Released this week, sequel to the 2018 Halloween film and to add that being the direct sequel to the 1978 Halloween. Directed by David Gordon Green and written by Scott Teems, Danny McBride and Green. Halloween Kills has two time periods explaining the ongoing plot, as we start in 1978 as a dying Sheriff Hawkins recollects his regretful memory. Shortly after the babysitter murders, he was a rookie deputy under the wing of deputy Sullivan as they search the Myers’ house for Michael. Of course, Michael ambushes the two and slowly strangles Sullivan as Hawkins struggles to kill Michael in hopes of seeing some humanity in him. He finally fires but accidentally fatally wounds Sullivan as Michael leaves the house. Who ultimately is surrounded by law enforcement and Dr. Loomis (body-double and potentially using deep fake for the face) calls out for answers.
In the present of 2018, Laurie, Karen and Allyson are getting away from the burning compound as firefighters head to extinguish it. Lot of morality to be demonstrated in the plot. The firefighters are unaware that serial killer Michael Myers is in the basement; they’re doing their jobs in extinguishing the flames and searching for potential survivors. One of the firefighters falls through the cracked floor into the basement where Michael Myers emerges from a metal cabinet and brutally kills him. Throughout the scene, Michael kills absolutely every firefighter present in their hopeless fight against him. Back to Laurie, she undergoes emergency surgery for her critical stab wounds. All three remain under the impression of Michael having died in the flames. He ends up going to a nearby house by the compound which belongs to the cemetery caretaker (seen in the previous film) and her husband. They too are brutally killed by Michael without reason.
Elsewhere in Haddonfield, we are introduced to survivors of Michael Myers such as Tommy Doyle, Marion Chambers, Lindsey Wallace and Lonnie Elam. Retelling the story of the dreadful night of 1978, they give toast to hoping Michael never kills again and to Laurie for having saved Tommy and Lindsey. Unfortunately, news of Michael’s escape and recent killings bring an end to the celebration. A mob mentality soon develops with everyone spooked about Michael. A nurse reports on seeing Michael hiding in the backseats of her car and drives off but crashes into a powerline. For us, the audience, we see the person to be an escaped inmate and not Michael. Unfortunately, this poor fellow will appear again.
Back to Karen and Allyson upon learning of the news are horrified that Michael might find them. Laurie awakens from her sedation but Karen decides to not tell her mother about the news in hopes that she’ll recover peacefully. Boy does that turn out good later. However, a bedridden Hawkins is brought in to Laurie’s room and is also unaware about Michael’s recovery. The two reminisce about years down yonder. Returning to Lindsey, Marion and the two are searching for Michael and find a couple of kids by a playground. The kids say that there’s a man playing hide-and-seek with them by trees and point him out. Turning out to be Michael standing right by the car Marion and the two are in. Fortunately, the kids survive but everyone is brutally killed except for Lindsey who runs and hides under the cover of darkness.
Lindsey is retrieved by Tommy and group as he takes her to the hospital. Barging to Laurie’s room despite Karen’s pleads and tells her the truth. She’s quite displeased with Karen and believes that Michael will be coming for her. She must take him out because she’s the only one that can. Tommy’s quite disappointed in Sheriff Barker’s handling of the hunt, inciting the hospital’s lobby to a mob. The escaped inmate appears at the hospital pleading for help but the mob is hunts for him as they’re unaware of what Michael looks like unmasked. He flees to the upper floors of the hospital and gets cornered by the mob, completely stressed decides to commit suicide. Which causes the mob inside and out to realize what they’ve done. Former sheriff now hospital guard Leigh Brackett puts the blame on Tommy that this is what Michael wants. Everyone going mad.
Speaking of which, Michael arrives home which is occupied by a couple. Which he brutally kills one and the other offscreen, who by his end realizes that it is Michael Myers and has come home. This realization happens upon Laurie, Tommy, Karen and the rest of the important characters. The first group to arrive is Lonnie and his son Cameron, and Allyson. For some reason except parental, Lonnie decides to go alone but quickly is dispatched. After the gunshot is heard, Cameron and Allyson run inside encountering Michael. Cameron is killed and an injured Allyson is saved at the last moment by her mother. Karen stabs Michael with a convenient pitchfork on his back and curb- in this case, stairstomped. She decides to pull Michael’s mask off which quickly makes him get back up. He briskly follows her away from an injured Allyson.
Karen lures Michael to the other side of the block with a mob lead by Tommy and Brackett. They beat Michael down and Karen finishes the nearly unconscious Michael with a backstab. She returns to Allyson outside the house as help arrives. However, the mob lower their guard upon Michael as Brackett attempts to avenge his Annie by aiming his gun. Michael quickly grabs the knife on his back and slits Brackett’s throat. Michael brutally kills the rest of the mob with Tommy remaining the last. Michael grabs his ol’ bat and takes a swing bashing Tommy’s head open. Back to Karen and Allyson, once again under the impression that Michael is gone. Karen looks up Judith Myers’ old room and sees a young Michael in the clown costume looking out. She is reminded by Hawkins’ recollection of deputy Sullivan where a young Michael tended to look out his sister’s window. She does the same after a deep breath and Michael appears out of nowhere. Brutally killing her. Back to Laurie at the hospital, she looks out of her room’s window as Michael does the same at the house.
Halloween Kills is a 90-minute film with plenty of kills, like the title. Without actually counting but remembering, there’s probably a good 50 people killed in the film which is an average of one every 50 seconds. Now for the plot, original characters from 1978 with most reprising their roles, Kyle Richards (Lindsey Wallace), Nancy Stephens (Marion Chambers) and Charles Cyphers (Leigh Brackett). There’s a lot to appreciate knowing the story and characters for the past films. Knowing who is who, of course being sad for their deaths for some. Halloween Kills also applies to horror fans who love mindless killing and the brutal bloody gore that comes along with it. Currently available in theaters and NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service.
It earns a 3 out of 5.
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