HALLOWEEN KILLS Is More Brutal, Albeit Hollow

When Michael Myers escapes from the burning Strode compound, the people of Haddonfield will make it their mission to take out the deranged killer once and for all. Halloween Kills picks things up right where Halloween (2018) left off. And this time bringing even more brutal kills. While the film develops the villain more for this new timeline, everything else feels hollow.

Like the previous film, Halloween Kills delivers the slasher nostalgia, bringing back more original characters besides scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, including Anthony Michael Hall and Kyle Richards as Tommy and Lindsey (the kids from the original film). There are also some great touches on the history of the franchise. Even a nod to Season of the Witch, despite that film being retconned by this franchise.

While those are amusing references, the real fun happens with Michael’s spree this time. Just as another slasher once put it, the sequel has to have a higher body count. And this film sure does that. The kills are inventive and out there. With each, the crowd roared with shock and enthusiasm. That energy is why slashers are so dynamic to see in a packed theater.

Unfortunately, the mayhem is not enough for this film to nail its narrative. It felt lackluster in areas, never picking a lane in terms of the message. Not that it needs to be prophetical, but it certainly bounces around from various characters’ griefs, traumas, and motivations without settling to make at least one strong.

The script is by far the weakest part of the film, which is a big freaking deal. It was as if every other line of dialogue was trying to deliver this impactful battle cry. At any moment a piece could be cut for a trailer and be the big, showy tagline. It’s redundant, obnoxious, and painfully awkward.

Halloween Kills is still unexpected at times and serves some entertaining moments. I did enjoy how they developed Michael’s mythology and motivations for this new timeline. But it’s not as strong overall as the 2018 film. That doesn’t mean I’m not still excited to see how this Blumhouse trilogy wraps things up in next year’s Halloween Ends, just hoping for better direction.

Halloween Kills is now in theaters