GENERAL INFO:
Director: Rob Zombie
Studios: Dimension Films
Starring: Scout Taylor-Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Danielle Harris
Tagline: Family is Forever
MPAA Rating: R
Genre: slasher, stalker, psychopath, serial killer
Scare score: C
Rating: F
Plot overview: Two years after the happenings of the first film, Laurie Strode (Taylor-Compton) is still coping with trauma induced stress, moments of panic, and depression. She now lives with best friend Annie (Harris) and Annie's father Sheriff Brackett (Brad Dourif), even though her relationship with both of them is strained. Meanwhile, Dr. Samuel Loomis (McDowell) has capitalized on the tragic events of Michael's (Tyler Mane) attacks by writing a new book, exploiting both the killer as well as the victims in Haddonfield. As Michael's body was never recovered, the general populace is torn as to whether or not he is still alive. On Halloween night, all of their questions will be answered as Michael, Laurie, and Loomis are reunited once and for all.
I hated this movie. I hated it and I wanted to turn it off the whole time, but I kept on going because I knew I had to blog about it. I saw that the producers of the series told Zombie to make his own version without feeling inhibited, but I truly feel that he disgraced the series; in fact, this movie shouldn't be considered a member of the Halloween movies, but more so a Rob Zombie fantasy that happens to include some characters with the same names as the John Carpenter original. The only other redeeming factor was that at one point on a talk show, someone makes a reference to Mike Meyers from Austin Powers. I'm glad that was finally done. It was also nice to see Margot Kidder briefly as Laurie's psychiatrist.
Otherwise this film was some sick Zombie perversion, with characters representing the baseness of human society in their disgusting jokes and perverted ideas, excessive use of curse words, unprovoked anger, and generally terrible attitudes. The script writing is often fake and cliche, especially for Laurie and Annie which was tough for me to watch. The only word I can think of to describe how this movie made me feel was dirty. There was a glorified role invented for Sheri Moon Zombie, which might have been a good idea until shallow textbook psychology was forced into every second of the movie. Also, I understand the movie was largely filmed in Georgia, but the fact that many actors had and used Southern accents made no sense as the film takes place in Illinois.
Loomis was so frustratingly annoying and fake. This was a combination of a poorly written/ thought out role, and a poor delivery on behalf of McDowell - but really we can't blame him because the idea for this 'cool, chauvinistic, money-driven' Loomis was so stupid. The result is some unnatural figure with awful lines and forced, uncomfortable dialogue.
*SPOILER ALERT*
This post-traumatic, pill popping, 'eff it' attitude Laurie was disturbing and upsetting, especially since Laurie Strode is one of my favorite horror movie characters, and also because Scout-Compton did a really good job portraying her in the first film. I understand that in this movie Zombie wanted to explore how the events of the first film would affect the innocent and happy-go-lucky Laurie, and I think that's a good idea. Unfortunately the result was a protagonist who we couldn't relate to, who was distant, and who was flat out annoying in her depression and sometimes her mania. I didn't love the sassy Danielle Harris either. And her over-the-top death scene didn't make any sense given the role of her character in this movie, so I can only assume it is an homage to Danielle herself and the role she has played for the Halloween franchise.
At first I thought I liked this version of Michael, even though he rarely wears his mask. And then he made noises while killing victims. And then later on he spoke. I think this is such an insult to the Halloween franchise, to the fans of the series, and to Michael Meyers himself. I mean seriously, what is that? You don't take a character who has never made a sound except in exhaling since his debut in 1978 and then 31 years later have him begin to grunt (uncharacteristically - PS those blood splatters didn't make any sense in the first hospital scene) and then talk. It's so stupid, childish, and offensive to the integrity of the concept of Michael Meyers.
If you do decide to watch this movie, which I don't recommend, you'll only be able to hear how stupid it is, because it is so constantly dark that it's almost impossible to see. Half the murder scenes were beyond my comprehension as to how they were occurring, only that they sounded painful and gory.
I understand that I watched the extended cut which is supposed to be very different from the theatrical cut. Maybe I would have disliked the theatrical cut less.
Final critique: I can't say I went into this with expectations, because in reality I'd never heard anything about this film. Now I know it is some strange perversion of Halloween's concepts, ideas, and characters, and that it is a strange and shallow retelling according to Rob Zombie, taking place completely within his dark and twisted universe of excessive gore and some perverted dialogue, jokes, and scenes that people would be better off never hearing or seeing. It is unfortunate that the producers like Akkad let this slide. The film was frustrating to start and frustrating to get through, with very, very few redeeming factors. I can respect that Zombie had an idea, but I can't say it was done well or with much care.
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