(Minor Spoiler Warning for “Halloween” (2018) and “Halloween Kills”)

When Director David Gordon Green– best known for “Pineapple Express” and his work in comedy– was listed as the director for the 2018 reboot of the Halloween franchise, simply titled “Halloween,” fans were skeptical, to say the least. The film was positioned as a direct sequel to the 1978 John Carpenter flick, widely regarded as one of the best horror films of all time and the first in a complicated franchise whose various sequels could never seem to exceed the bar set by that first film. 

“Halloween” (2018) set out to retcon everything in the franchise past the original film, one of the various times the franchise has done so, and start anew with a trilogy that would continue and complete the Michael Myers (Nick Castle and James Jude Courtney) and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) arc once and for all, while also returning to the core principles that made the 1978 film so terrifying– Michael Myers and the idea of inexplicable and everlasting evil.

Despite being polarizing among critics and fans and facing a steep task in filling the footsteps of Carpenter’s masterpiece, the hybrid reboot-sequel fared well financially, and in my opinion, it complements the original film perfectly, especially with it developing the conflict between Myers and Strode and honing in on the sheer evil of Myers. Where the first film was subtle and controlled, “Halloween” (2018) was brutal and searing, making Myers even more ominous and vicious. Strode was as badass as ever, and the dichotomy between her and Myers, and by extension her family and Myers, acted as a compelling centerpiece to the plot. Green also proved his merit stepping into the genre, orchestrating terrifying set-pieces and savage kills with an unflinching lens and fantastic camera work. The soundtrack by Carpenter, like the film itself, updated the “Halloween” mythology while staying true to its mystique, producing some memorable and chilling music. Despite some questionable story twists and an occasionally scattershot plot, it was a unique and satisfying return to the series and elicited a lot of excitement for fans going forward.

That leads us here, after numerous delays due to the pandemic, with “Halloween Kills,” the second in the proposed trilogy. The film picks up directly where “Halloween” (2018) left off, with Laurie Strode and her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) maimed and leaving behind Laurie’s house in flames, with Myers trapped in the basement. This appears to be the end of the saga and titular villain, until a fleet of firetrucks flies past the trio, unbeknownst to the horror they are about to unleash and fodder they are about to become. 

Alas, Myers emerges from the flames in a great slow-motion shot, murders an entire fire department platoon, and disappears into the night to terrify the residents of Haddonfield once more. While the film retains much of the momentum it built with the first in depicting Myers as a ruthless and seemingly unstoppable killer, it grinds to a halt in the story department, looking to an interesting but heavy-handed allegory on mob-mentality as the town of Haddonfield converges to find Myers and end the legacy of violence that has plagued their town for 40 years.

Strode is sidelined in the hospital for the entirety of the movie, recovering from wounds sustained in her confrontation with Myers in the first film, and the impact is felt. Karen and Allyson play a role in the plot, but given that much of the plot is dominated by the mob and misinformation narrative, the focus is instead placed on other characters within Haddonfield who are uninteresting and void of any likeability, namely Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) and various returning characters from the 1978 film who are survivors of Myer’s first massacre.

While this creates an interesting dynamic, the plot is simply too heavy-handed and asks for a suspension of disbelief that is excessive even for a horror film. This is especially noticeable given how gritty and grounded the 2018 film was, which employed the typical horror movie gratuities but did so in a way that rewarded the viewer and fed the spectacle of the plot. 

“Halloween Kills” takes everything that was intriguing about “Halloween” (2018) and pivots to a completely different story, which makes little sense within the tone and parameters set up within that film. I don’t necessarily mind the story, and Green’s attempt at a radically different approach imbued with relevant social commentary is admirable, but for most of the runtime it isn’t pertinent to anything happening on screen and is in constant conflict with the greater story and the elements that are needed to carry the weight of the plot.

 The blame can be placed on the script, which gives the actors stilted dialogue and brain numbingly dumb decisions, little room for the scare sequences to breathe, and weird pacing with the little payoff to either this or the greater plot. It’s worth noting that this film is acting as a bridge between the first and the third, the latter of which will no doubt revive the Strode and Myers dynamic and likely lean back into the elements of the first film that made it effective. Unfortunately, that leaves this film as filler and a nonstarter, which is especially disappointing given how refreshing and promising “Halloween” (2018) was and how much talent is involved in the production.

There are certainly elements of “Halloween Kills” that work, but unfortunately, those elements are buried within a premise that is simply not executed well enough to make it a worthwhile and predominant focus. This is compounded by the notion that the entire movie is building towards the climactic end of Michael Myers, with the marketing hinging on the phrase “Evil Dies Tonight,” and yet there is another film to come, so the audience understands from the outset that everything that happens in this film is probably for nye. It’s clearly the result of wanting a trilogy but only having enough strong and sensible material for two films, which kills any sense of immediacy or tension this film may have otherwise had. It also negates the purpose of retconning and revamping the franchise with a more central and simple focus on Myers and Strode.

Green still impresses with atmospheric set design, top-notch camera work, and gruesome kills, and Carpenter’s score is great as usual, but both of those things were done with greater finesse in the previous entry. Myers is of course the backbone of the thrills, and James Jude Courtney brings immense physicality and menace to the role, and Nick Castle, the original Myers, makes a welcome cameo. There are also a number of scenes set in 1978 that address the immediate aftermath of the original film, which are filmed to the era and look fantastic, and plenty of fun fan service.  The kill count is also ramped up, but none of the brutality lands with as much gratifying impact as “Halloween” (2018), because most of the characters are poorly written caricatures and the set pieces are absent of the tension and creative design that made the 2018 film a terrifying threat. 

Ultimately, “Halloween Kills” is stuck in the shadow of its prequel and in the condition of being nothing more than a bridge for the finale of the series. Even so, if you’re in the mood for a most effective slasher film and don’t mind a confounding plot that rarely delivers on its large swings and commentary, “Halloween Kills” is still a fun, nasty, and blood-soaked time. It’s currently playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock. I’d give it two and a half bloody knives out of five.