Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Virginia Gardner, Nick Castle, James Jude Courtney, Omar J. Dorsey, Miles Robbins, Dylan Arnold, Drew Scheid, Rob Niter, Rhian Rees
OUR RATING: ★★★☆☆
Story:
Horror slasher sequel co-written and directed by David Gordon Green. Halloween (2018) picks up forty years after the events of the original movie while disregarding the continuity of the previous sequels, with John Carpenter acting as composer, executive producer and creative consultant. The story centers on Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), who comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.
Best Quotes
Dana Haines: We are now at Smith’s Grove, a rehabilitation facility.
Aaron Korey: We’re here today to interview a patient that’s spent the last forty years in captivity, and by all accounts, has not uttered a word. This monster…
[they get interrupted by Dr. Sartain being buzzed in through the door to meet them]
Dr. Sartain: [referring to Michael] For years, he’s been kept here to be studied. I suppose the state has lost interest in discovering anything further.
Aaron Korey: Well, that’s why we’re here.
Dr. Sartain: Michael has been my life’s obsession. I’ve examined every single case file written on him. I was a student of Dr. Loomis before he passed away. And then I lobbied the University of Illinois to be assigned to Michael myself.
Dana Haines: Any progress?
Dr. Sartain: Well, he’s been seen by over fifty clinical psychiatrists, and with each, many different opinions. Dr. Loomis was the only one to see him in the wild, and he concluded he was nothing more than pure evil.
Dr. Sartain: [takes Dana and Aaron to show them Michael] Our patients get fresh air, sunshine, a view, proper exercise, healthy diet. It pains me to see him transferred to that less than desirable facility. And there he is. He can speak. He just chooses not to.
Aaron Korey: I’d love to stand closer to him, if I may. Get a sense of his awareness, or lack of awareness.
Dr. Sartain: Oh, make no mistake, he’s aware. He was watching you as you arrived.
Aaron Korey: Hello, Michael. My name is Aaron Korey. I’ve been following your case for years and still know very little about you. I’d like to know more, about that night. About those involved. Do you ever think about them, Michael? Feel guilt about their fate?
Aaron Korey: [walks closer to Michael and brings out his mask] I borrowed something from a friend at the attorney general’s office, Michael. You feel it, don’t you, Michael? You feel the mask. Say something, Michael. Say something. You can feel it, can’t you? It’s a part of you, Michael. It’s a part of you. Say something. Say something, Michael. Say something!
Dana Haines: Aaron and I have made several award-winning public radio exposés. Our last project shed new light on a murder case from twenty years ago. We like to re-examine incidents with an unbiased lens. I believe there’s a lot to learn from the horrors you experienced.
Laurie Strode: There’s nothing to learn. There are no new insights or discoveries.
Aaron Korey: So, is he real?
Laurie Strode: Who?
Aaron Korey: The Boogeyman. I read you quoted…
Laurie Strode: You don’t believe in the Boogeyman?
Aaron Korey: I believe in Michael Myers, a deranged serial killer, but the Boogeyman, no.
Laurie Strode: Well, you should.
Aaron Korey: Okay.
Dana Haines: Michael Myers is a human being who killed his sister when he was six years-old. Then he came after you. We just want to know why. We want a glimpse inside his mind. That’s why your story is so important.
Laurie Strode: My story?
Aaron Korey: Two failed marriages. Rocky relationship with your daughter and granddaughter.
Laurie Strode: Michael Myers murdered five people. And he’s a human being we need to understand? I’m twice divorced. And I’m a basket case.
Aaron Korey: They’re transferring him.
Laurie Strode: Tomorrow, seven o’clock.
Dana Haines: He’ll be locked away until the end of his days.
Laurie Strode: That’s the idea.
Dana Haines: Let’s talk about when the state came to take your daughter away. She was twelve years-old. They said you were an unfit mother. How long until you regained custody?
Laurie Strode: I didn’t. But you already knew that.
