Halloween Kills (2021)

Michael Myers escapes from the trap he was led into and kills whoever stands in his way in the town of Haddonfield.

David Gordon Green and Danny McBride keep the legend alive and perpetuate the thrill of Michael Myers. Great almost 20′ investment to introduce new characters and resurface some of the old ones. That’s also a great way to bridge the past and the present and move on to what will happen. The first massacre was a bit too “Hollywood” for me; too fast, too bloody… something like an out-of-context standoff that the filmmakers felt like throwing in. Before I even managed to process it properly, though, the home invasion sequence was more vicious than expected. I mean… vicious!

After that, there is just a roller coaster of death! Haddonfield’s suppressed fear turns into exasperation; people men up and women up, respectively, and everyone gets their sequence of blood and gore. None of them couldn’t be bloodier; some are funnier than others, some are suspenseful and others not at all, but, ultimately and most importantly, Laurie Strode is back! 43 years later, Jamie Lee Curtis is still on the ball, believing in her character and John Carpenter’s original vision and comes back swinging with everything she’s got. Carpenter himself puts the producer’s hat on and immensely contributes to the horror’s perpetuation. The excerpts from his original films make all the difference in the world. Onto two crucial points, now…

One of the franchise’s forgettable and non-canon Halloween timelines explains that Myers is not mortal on Halloween day and that he’s been taken over by a demon, and that’s why he is, ostensibly, unstoppable. Remember that that’s the only explanation ever given, until now, about Myers’ mortality. Green and McBride, though, offer a different and vague explanation of Halloween Kills. See for yourselves and interpret it however, you feel like it. It is open to interpretation anyway. I found it more philosophical than literal, but I can’t wait to hear what other people think of Laurie’s theory.

Then, I feel there is something else that needs to be addressed. It is an underrated issue that has gone largely unnoticed. The importance of Michael’s mask. His face has not yet been disclosed, and why it is so important to him to have it on constantly. As you may be aware, I host a podcast on horror, and my next interview with the incredible psychologist Michelle Satchwell will reveal undisclosed much information about the role of masks in the horror genre, their effectiveness, and where everything derives from. Stay tuned for more…

There are so many production details to discuss, but hey, it’s Halloween week, so all you need to do is enjoy it yourselves out there in the real world. If you decide to stay in and turn the lights off, enjoy a good night in, with Myers finding new ways to crawl under your skin. Horror should only be enjoyable in books, on the small or big screen. If you are out and about…

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Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

Stay safe!