In October 1978, Michael Myers terrorized cinema-goers worldwide when ‘Halloween’ debuted on the big screen. For more than 40 years, the mysterious and imposing figure in the iconic rubber mask has been leaving trails of scarred flesh and broken bones, and continues his killing spree with the twelfth film in the franchise, ‘Halloween Kills’. It is also a direct sequel to 2018’s ‘Halloween’ and the second film as part of a new trilogy directed by David Gordon Green. Jamie Lee Curtis also reprises one of her best-known roles and sixth appearance as Laurie Strode.

The film picks up right after the events of 2018’s ‘Halloween’ and shows how Michael Myers survived the climax of the previous film. The film also shows flashbacks from the 1978 film, with some of the surviving characters even appearing in ‘Halloween Kills’ as they share the stories of their encounters with Michael and celebrate that they no longer have to live in fear as they believe he is still imprisoned.

During all of this, Laurie is in the hospital recovering from her injuries from the previous film and under the belief that Michael is finally gone for good. When the residents of Haddonfield receive news that Michael Myers has re-emerged and is once again on a murderous path, they all decide to band together to hunt down the mass murderer and put an end to Michael Myers once and for all.

Having various characters from the past Halloween movies since 1978 is really nice to see and a great way to continue their stories. Some characters managed to have their original actors reprise their roles while others were recast, but seeing them and new characters come together as a community to protect their hometown really adds to the intensity of the film and will have audiences in great anticipation to see who survives or who becomes just another victim, and if they finally manage to kill Michael Myers.

Unfortunately, Laurie Strode misses out on most of the movie due to her being hospitalised, but the screen-time she does get is fantastic to see and excellently shows how much Michael has affected her life and well-being for more than 40 years. Even with her absence and a stronger focus on other characters, Laurie still remains an integral part of the story. Once again Jamie Lee Curtis puts on a stellar performance and shows a lot of progression in one of her most iconic movie roles.

‘Halloween Kills’ never forgets that it is first and foremost a horror movie. The killing scenes are of course expected and some may be predictable, but the way they’re presented will surely have audiences cringing and even looking away as bodies get slashed, stabbed, beheaded, impaled, sawed to pieces, and more. Instead of relying on jump scares, the film puts a bigger focus on the gore while telling the chilling story of Michael Myers. Even with an entire town with strength in numbers on the hunt, Michael still somehow isn’t the underdog even with the odds greatly stacked against him. Seeing him take on a large crowd and if he can overcome the situation will be a real treat for longtime fans of the Halloween series.

Even when Michael is on screen not killing someone, he is still quite a sight to behold. The flashback scenes to earlier movies also really shows how far this icon of the horror genre has come. The visuals of the rubber mask beat up, dirtied, and burned, along with the few rare occasions where his skin under the mask can barely be seen just absolutely amplifies his presence on screen. Various actors have portrayed the legendary killer over the years with the original being Nick Castle, and this time James Jude Courtney dons the rubber mask. It’s really interesting to see how the simple design of Michael Myers can still be refreshing and continue to induce fear into audiences.

As always, the movie’s soundtrack adds so much to the suspense. The familiar and iconic Halloween tune from the original 1978 film can be heard, and it’s amazing that it still holds up really well to this day.

The Halloween movies never failed to frighten audiences, even when the series had some shortcomings. Some of the films focused a little too much on the plot and less on the horror aspect. ‘Halloween Kills’ never forgets it’s a horror movie, truly lives up to the genre, and doesn’t hold back on the violence and gore. The movie’s plot is unique and refreshing, putting Michael in a situation where he might finally meet his end. Michael Myers continues to be as terrifying as ever, possibly even more so in the newest installment, and there is still one more film in the latest trilogy, ‘Halloween Ends’ due out in October 2022.

Written by: Sammy Hanson