Aaron Korey: Laurie, we saw him. We met with Michael. I showed him the mask. There was nothing. No response. Nothing. He won’t talk to anyone. Never has, but I think he might speak with you. So, why don’t you sit down with him and say all the things you must be longing to say? Come with us, and let us help you free yourself. Please.
Laurie Strode: [opens the front door] Time’s up. I’ll accept my payment. Get out.
Ray: [drops his mousetrap on himself, which has peanut butter on it] Oh, man! I got peanut butter on my p**is.
Allyson Strode: Ew, Dad.
Karen Strode: Instant karma.
Allyson Strode: So, my mom’s a liar.
Vicky: What happened?
Allyson Strode: She said that she invited my grandmother tonight, but she didn’t. I mean, she never even contacted her.
Vicky: How do you know?
Allyson Strode: Because I called her myself.
Dave: That’s bulls**t.
Allyson Strode: Yeah.
Vicky: Dude, what’s your mom’s deal? Why would she say that?
Allyson Strode: I don’t know. She just tries to keep me away from her. Everyone in my family like turns into a total nutcase this time of year.
Vicky: If I were you guys, I wouldn’t celebrate either. I would just put up a Christmas tree instead. Just skip all over the creepy Halloween s**t, right?
Vicky: Does your grandma ever talk about it?
Allyson Strode: Yeah, it’s pretty much all she talks about. It defines her life. She’s been traumatized ever since.
Dave: Wasn’t it her brother who like cold-blooded murdilated all those teenagers?
Allyson Strode: No. That’s just a bit that some people made up to make them feel better, I think.
Vicky: I mean, that is scary to have a bunch of your friends get butchered by some random crazy person.
Dave: Is it, though? Because, all things considered, there’s a lot worse stuff that’s happening today. And like, I mean, what, a couple people getting killed by one guy with a knife is not that big of a deal.
Vicky: Dude, her grandmother was almost f***ing murdered.
Dave: And she escaped, and they caught him, and now he’s incarcerated. I’m just saying like by today’s standards…
Vicky: Just shut the f*** up, Dave. Shut up.
Dave: Oh, I’m sorry. Yeah, shut up, Dave.
Officer Hawkins: It’s Michael Myers. Babysitter Murders, 1978. Forty years to this day.
Sheriff Barker: Michael Myers loose with a bunch of nutbags in Haddonfield on Halloween night? We’re going to have a f***ing circus on our hands. But hey. What are we going to do, cancel Halloween?
Laurie Strode: [after sneaking up to Karen in her house] You’re dead.
Karen Strode: You scared me! What are you doing in our house?
Laurie Strode: You mean, how did I get into your house? You have no security system, Karen. Your side window was wide open. Sometimes I can’t tell the difference between your stupidity and your ignorance.
Ray: Hey, Laurie, this is my home, and I can take care of my own family, alright? I know jujitsu.
Laurie Strode: The bus crashed.
Karen Strode: What?
Laurie Strode: Look, I have a plan. Where’s Allyson? We need to get out of here now.
Karen Strode: What bus crashed
Ray: Put down that gun. Put down…
Laurie Strode: Hey, hey. Back off!
Ray: Put down that gun. You’re in my… Put down the gun!
Karen Strode: Mom, you need help, and you are not welcome in this house until you get it!
Laurie Strode: I have tried to protect you and prepare you. Now we have to hunt him down.
Karen Strode: Yeah, and I am trying to prepare dinner for my family. The world is not a dark and evil place. It is full of love and understanding, and I’m not letting your psychotic rants confuse me or convince me otherwise.
Laurie Strode: [offers her gun] Keep the gun.
Karen Strode: No! You need to go. Get out!
[she slams the door in Laurie’s face]
Officer Hawkins: [to Barker] You know I was there that night. I was there. We have one order of business. That’s to hunt this thing down. There’s a reason we’re supposed to be afraid of this night.
Julian: I saw someone in the hallway, standing outside my door!
Dave: Oh. What’s up, buddy?
Julian: There was a f***ed-up face, watching me from the dark.
Dave: Ghosts and goblins, little buddy?
