When John Carpenter released the film “Halloween” in 1978, he transformed the horror genre. Building on landmark films like “Psycho” and “Black Christmas,” “Halloween” created the tropes that define slasher films to this day: a masked, silent killer stalks and kills promiscuous teens until one last innocent virgin remains. Maintaining an atmosphere of suspense through the film, “Halloween” is a horror classic and a masterpiece of terror. “Halloween II” is neither of those.
The film starts strong, beginning at the exact moment that the first film ends. This is a bold move and it pays off, drawing the viewer right back into the “Halloween” universe. The opening titles are also great, expanding on the iconic title sequence of the original.
Unfortunately, the film loses its steam quickly. While the first film carefully constructs an atmosphere of dread and suspense, “Halloween II” relies on jump-scares and more brutal murders to frighten viewers. This cheapens the experience, resulting in a movie that ultimately feels less scary. “Halloween II” has triple the amount of murders of the first film, but half the amount of tension.
Story is another area where the sequel falls short of the original. While “Halloween” was scary due to the apparent randomness of the murders, “Halloween II” tries to shoehorn in a backstory, which takes away from the fright. A forced motive for the killings does not add anything to the mythology of the franchise.
However, the movie has its moments, especially when director Rick Rosenthal imitates Carpenter’s iconic directorial style. Extended POVs and shots of Michael Myers emerging from shadows or standing out of focus in the background make the two films feel analogous. Additionally, the empty hospital is a great set piece for the climax, with long hallways and many doors that could open at any moment. Once Laurie begins to move through the hospital on the run, the film picks up a lot.
Ultimately, “Halloween II” is a mixed bag. For every frightening scene, another scene is groan-worthy.
The number of deaths in a movie is not an indication of its quality.
2 Comments
Halloween 2 is a somewhat different style of movie than the original, more of a full-bore slasher than the 1978 film, but is brilliant within its’ chosen realm. The only real advantage the first movie has is its’ pacing…like Carrie, it feels like real-time, so that by the time you reach the final half hour or so, you are so immersed that it feels as if it’s actually happening….a relatively rare accomplishment in the horror arena. Halloween 2 is more like the original Friday the 13th…a pure, unadulterated slasher movie, from start to finish. Halloween builds to an incredible climax….Halloween 2, by way of contrast, cannot compete with the unforgettable ending of the first, but is much more enjoyable on a moment-to-moment basis. There’s really not a weak moment in the entire film, compared to Halloween, which is marred by an incredibly anemic central portion…Halloween 2 keeps Michael Myers and Loomis front and center…Pleasance’s performance is probably the finest in the history of horror, exceeding even Cushing’s Van Helsing…and keeps the background players firmly in the background, where they rightfully belong.
What the hell are you talking about? Halloween II is a classic and the best sequel in the franchise