Curtis’ rage fuels solid ‘Halloween’ revamp
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A new coat of paint, even on a storied house of horrors like “Halloween,” can do wonders.
Psychopath Michael Myers, knife in hand, again hunts Laurie Strode, just as he did in John Carpenter’s 1978 classic. But now co-written and directed by David Gordon Green (“Stronger”), the new “Halloween” ( ★★★☆; rated R; in theaters Oct. 19) ditches all the franchise’s previous sequel mythology. The strong results should be a takeaway for every other scary-movie series that’s aimlessly never-ending.
By staying true only to the initial narrative, this “Halloween” solidly ranks as the best chapter since the first – not exactly the highest bar – mostly by making Laurie (a remarkable Jamie Lee Curtis, whose last appearance in the series was 2002’s “Halloween: Resurrection”) anything but a victim. And while it sticks mainly to the usual template, sending Michael on a slashing spree through Haddonfield, Illinois, Green’s worthy revamp is also a nuanced look at mass tragedy in America through the lens of a survivor haunted by one deadly incident.
Former babysitter Laurie has turned doomsday prepper, turning her home into a heavily secured headquarters for when Michael returns one day. But she’s estranged from her daughter, Karen (Judy Greer), who was taken away by the authorities when she was 12 because of her mom’s obsession with protection, and Laurie is close only to granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak), which leads to some awkward family outings.
Then there’s Laurie’s infamous foe Michael, played by James Jude Courtney (though Nick Castle, the original Myers, makes a cameo). He hasn’t said a peep in four decades since his bloody rampage – and is still pretty spry for an old guy. A couple of British podcasters (Jefferson Hall and Rhian Rees) have crossed the pond to get to the “why” of Michael’s attacks on the 40th anniver-
sary, and their trip coincides with a bus transfer from the asylum to a new prison that goes very wrong. Consequently, Michael gets his signature mask back and cuts a path to face Laurie once again.
Green pays homage to Carpenter (who garners an executive producer credit and gets a new mix on his iconic theme) while adding his own film language. He takes the audience into Laurie’s and Michael’s worlds with a variety of closeups, from the multiple locks on her door to the teeth he’s pulled out of some unfortunate dude’s mouth. Green also throws in an innovative tracking shot following Michael on his savage door-to-door assaults.
The population of Haddonfield, unlike Laurie, is totally blindsided, which is the most insightful and relevant theme of this “Halloween.” When the ’78 killings come up in teen conversation, one kid almost dismisses what happened: His argument is that only five people died, hinting that his generation has borne witness to worse atrocities. Even Allyson tells her grandma at one point, “Get over it.”
It’s not that simple for Laurie, and ultimately what grounds the insanity of the horror is the three generations of Strode women, especially Greer and Curtis. Like a stone guardian, Laurie stands outside Allyson’s school keeping watch, even as she’s seen as the town crazy, and rages in her car as she watches Michael’s prison transport leave.
It’s a visceral release from being haunted by just the existence of this “pure evil” and a harbinger of what’s in store, including one excellent climax, for the villainous Michael when he – and an audience ravenous for it – gets a mask full of Laurie’s unbridled fury.