Halloween (2018)
Set 40 years to the day after John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic, Jamie Lee Curtis is back in this surprisingly good sequel that returns to the spirit of the original, while also bringing something new and relevant to the series in terms of its depiction of trauma survivors.
Premise: To mark the 40th anniversary of the Haddonfield murders on 31 October 1978, two true-crime podcasters attempt to interview the murderer Michael Myers at the sanatorium where he is incarcerated, as well as Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), the sole survivor of Myers’ killing spree. But Laurie is now far from the happy-go-lucky teenager she once was, as she has spent the last four decades preparing for the day when she will eventually have to face Michael Myers again.
Review:
As I’ve said previously, I’m not a huge horror fan, especially of those horror films that rely too heavily on graphic gore or endless jump-scares. That said, I do like good horror films, and there’s no denying that John Carpenter’s 1978 Halloween is an all-time classic of the genre. Arguably the first of the “slasher” sub-genre, John Carpenter’s original film spawned seven sequels and two remakes of varying quality (to put it politely), as well as countless imitators and homages (including the Friday the 13th and Scream franchises).
But despite the critical success of the first Halloween film in 19 78, in the 1980’s the sequels (and the “slasher” sub-genre generally) quickly descended into a parody of itself, relying on increasingly convoluted backstories, supernatural shenanigans, one-dimensional teen victims and violently over-the-top kills (who can ever forget the ridiculous moment when Jason Voorhees punches a teen’s head off in 1989’s Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan?). In that context, it’s easy to forget what made John Carpenter’s Halloween such a genuinely memorable horror film in the first place.
“…returns to the roots of the series in more ways than one…”
Thankfully, this film’s writers David Gordon Green (who also directs), Jeff Fradley and Danny McBride (yes, that Danny McBride, the comedic actor best known for playing brash and unlikeable blowhard characters) are self-confessed fans of the original Halloween, and really understand what made that film work. So this sequel (which is also, confusingly, just called Halloween) returns to the roots of the series in more ways than one.
First and foremost was the decision to bring back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, arguably the heart and soul of the series. It’s no coincidence that the only two previous Halloween sequels that had been any good both starred Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie, although neither of those films made nearly as good use of the character as this film does. In 1981’s Halloween 2, which picked up the story immediately after the end of the first film, Laurie has very little to do as she recovers in hospital from her injuries sustained in the first film, and in 1998’s Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, Laurie is a relatively passive victim as Michael Myers once again returns to stalk her. In stark contrast, the Laurie Strode depicted in 2018’s Halloween is a far more active protagonist – yes, she is still a traumatised survivor suffering from PTSD, which has affected every aspect of her life for the last forty years, but she has channelled this into making sure she’s able to protect herself and her family should the need ever arise again. So when Michael Myers eventually escapes custody (not exactly a spoiler), instead of hiding in fear, Laurie actively pursues him, the former prey now the hunter.
“…Jamie Lee Curtis is fantastic in this film, giving a movingly layered performance…”
Jamie Lee Curtis is fantastic in this film – she’s been made up to look older and more tired that she is in real life, as the stresses of the last four decades have clearly taken their toll on Laurie. But despite this, there’s an unquestionable fire that burns within the character, who has taken the traumatic events of the 1978 murders and vowed to never again be a victim. Jamie Lee Curtis gives a movingly layered performance, as we see what her trauma has cost her in terms of the ability to make human connections, with a string of divorces, an estranged daughter, and a granddaughter she hardly knows. A mini anxiety attack in a restaurant hints at what life has been like for her and her family for the last forty years, and yet when Michael Myers does return to Haddonfield, she finally has the chance to confront her attacker and seek some sort of closure.
The rest of the cast is very good, particularly Judy Greer as Laurie’s estranged daughter Karen, who was taken into care when she as 12 because Laurie was deemed an unfit mother. There’s an interesting “Sarah Connor/John Conner from Terminator 2” feel to Laurie and Karen’s relationship, as Karen feels betrayed by Laurie for taking her childhood away with her determination to prepare her for the horrors of the world, while Laurie doesn’t care that her daughter hates her if that’s the price of keeping her safe. Andi Matichak also appears as Allyson, Karen’s daughter who’s open to reconnecting with her grandmother Laurie, and Will Patton stars as Deputy Hawkins, who has been with the Haddonfield Sheriff’s Department since Michael Myers’ original attacks. Turkish actor Haluk Bilginer plays Michael’s psychiatrist Dr Sartain, effectively taking over the Dr Loomis role from the late Donald Pleasence, and Nick Castle even returns as Michael Myers from the original Halloween. But this is undeniably Jamie Lee Curtis’ film, and it’s carried by her performance as the strong but damaged trauma survivor.
“…events slowly build towards a tense and satisfying final act…”
Plot wise, this sequel ignores all of the other Halloween sequels and is a direct continuation from John Carpenter’s Halloween, which not only streamlines the continuity for new viewers, but it also allows the series to return to its roots. One of the joys of the original Halloween was that it blurred the line between the horrors committed by men, and the more supernatural elements, and it left it ambiguous for most of the film as to whether or not Michael Myers was just a deranged serial killer, or as Dr Loomis believed, evil incarnate. Later sequels focused far more heavily on the supernatural elements, portraying Michael Myers as an indestructible undead monster, while the 2007 remake does (I believe, not having seen it) go the other way and give Michael Myers a convoluted backstory attempting to explain his psychopathy. 2018’s Halloween restores the premise of the original, with the blurred line between the man and the monster, as the true-crime podcasters look for new insights into the psychology behind Michael Myers’ actions, while Laurie Strode and Deputy Hawkins see Myers as the “bogeyman” that Dr Loomis warned them about.
Allyson and her friends provide the film with the required teenagers in peril, but there are some effective attempts to flesh their characters out so that they are not merely fodder. Throughout the film, there are some genuinely funny character moments that release the tension, but without undermining it, as events slowly build towards a tense and satisfying final act. And John Carpenter not only returns as an executive producer and creative consultant, he is also back as the film’s composer, reusing and embellishing his famous Halloween theme.
Objectively, this film may have its flaws, but my affection for the original film and for the character of Laurie Strode more than make up for them. This belated sequel is not only a great homage to the original, it also brings some fresh and topical ideas about the strength of trauma survivors and the effects that such events have across generations. All that, and it still works as an effective and tense “slasher” horror film, which is no mean feat.
