David Gordon Green makes his horror-directing debut in the 2018 sequel to John Carpenter’s Halloween. Since the day Michael Myers killed his first victim in 1978, there have been a total of eleven movies in the Halloween saga. It’s pretty much common knowledge that none of them have come close to the masterpiece that is the Carpenter original, but the 2018’s Halloween sure comes close.

The first thing that Green did right was untie the messy plot that the other sequels left behind. From killing off practically all the important people in Laurie Strode’s life (the only survivor from the original Halloween killing spree) to claiming that Michael Myers is Strode’s brother, there was a lot of changing that needed to be done for this newest edition to the series to have a chance at being the least bit watchable. But Green made it clear from the beginning that he intended to do just that. The 2018 Halloween is a direct sequel from the original that takes place 40 years after the timeline of the ‘78 film and has no correlation to anything mentioned in the other nine films. The only reference to other films in the Halloween-verse is a off-handed comment made by Strode’s granddaughter, played by Andi Matichak. When a friend of her asks if Myers is her grandmother’s brother, she states that that was just a “myth.”

Fans of the original Halloween loved the film for a variety of reasons: the subtle cinematography, the tangible tension, and the graphic murders. 2018’s sequel delivers on all these fronts, especially the kills. With a total of twelve murders by Myers, there’s no shortage of blood and gore. One of my personal favorite shots of film is a 4-minute long shot that follows Myers from house to house. It’s an unnerving (but awesome) scene that ramps up the tension and fear, making for a sick second act.

Even though the film has made leaps and bounds in comparison to the other Halloween films, there are still some aspects that lack. There’s some misplaced humor that kills the tension in certain scenes, and didn’t really feel like they belonged in such a dark and macabre film. There have also been some complain that Myers kills in the ‘18 Halloween are too graphic and seem out of character, almost more like a Jason-style murder from Friday the 13th. Personally, I didn’t mind it, but I could see how some people could be unnerved.

2018’s Halloween, though sparking some controversy among fans, brings a long-beloved serial killer back to screen and is sure to please crowds in cinemas worldwide. Jamie Lee Curtis portrays a rugged, cutting-edge Laurie Strode, a welcome breath of fresh air compared to the wishy-washy females seen in many other slasher-films over the year. If you’re a fan of the John Carpenter original or just looking for a thrilling horror film, I highly recommend 2018’s Halloween.

Good Choice If You Liked: Halloween, Split, The Conjuring

Rating: 9/10