'Halloween' (2018): review

Jamie Lee Curtis's direct sequel to Carpenter's 1978 classic rescues the series by providing a 'horrifying', well-made, character-driven thriller 40 years later

A handy situation to be in...'Halloween' (Ryan Green/Universal Studios)

by Jack Linsdell

Today I had my screening of Jamie Lee Curtis's direct sequel to John Carpenter's 1978 original cult classic horror flick, which ignores all 5,677 films that came in between the two during these past 40 years. And David Gordon Green's 'Halloween' is a well-made, solidly-acted horror flick that largely acts as a quality character-driven thriller with some distressing scenes of gory violence. It certainly has prevented the franchise from ending on such a sour note, and Blumhouse and all involved may consider it a "rebooted-trilogy" starter. Personally, I hope they don't as this horror flick rounded up everything nicely by the time the credits rolled but I digress.

The movie opens with two investigative journalists who visit Michael Myers (the man responsible for the brutal murders of 5 people in Carpenter's original) in a secure mental institution. They're trying to uncover the truth of what happened 40 years ago. Indeed, they also pay a visit to Laurie Strode (Lee Curtis) whose modified her house with armour and grills and spent her life training herself and her daughter how to fight and use guns in order to prepare for the day when Myers returns. That day comes when he escapes from the truck transporting him to a securer facility and then goes on to create havoc in Haddonfield on Halloween night. His body count is high in this film, and at one point certain characters get killed that caused myself to become so angry with Myers that I truly wanted Lee Curtis to succeed in finding and killing him. But, that's what the filmmakers were going for, right?

Anyway, the film was more sophisticated and compelling narrative wise than the simple "it's another horror film" image that it was marketed as being. Indeed, it isn't really a horror. Rather, a character-driven thriller that has horror elements in the brutality of the killings. The first act invests us in both Strode's character (a victim of a previous Myers murder spree, struggling to cope and someone who has turned family away in order to prepare for the day in which he returns for her) but also her family (believing she is not with it) and in particular her granddaughters and her friends. At the same time, Myers takes out (spoilers!!) the two investigative journalists plus many random strangers including Police Officers, gas station workers and a father-and-son "wrong place at wrong time" duo. This balance of setting up audience investment in the characters with providing the horror fans and audiences are waiting for is well-judged and effective. Indeed, by making this more than just a conventional horror movie, the filmmakers really increase the tension by making us believe in the characters more, which makes us more fearful for them when they are in peril. Some horrors go from "scary scene" to "scary scene" without a coherent narrative and drop the tension in between scenes. The thriller approach used here keeps increasing the tension slowly over the course of a "slow-but-progressive" narrative and makes our characters more than just victims to our villain but people with problems and personalities. 

There are very few 'jump-cuts', with the Jamie Lee Curtis-led horror/thriller not relying on cheap genre gimmicks but instead the pure menace of Myers who silently creeps up on (mostly) innocent and unrelated victims and dispatches them with such blunt brutality. If anything, this is where the 18 rating is brought into play. And, for a genre which has been done to death over the past 40 years, David Gordon Green's flick manages to feel original and fresh in its story and the way it uses horror elements to scare the audience. Yes, there are odd occasions where events are predictable and sometimes the typical "let's go into this small and dark space to have an explore" attitude of victims can get annoying. But, this is no different to any other horror show/movie that you'll see. Carpenter's original used wide camera framing, in which the viewer would have to spot Myers lurking in the background somewhere. Gordon Green utilises a similar technique here, both paying homage to the style that helped make the original so successful but also adapting it to his own way. Indeed, his direction in this film is top class, full of some really outstanding shots and it is not overly edited with many (and often strange) camera angles, but instead feels like quite simple filmmaking. He hasn't over thought anything but with what he has thought about, he milks it the most for the fullest effect. Honestly, he's done a good job and filled big shoes and the tremendous pressure that came with it. 

Narrative wise, the film's simplistic yet coherent plot is nicely executed, with particular attention paid to the characters and the details (like when Lee Curtis gives her granddaughter the money the journalists paid her earlier). It takes its time but is never once boring or overtly predictable (narrative wise) and is always building towards an outstanding and dramatic showdown. All involved know that by the time the final act action kicks-off they have you as the audience hooked into the characters. This is shown no less by the (spoilers!!) death of one of the granddaughter's friends whose babysitting a young boy when Myers brutally kills her. I'd become so invested in her character than when she dies (after a good struggle by the way) it was truly heart-breaking. Often, the victims of these horrific acts never impact me much as an audience member, but this film made sure that when people died, you felt emotional about it.  

Jamie Lee Curtis is on fine form here. She manages to capture the emotional depth, complexity and burden that has been kept inside her character for the past 40 years when the film becomes almost a family drama. One outstanding scene involves her turning up late to a restaurant where her daughter, daughter's husband, granddaughter and granddaughter's boyfriend are all having dinner. This is just after Myers has escaped and she starts crying and acting erratically - the performance is truly outstanding. And, sometimes Lee Curtis's character provides some of the comic relief in the flick, which is actually quite natural and funny humour that never feels out of place for a horror movie. Truly, the film has been partly sold as "Jamie Lee Curtis is back and kicking ass again" and when the action does kick-start she delivers physically as well. The fight choreography is excellent and during her showdown with Myers at the end, when she is thrown about it really looks like it hurts. And, its nice to see another film that conforms to the presentation of a "strong but vulnerable" women, which I've discussed many times before is the most accurate and compelling portrayal of women on screen. The film becomes another example of a high-quality female-led actioner flick (except this time she's an older women), which adds to my point that audiences should support these films before complaining about not having a female James Bond. 

The film throwed up interesting ideas about how serial killers should be treated, and what motivates them into killing people. This was constantly brought up throughout the narrative (not just referenced once and then forgotten about) and created some deeper subtext in which to ground the film in our political climate today, and it worked well. Myers's doctor spent the whole 40 years trying to discover what motivated Myers to kill. If there is one nit-pick, then its that the film opened up this as a discussion but then didn't offer any conclusions to this at the end. I had to come up with my own theory that it was for revenge, but it is never specifically drawn together. But, hey you can't have everything!

Lastly, John Carpenter's score is truly outstanding, incorporating the classic Halloween theme into more contemporary synth-based horror music. It creates a really intense mood and supplements the visuals extremely well. The track that places over the opening credits is truly a masterpiece. 

It's clear that despite not being a horror fan and having no real interest in the Halloween franchise previously, I have to admit that this David Gordon Green-directed and co-penned flick has changed that slightly. As a horror, it works well not relying on jump scares and feeling refreshing in the way it uses the stereotypical elements. Those genre fans have plenty of content here to feast upon. However, if you're old enough and not particularly squeamish, then I believe the film plays well to more general audiences - acting as a well-made, solidly-acted, character-driven, female-led thriller actioner that occasionally delves below into your emotions and makes you fidget in your seat uncomfortably. 

Jamie Lee Curtis's third time starring in a film called 'Halloween' is truly worth a watch. It certainly is no trick, so go and treat yourself.  

4/5 STARS