HallowScream - Halloween (2018)

    Hey guys, Chuck here. Happy Halloween, everyone! Let's wrap up this year's edition of HallowScream with a review of the 2018 film Halloween. Now, I've gotta be honest, I've never been a really big fan of this franchise. It just wasn't among the slasher film series that caught my attention the way that franchises like Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Child's Play, and Hellraiser did. And no, I did not watch the Rob Zombie versions of Halloween either. However, after seeing the TV spots for this new spin on the series back in 2018, I decided to check it out. And when I learned that it's a direct continuation of John Carpenter's original film, and none of its sequels, it made me more interested in watching it. So, now let's get into this, our last review of HallowScream: Halloween 2018.  

    So, we open with a pair of true crime journalists, Aaron and Diana, who head to the psychiatric institution that has held Michael Myers for 40 years after his killing spree in Haddonfield. Aaron then presents Michael with the mask he wore back in 1978, when he committed his crime, but it has little to no effect, and Michael is transferred the next day. However, the bus crashes in transit, and Michael escapes, kills a father and son for their car, and returns to Haddonfield. Meanwhile, we see that Laurie Strode has been still living in fear of Michael, which led her to begin drinking heavily, rarely leaving her heavily fortified home, and has cut off contact with her daughter, Karen, who was taken away by the state at the age of twelve. The only family that Laurie still talks to is Karen's daughter Allyson. On Halloween morning, Michael catches up with Aaron and Diana, who are visiting the grave of Aaron's sister. Michael kills the both of them at a gas station he followed them to, kills the station's mechanic for his overalls, takes the mask that Aaron had showed  him the day before. Deputy Hawkins, who had arrested Michael back in '78, learns of Michael's escape and tries to warn the sheriff of the threat, and Laurie attempts to warn Karen of the danger upon learning of Michael's escape. So, what happens when Michael returns to the quiet streets of Haddonfield on Halloween night? You'll have to watch the movie yourself to find out. 

    It's been said that Blumhouse Productions is re-defining the horror genre, and this movie certainly can attest to that statement. Producer Jason Blum, who runs Blumhouse, did the right thing in getting John Carpenter involved as a producer. David Gordon Green, who directed this film, and Danny McBride, who helped write the screenplay, were both fans of the original film, and it shows. And yes, I am talking about the same Danny McBride who starred in comedy films like Pineapple Express, Fanboys, and This Is The End. It's also great that original film actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle returned for their roles of Laurie Strode and Michael Myers. Now, I should mention that Nick Castle only returned for a single scene, and for the rest of the film, Michael was portrayed by James Jude Courtney. I also like how they took Michael's psychiatrist in this film, Dr. Sartain, and made him a student of Dr. Loomis from the original film, and actor Haluk Bilginer was haunting as Dr. Sartain. Actors Will Patton, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Jefferson Hall, and so forth definitely did an excellent job, and I really enjoyed their performances in this movie. Overall, this feels like a Halloween movie in every sense of the word, and even if you're not a fan of the franchise, it doesn't matter, as this film is amazing on its own. So, I'm giving the 2018 version of Halloween a rating of 5/5. Next October, Blumhouse is returning with a sequel to Halloween, titled Halloween Kills, which I'm definitely excited about. Thanks for tuning in for HallowScream, guys, and I'll see you next time.