )

Just saw it and loved it as well.  perfect homage to not only the original, but the sequel and the overall genre as well.  It returned to the 80s-90s visual style, much like Stranger Things did for the supernatural stuff.

 

There were a LOT of retconned/re-done things from Halloween 2 as well.  You mentioned the Ben tramer thing, but there were several others.  He gets a butcher knife by wandering onto some old lady's kitchen while making a sandwich and uses it immediately.  Laurie repeats the hospital finale by setting off the gas and lighting it.  

 

Also liked how they brought the story full circle in many ways.  It started with Laurie Strode dropping off the key at the Myers house, and ended with Myers at Strode's house.  People that survived the original die here.  Laurie shoots him right off the balcony in the original, and he tosses her off in this, while both walked away.  The closet scenes like role reversals as well.

 

Didn't really care for the psych doctor twist, but my kid called it right about the time the one guy made a move on the granddaughter.

And Marvel has spoiled us.  I actually stuck around the credits just in case, only to ..................... hear the breathing behind the mask.

[lancerman]

So the funny thing is the big doctor's twist that everyone is annoyed by, the only reason it exists is because they wrote themselves in a corner. Because they stripped the brother sister angle they RIGHTLY made Michael Myers what Michael Myers should be. The mysterious force of evil with no motivation who just existed to cause death. No "this guy is obsessed with killing his family". And that's what made him scarier in this film than the other films. 

All that said that's great, but they wanted to give Laurie Strode her big moment of taking back her agency and freeing herself from her trauma by defeating Michael. 

So they created two conflicting pieces. A story about Laurie who was deeply effected by Michael, who spent her life preparing to defeat Michael, who made Michael her life's obsession. AND a Michael Myers who didn't give the slightest crap about Laurie Strode. This is Michael from Halloween 1. Not the Michael he chased her around Haddonfield to her hospital, not the Michael who chased her niece around in 4 and 5. Not the Michael who stalked Laurie out West. No this was the Michael who just wanted to go out and kill a bunch of people on Halloween because that's what he does. 

So they made a doctor character who made a big twist in the movie, for the sole purpose of getting Michael stranded with Laurie so that you had a reason for Michael to be in combat with her. Because if Michael doesn't have a connection to Laurie, you need someone who thinks he does to be the catalyst for the big showdown. 

[Chinaski_86]

10 hours ago, INbengalfan said:

Just saw it and loved it as well.  perfect homage to not only the original, but the sequel and the overall genre as well.  It returned to the 80s-90s visual style, much like Stranger Things did for the supernatural stuff.

 

There were a LOT of retconned/re-done things from Halloween 2 as well.  You mentioned the Ben tramer thing, but there were several others.  He gets a butcher knife by wandering onto some old lady's kitchen while making a sandwich and uses it immediately.  Laurie repeats the hospital finale by setting off the gas and lighting it.  

 

Also liked how they brought the story full circle in many ways.  It started with Laurie Strode dropping off the key at the Myers house, and ended with Myers at Strode's house.  People that survived the original die here.  Laurie shoots him right off the balcony in the original, and he tosses her off in this, while both walked away.  The closet scenes like role reversals as well.

 

Didn't really care for the psych doctor twist, but my kid called it right about the time the one guy made a move on the granddaughter.

And Marvel has spoiled us.  I actually stuck around the credits just in case, only to ..................... hear the breathing behind the mask.

That entire one shot scene was one of my favorite scenes in the entire movie. From grabbing the hammer, then the knife, walking down the street and killing the woman at the window. it was beautifully shot.

I like how Laurie went from telling the kids there is no boogeyman in the first movie to telling the podcast people that they should believe in the boogeyman.

One of the funniest scenes was when the granddaughter looks outside from her classroom and it's not Michael but Laurie standing there. Nicely done

[INbengalfan]

54 minutes ago, Chinaski_86 said:

 

One of the funniest scenes was when the granddaughter looks outside from her classroom and it's not Michael but Laurie standing there. Nicely done

Even more full circle in that scene:  the teacher was talking about fate in this one too.  And her voice sounded almost exactly the same.  

[StLunatic88]

2 hours ago, INbengalfan said:

Even more full circle in that scene:  the teacher was talking about fate in this one too.  And her voice sounded almost exactly the same.  

The voice is actually P.J. Soles, who was Lynda in the original... Totally

[StLunatic88]

11 hours ago, lancerman said:

So the funny thing is the big doctor's twist that everyone is annoyed by, the only reason it exists is because they wrote themselves in a corner.

I dont see this at all, I mean we never know "how" Michael got out in the original, we didnt need the mechanism on how it happened this time either, just that it DID happen.

Even with getting the reveal that it was Dr. Sartain, people are still theorizing it was Laurie that crashed the bus, orchestrating this entire thing to be able to lure Michael in. Or atleast that that may had been an idea earlier in the script due to some of her dialog and her watching the bus leave.

I said earlier, Im actually intrigued by the idea of Sartain orchestrating this as an "experiment in the wild" for Michael to bring out the true Evil that he has never personally seen, which Loomis spoke of. But I just dont think it was done very well. The set up should have been better, and then him putting on the mask was pretty Hokey as well.