Julian: Shut up, Dave! I heard him breathing, and then I saw him. He’s in here. The Boogeyman’s in this house!
Vicky: Okay. Alright. Come on, I got you. Let’s check it out.
Julian: Send Dave first.
Vicky: No, it’s fine. It’s fine.
Julian: No, no. No, it’s not.
Julian: Can you call my mom?
Vicky: [they walk up to Julian’s room] Yeah. If there’s something in the room, I’ll call her.
Julian: He was standing right there, in the door.
Vicky: I’ll check it out.
Vicky: [after checking Julian’s room] See? There’s nothing to be afraid of. There’s no Boogeyman in here.
Julian: What if it’s a doll?
Vicky: Ooh, it could be like one of those weird like kid dolls, one of those weird babies, and they stare at you with those beady little eyes.
Julian: [as she’s getting Julian to go to sleep] Could you close the closet door?
Vicky: Yeah.
Julian: [Vicky tries to close the closet, as she opens it, Michael stabs her] Oh, s**t!
Laurie Strode: [to the kids trick or treating] Get out of here! Now! Get inside!
Laurie Strode: Sheriff. Frank. What are we doing?
Officer Hawkins: We don’t need your help right now, Laurie.
Laurie Strode: You’re just standing here! Please do something!
Laurie Strode: Do you know that I pray every night that he would escape?
Officer Hawkins: What the hell do you do that for?
Laurie Strode: So I can kill him.
Officer Hawkins: Well, that was a dumb thing to pray for.
Laurie Strode: He waited for this night. He’s waited for me. I’ve waited for him. Come on, Michael.
Dr. Sartain: [after killing Hawkins] So this is what it feels like.
Dr. Sartain: [referring to Michael] These people want to kill this man for the crimes you observed. The most important opportunity to understand the mind of evil, you see. So when he awakes, we’ll be ready.
Allyson Strode: Ready for what?
Dr. Sartain: A reunion. Michael’s pursuit of Laurie Strode could be what keeps him alive. I would suspect the notion of being a predator, or the fear of becoming prey, keeps both of them alive.
Dr. Sartain: I worked with Michael for years, but I’ve never seen him in an uncontrolled environment. I’ve never heard him speak, you see. In spite of my encouragements, he remains unresponsive. But tonight, so many possibilities exist.
Allyson Strode: He spoke to me.
Dr. Sartain: He spoke to you?
Allyson Strode: Yeah. Um, when he murdered my friend, he saw me, and he spoke to me.
Dr. Sartain: What did he say?
Allyson Strode: One word.
Dr. Sartain: What?
Allyson Strode: Let me go, and I will tell you what he said.
Dr. Sartain: You must tell me. I must know. You must tell me.
Allyson Strode: Let me go, and I’ll tell you what he said. Just stop the car, and I’ll tell you what he said.
Dr. Sartain: What was the word? Was it the sister’s name? Judith? What was the word?
Allyson Strode: [just then Michael sits up and has the mask back on his face] F***.
Dr. Sartain: [to Michael] Say something.
[Michael stomps down with his boot and crushes Sartain’s skull]
Laurie Strode: You never wanted to listen when I spoke of that night, and this is why. I’ve been preparing for this for a long time.
Karen Strode: You want him to come here.
Laurie Strode: I’m so sorry, Karen. I’m so sorry, baby.
Laurie Strode: [in the basement hearing Michael enter the house] I was wrong to raise you the way I did, but at least I can protect you. Nothing will happen to you. I know you thought this was my cage.
Karen Strode: I’m scared.
Laurie Strode: I have to finish this.
Karen Strode: Mom. I love you.
Laurie Strode: I love you, baby.
Laurie Strode: [points her gun at the closed closet] Come out, Michael.
Karen Strode: Mom? Help us! I can’t do it. I’m sorry. I can’t do it.
Karen Strode: [suddenly Michael appears and she shoots him in the jaw] Gotcha.
Laurie Strode: [after Karen’s shot Michael, Laurie appears from behind] Happy Halloween, Michael.
[stabs him in the back]
Trailer: