Halloween Kills Movie Review

Opens in theaters and on Peacock streaming starting October 15, 2021

“Halloween Kills” is a direct sequel to “Halloween” (2018). This is not to be confused with “Halloween” (1978), because “Halloween” (2018) is a direct follow-up to the 1978 movie. In this new timeline, all the other ‘Halloween’ sequels and follow-up movies did not happen. Now it’s only the 1978 slasher/killer and the babysitter forty years later. In 2018, the slashing and killing started again. So now the stage is set and the knives are sharpened for “Halloween Kills”.

In 1978, a young babysitter named Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) encountered an escaped mental patient and killer. Oh, and they are NOT related, by the way… After many murders, the killer was captured and was sent back to the mental hospital. Then in 2018, the killer escapes again and goes after Laurie and her family.

Laurie is divorced with one grown daughter named Karen (played by Judy Greer). Laurie also has one grand-daughter named Allyson (played by Andi Matichak). Forty years after the first killings, all three of them have just survived an encounter with Michael Myers. Laurie has trapped the masked fiend in her booby-trapped basement and lets him burn. Or so she thinks…

Laurie has gone from a hapless and helpless teenager in 1978 to a well-armed and tough-as-nails ‘Final Girl’ in 2018. She pounded into everyone’s head that Michael Myers is an unstoppable killing machine that will not die. Karen grew up with all that talk and was sick to death of hearing it. Allyson just thinks that Grandma has some anger issues. But after the 2018 attack from ‘The Shape’, they are able to get away thinking that the killer has finally been stopped. But that is not the case. Michael Myers, known as ‘The Shape’ (played by James Jude Courtney) is still out there. And he is still after them…

Laurie, Karen and Allyson have left the burning house, thinking that Myers has turned into a pile of ashes. Laurie was badly injured and they need to get to the hospital. An officer named Frank Hawkins (played by Will Patton) was also injured and he is recovering in the same room as Laurie. He is the one who helped capture Myers forty years ago. The entire town hears of the new killing spree. Many of the older survivors from long ago decide to hunt down Michael Myers for good this time.

This includes Tommy Doyle (played by Anthony Michael Hall), who was one of kids that Laurie was babysitting back then. Also, Lindsey Wallace (played by Kyle Richards) — another kid from the babysitters club — comes to help. They are joined by Marion Chambers (played by Nancy Stephens). She was the assistant to Dr. Loomis, Michael’s psychiatrist from years ago. In fact, the whole town begins to turn into an angry mob when they discover that ‘The Shape’ is back and is hunting them.

Michael Myers never lets anything like a burning building slow him down, and he makes a bloody escape. That town will need a whole lot more firemen, by the way. He is back on the streets and in the alleyways, ready to use whatever he can find to slash and murder and kill. Myers does that repeatedly, with a lot of gory results. It does not matter if it some kids out trick-or-treating or a nice gay couple who have moved into the old Myers house. ‘The Shape’ proves that he is still in shape and he is ready to knock ’em dead.

Laurie is sidelined in the hospital and her daughter Karen is ready to defend her. Allyson is out with the ‘Myers Hunters’. They are going out and finding where Michael has left a bloody trail. Tommy is ready to take swing at the fiend when they catch up to him. Lindsey is with a different group that encounters Michael, and she is lucky to be a survivor — again. Marion and a bunch of others are willing to die to bring Michael down. Of course, he is more that willing to help them accomplish that goal. He usually does that in the most gruesome and bloody manner as possible.

There is a mob mentality that is stoked by Tommy insisting that ‘evil dies tonight’. There is a case of mistaken identity at the hospital, and the mob attacks. The group that formed to fight the monster known as ‘The Shape’ has turned into a monster on its own. Meanwhile, at the old Myers residence, there is evil that is lurking and more deaths for Michael to accomplish. This guy must be keeping tabs on an ever increasing body count or something. Many of the residents from back in 1978 might not see past tonight.

“Halloween Kills” is a movie that lives up to its name. There are Kills that come early and often. But let me rephrase that – like the bumper sticker says: “Halloween does not kill people, Michael Myers kills people”. The fans of the 1978 “Halloween” and the 2018 reboot are sure to get a thrill and chill out of this one. The evil monster that was introduced in 1978 is back for blood – and he gets plenty…

It is really interesting to see that quite a few of the same people involved in the 1978 production are involved again in this movie. Other than Jamie Lee Curtis (of course), there are more actors from the first movie: Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens, Charles Cyphers, and Nick Castle. Castle played ‘The Shape’ in the original movie, and he does some ‘breathing’ vocals here in this movie.

Also, the original Writer, Director and Composer from the 1978 movie is back. John Carpenter is back (like in the 2018 movie) to do work on the soundtrack music. He composed and did the music with his son Cody Carpenter and with Daniel Davies. The classic spooky “Halloween” tune is redone and made even more eerie.

Oh, there are plenty of problems with this movie. There is limited use of Jamie Lee Curtis, which is a shame. Since this was announced to be the second movie of a trilogy, the plot mostly meanders to a point where it leaves Michael Myers ready for another go-around. The whole point that ‘evil dies tonight’ is overshadowed by the need to keep the villain around for a new feature down the road.  This a movie “Halloween” fans will love, but people not entertained by slasher films might want to ‘cut’ it out of their schedule.

Opens in theaters and on Peacock streaming starting October 15, 2021