By Matt Cunningham
The art of film-making has the capability of changing pop culture for decades to come. Many films have accomplished this goal. Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and many others have had lasting impacts on our culture. However, there have been few films that have reached the iconic status of 1978’s slasher film, Halloween.
The film was a simple premise, as six-year old Michael Myers murders his 17 year old sister. Myers is sent to a mental institution for 15 years. On October 30, 1978, Myers was being transported to court, when he stole a car and escaped.
1978’s Halloween was produced for a mere $325,000. Yet, it has become one of the most iconic films with one of the most recognizable villains ever made. This is due to excellent directing and composing from John Carpenter. The film starred Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, and Tony Moran.
On October 19, 2018, Halloween fans finally got to sink their teeth into a direct sequel to the classic original film. After years of vastly disappointing sequels, 2018’s Halloween is an exceptional film. Luckily, it pretends that the other sequels never happened. The film features the acting talents of Jamie Lee Curtis (reprising her role of Laurie Strode), Judy Greer (Archer and Jurassic World) as Karen Strode (Laurie’s daughter), and Nick Castle as Michael Myers.
The plot of the movie mainly centers around Laurie, as she has been planning for Myers’ return for 40 years. She has isolated herself and has been trying to warn her family about his inevitable return. When Myers’ prison bus crashes, he is set free and will once again wreak havoc on Halloween night.
This film is everything I want to see in a horror film. From start to finish, this is a terrifying, white-knuckle experience that had me on the edge of my seat. This is all because of stellar directing from David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express and Eastbound and Down). As soon as John Carpenter’s famous score crept into the film, it had me hooked. As the echoes of the audience cheering were going around the theatre when Myers put on his mask, the fun had only just begun.
Some truly touching character moments are sprinkled in throughout the film, as I found myself genuinely caring whether or not these characters lived or died. Laurie is the most developed character of the film, as she is one of the best female characters I have seen in recent memory. This is in large part due to an excellent performance from Jamie Lee Curtis. As Laurie desperately tries to warn her family that Michael Myers has escaped, we get to see some suspenseful, heart-pounding sequences.
The second act of the film is when Halloween (2018), becomes the most fun I’ve had in a theatre this year. There is an exhilarating sequence involving a babysitter in a close-quartered house. The music drains out, as you begin to wonder where Myers could be hiding. David Gordon Green directs suspense so excellently, as I could feel my body tense up during these sequences. The film does not give the audience the relief of a jumpscare, as it builds more and more tension by not showing Michael Myers very much.
In terms of satisfaction in movies, there have been few films in recent memory that have given me as much as watching Myers complete his kills. They are not over the top, as they feel realistically violent.
The last 30 minutes of the film were some of the most thrilling and terrifying moments one can get out of a horror film. An unpredictable, unrelentingly suspenseful sequence makes the way this film wraps up extremely satisfying, even if it is somewhat abrupt.
Halloween (2018) was the most fun I’ve had at the movies this year. It’s a fast-paced thrill ride from beginning to end that all film lovers should experience. There have been a lot of memorable films this year, and this is no different. Halloween will scare the pants off you, and it’s worth it in the end. It is worth the full price of a ticket because I’m going to give 2018’s Halloween an A.
