Halloween II

You watch Halloween and are blown away by how great it is.  You don’t expect it upon first viewing.  You go into it thinking that it’s a generic slasher flick because it’s one of the many to spawn sequel upon sequel.  You’re in awe at how masterfully it was crafted with a low budget and how well it builds the suspense and tension so that you are on the edge of your seat.  You get to the end and want more.  What do you get?  Halloween II.

I am continuing my marathon of Halloween movies by watching Halloween II.  Plot synopsis?  Immediately after the events of the first film, Laurie Strode is shipped to the local hospital.  Michael Myers follows because he wants to finish what he started.  Mayhem ensues.  Oh, and Loomis is still after Michael.  So it’s basically the first film in a hospital, and of lesser quality.  Woops.  I let out my opinion already.

This movie was not directed by John Carpenter.  That could be a reason as to why I like it less than the first.  This is in no way saying I don’t like the film.  It’s an okay film.  The problem is that I am left feeling that it’s only an okay film while others in the series leave me feeling like they’re something special.

I’m not going to go at this review thing in the same way as I did the other one.  It’s a different movie so it needs a different way to crack it.  No two movies are the same.  Thus, no two ways of talking about a movie should be the same.

Let me discuss one moment that perfectly encompasses what brings this movie down from the great sequel that it could have been.  The hot tub scene.  Sure, I’m a guy that likes boobs.  And they almost got me to ignore the crazy, illogical moment that is bothering me so much.  Michael Myers dunks a woman’s head in a scolding hot hot tub.  The skin on her face begins to peel.  The skin on his hand, which is under water holding her head down, is not peeling.  Why not?

This was also the first of the Halloween movies to make the sibling connection between Michael and Laurie.  Now, I have nothing against mythology if it adds to the overall arc of a series or a movie.  Does this add?  Sure.  It adds to the plot my giving a reason as to why the killings are happening.  Does it make it better?  In my opinion, in this scenario, no.  I liked the first film due to many factors, one of them being that Michael Myers is going after seemingly random teenagers.  He has no agenda, no ulterior motive...he’s just attacking the teenagers.  You get the fear from being able to put yourself in the teenager’s shoes.  The second film strips that element away.  The only way you could relate to any of the characters now is if you are related to someone in an asylum, or if you are hanging around Laurie Strode.  A layer of fear has been stripped away.

That is my main gripe with the film.  It’s not a bad movie.  Not by any means.  It’s still an effective horror film.  The problem is that it has removed some of the horror that was present in the first film in order to build a mythology that, at the time, was not necessary to keep the series going.  Why do I say that?  When I get to Halloween III, I will explain and it will be clearer as to what I mean by unnecessary for the series.

I want to end with a mention of a brilliant moment in filmmaking that was in Halloween II.  I do not know if it was intentionally funny or if it was supposed to be a gripping, fear inducing scene of terror but there was a scene where a guy knocked himself out by accidentally slipping in a puddle of blood.  It made me laugh.  I wanted to share that.

Time to end this entry.  Coming up next is the black sheep of the Halloween series.  Halloween III: Season of the Witch.  It is completely unrelated to the Nicolas Cage Season of the Witch movie, however it had made about as many, if not more, people furious about ruining movies.  I sort of like it.  We’ll see what I have to say about it when I watch it again.