After waiting four long years since the very enjoyable HALLOWEEN H20, Michael Myers has finally returned to the big screen and there was no chance in hell I would not be at that first showing. I have just viewed the film three times! The movie starts off with a well-made opening that brings back the character of Laurie Strode. When I entered the theater, what I wanted to see more than anything else, was how the explanation of Michael's escape from H20 would be handled, and I must say, I thought it was done very well.
The next thing I couldn't wait to see, was Laurie's confrontation with Michael. It is honestly one of the most well-handled sequences in the entire HALLOWEEN series (LOVED the flashbacks!). After an incredible conclusion to the opening at the mental institution, we cut right to Haddonfield University to meet the characters we will be following for the rest of the movie.
The webcast part of the movie has its good sides and bad sides. For one, the characters are way too underdeveloped and one character we barely see at all before their quick demise. However, as poor as some of the character writing is, the action in this movie is great and the deaths are a lot of fun. We get a pissed off Michael here! We get impalings, TWO count em TWO decapitations, a spike in the throat, a slit throat, and more! However, my biggest disappointment, is that many of the very freaky scenes that were shown in the theatrical trailer and TV spots for the film, are not at all seen in the film (Michael rising from the bathtub,
coming out of a corner at Tyra Banks, and an alternate use of the breaking through the mirror). I hope the DVD features all these missing scenes that I was dying to see! I also hear that there's another ending to the film. I can't wait to find out what happens in it! The ending of the film I thought was a tad stupid, but I began to like it a little more by my second and third viewing. Overall, I really do like this sequel but I still can't determine if it beats HALLOWEEN 4. While, the story is not a normal story for a HALLOWEEN film, we still get great shots of Michael stalking through his house, cool action and kills, and we even get to find out a much better explanation as to where Michael spends his time in between holidays. I was also pleased to know that all the messed up toys and child abuse items were all put in the house for the effect of the webcast and they're not a real reason behind Michael's madness. Also, try and notice the several cool nods to HALLOWEEN and HALLOWEEN II.
The acting in this film is not flawless but for the most part it's good! Jamie Lee Curtis (Laurie) does her cameo in the opening perfectly. She's such a fine actress! Bianca Kajlich (Sara) is very appealing as the Laurie Strode successor. I think she's gonna make a fine scream queen! I also find her VERY attractive! Hang me, but I LOVED Busta Rhymes (Freddie) in this movie! Yeah, I wasn't too happy about a rap star in a HALLOWEEN flick either, but I couldn't believe how much I liked him. The dude is freaking hilarious! Especially in this scene where he's dressed like Michael and he meets the real Michael, thinking it's his buddy. It was the most
enjoyable scene of the movie! I could've gone without his Bruce Lee screams in the fight sequences, and his one-liners though. Katee Sackhoff (Jen) got on my nerves and I welcomed her demise. Thomas Ian Nicholas (Bill) is seen way too briefly in this movie. We barely get to see him at all, and before we know it, he
meets Michael! I was pissed that scene with him seeing Michael in the mirror standing behind him wasn't in the film! Sean Patrick Thomas (Rudy) is one of the most enjoyable characters here. He just plays a really cool guy who loves food and is good with knives, but not as good as Michael. Tyra Banks (Nora) is only in about three scenes of this movie and she only talks in two of them! If there was a character that was almost deleted out of the film while they cut this movie down to 85 minutes, she was it! I didn't mind her not being in the movie very much, but I would've liked to at least have seen Michael do what he did to her instead of her body just being found! My belief is that the writing isn't responsible, but the short length of the film is the reason for the lack of Nicholas and Banks. It could also be the reason for the lack of character development. Brad Loree (Michael Myers) is DA MAN! He has the best mask of ANY sequel in my opinion, and he's the best man to play the Shape since Nick Castle. Chris Durhand use to be my favorite Michael of the sequels, but Brad Loree takes the cake. I hope he returns for HALLOWEEN 9 and bring that mask back too!
The directing of the film is slick. While Rosenthal unfortunately got me with only one boo scare instead of the several he tries to get us with, he more than makes up for it with the lighting of the Myers House, the suspense of the opening, and great uses of Michael hiding in the shadows.

Danny Lux pulled through by delivering an awesome new version of the HALLOWEEN theme. I LOVED the opening credits with the great new, much darker version of the theme playing. Nice work my man! PLEASE come back for HALLOWEEN 9!

After my first viewing of this film, I was very disappointed with the movie. I thought it didn't live up to the hype that it was given in the trailers and by Rick Rosenthal, but by my second viewing, I LOVED the picture. So I guess it just needed to grow on me. However, I do think that H20 was much scarier being that that movie made me jump many times during my first time seeing it, where this one made me jump only once. By my third viewing, I realized that after the opening of the film, it doesn't really seem like a HALLOWEEN sequel until the horror/action really kicks in. Up until then it just seems like a slasher that has the killer wearing a Michael Myers mask. Not that there's too much wrong with that, but I think it caught me off-guard which I responded to with anger, but then began to like. I wish this movie had a little more scares and story added to it so we could get to know these characters a little more and so we could care for them, but the short length makes that impossible. What is with these movies being so damn short!? H20 was 86 minutes and now this one is 85! C'MON! I want a little longer time to spend with my good ol' buddy Michael!!! Make his movies longer! And lastly, may I just say: BRING ON HALLOWEEN 9!!!!
Review by: Matt Russell