Halloween Ends review

HALLOWEEN ENDS: 

HORROR CONCLUSION GOES OUT ON A DISAPPOINTING NOTE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND MIRAMAX

Michael Myers is back for the last time in Halloween Ends

 

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS!

Jamie Lee Curtis (Freaky Friday (2003), Knives Out, Everything Everywhere All at Once) returns as Laurie Strode and makes her last stand against the infamous Michael Myers in Halloween Ends, the thirteenth installment of the Halloween franchise and final chapter in this trilogy of sequels beginning with the 2018 film. I’ll try and not spend too much time recapping my thoughts on the earlier films, because I’ve already discussed them in my reviews for the other movies, but I’ll give a quick refresher. 

            The original 1978 John Carpenter movie I really enjoy as one of the rare slasher films where you root for the victim rather than the killer, and I thought the 2018 Halloween was a worthy continuation of the story that blurs the line between being familiar and wildly different from the original. Can’t say the same for 2021’s Halloween Killsunfortunately (Hot take, right?), I don’t think it’s a horrible movie and there are a handful of entertaining moments, but it was bogged down by incredibly forced social commentary, inconsistent tones, and just the idea of watching a movie where Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Myers are kept apart throughout the runtime was a serious miscalculation. 

            Which brings us to Halloween Ends with Curtis once again reprising her role as babysitter turned badass grandma, Laurie Strode and David Gordon Green (Snow Angels, Pineapple Express, Joe) back in the director’s chair. The good news is Curtis and Michael Myers aren’t separated throughout the entire film and there are some interesting ideas explored that brings it a step up from its predecessor for me, the bad news is that’s kind of all it has going for it. 

            The film has some fun kills, and I was invested in the story revolving around a character following in Michael Myers’ footsteps. Sadly, like Halloween Kills, the film gets lost in its forced commentary (Though, not nearly as much as in the last film!), a surprising lack of Michael Myers screentime this time around, and despite really enjoying the subplot involving the Michael Myers copycat, the film shoots itself in the foot with the resolution to it. 

            Set four years after the events of Halloween Kills, the film follows Laurie (Curtis) and her granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak-666 Park Avenue, Orange Is the New Black, Assimilate) living together after the murder of Allyson’s parents by serial killer, Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney and archival voice of Nick Castle). Laurie is writing a memoir, bought a new house for herself and Allyson, and Allyson has a job at a doctor’s office, a hint of normalcy in their lives despite the mysterious disappearance of Michael Myers. 

            Enter Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell-The Hardy Boys (2020), The 100, iZombie), a man responsible for the accidental murder of a child he babysat resulting in the town of Haddonfield turning against him who quickly takes a liking to Allyson. Laurie rightfully so is uncertain of Cory as she sees something in him that reminds her of Michael Myers and wondering if this man is eventually going to snap and become a serial killer like Michael or can this lost soul be guided towards the right path? While Michael Myers reigns more terror on the town leading up to a final confrontation between him and Laurie. 

            The film also stars Will Patton (The Punisher (2004), Falling Skies, Yellowstone) reprising his role as Deputy Frank Hawkins, Kyle Richards (Little House on the Prairie, The Watcher in the Woods, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) reprising her role as Lindsey Wallace, Joanne Baron (Universal Soldier, School for Scoundrels, This is 40) as Joan Cunningham, Jesse C. Boyd (The Highwaymen, Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, Palmer) as Officer Mulaney, Michael Barbieri (Little Men, Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Dark Tower) as Terry, Marteen as Billy, Michael O’Leary (Lovely But Deadly, Fatal Games, Guiding Light) as Dr. Mathis, and King Keraun (Black-ish, Insecure) as Willy the Kid. 

            Overall, Halloween Ends is a step up from its predecessor, but unfortunately a disappointing conclusion to the Halloween franchise in what could have been a satisfying swan song for Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Myers, and the series in general. There are some interesting things about it though, I like how these films become more about how the town itself is affected by Michael’s actions and not just on Laurie and the other victims (Which is something Halloween Kills tried to do but was too preachy and pretentious with its message in the long run!) and as previously mentioned, I was interested in Corey’s arc as an accidental child murderer who may or may not follow in Michael’s footsteps due the town constantly pushing him around everywhere he goes. 

            I was honestly curious, was Corey going to follow a new path with help from Laurie and Allyson or would he snap and become a new Michael Myers in a similar string of events as Joker? Unfortunately, it felt like there wasn’t much of a payoff and it felt like a character going through an arc but with an anticlimactic resolution that left me very disappointed. Also, Michael Myers is barely in this movie as if he’s become a secondary antagonist with Corey taking over as the main villain, I felt there could have been more done with Michael and Corey leading up to the climax, at least the final confrontation with Laurie and Michael was satisfying to see. 

             Also, I found the writing, directing, and editing for this film to be all over the place with character motives shifting back and forth, the unnecessary message the film is trying to get across, and inconsistencies in both the tone and performances. There’s a scene where Jamie Lee Curtis is talking to Corey about getting the help, he desperately needs immediately followed by her telling him to stay away from her granddaughter, you psychopath, it feels like two completely different scenes awkwardly stitched together. 

            Despite those shortcomings, the acting is very good in this especially from Jamie Lee Curtis who once again kills it (No pun intended!) as Laurie Strode, Rohan Campbell is fascinating to watch as Corey, and I also found myself invested in Andi Matichak’s dilemmas regarding her grandma, new boyfriend, and putting an end to Myers’ terror. The actors are clearly trying to work with this cluttered, unfocused script and they (almost) make it work. 

            Halloween Ends could have been the Avengers: Endgame or Return of the King of Halloween conclusions, but sadly is more like the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Jurassic World: Dominion of Halloween. If you’re a fan of the series and really want to see how it ends then I guess you could do much worse, but for everyone else, I’d recommend stopping after the 2018 film.