Michael Myers has been kept safely locked in an institution for forty years since the events of Halloween night in 1978. On Halloween 2018, he escapes from a bus and resumes his killing spree. Looking for Laurie Strode (Curtis), he returns to Haddonfield killing anyone that stands in his way. Laurie manages to save her daughter and granddaughter as she lures Michael to what she hopes will be a final trap. The resulting showdown can only be described as epic.
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2018, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 46 mins
DTS:X, DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 2.39:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Rating
Violence: Yes
Sex: Mild
Language: Yes
When the original Halloween came out in 1978, it ushered a new era of horror films. Today, it’s referred to as the “Cadillac of slasher flicks” (Bruce Campbell’s words, not mine). Why? Because what followed were a seemingly endless parade of terrible sequels, copycats, and movies shot for next to nothing designed to simply make money at the box office. Thanks to a lot of awful movies, including the 10 previous installments of Halloween, the genre largely died out.
This 2018 version is not a remake nor is it a reboot, it literally takes place 40 years to the day after the events of the original chapter. It checks all the boxes necessary for a successful slasher movie, over-sexed teenagers, an unstoppable killer, foolish cops, clueless doctors; it’s all there. And believe it or not, it’s quite entertaining. I recently watched the 1978 film just for reference and found it completely hokey and not a bit scary. This version is masterfully done with a good sprinkling of boo moments, just enough gore and violence without going over the top, and a high level of suspense. Even though you know what’s going to happen, it manages to surprise. Fans of the franchise will be thrilled with this release and horror enthusiasts tired of a saturated genre will enjoy Halloween 2018 more than they expect.
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The image takes on the feel of a seventies film with warm natural colors, deep contrast, and an appropriate level of film grain. It isn’t the sharpest picture I’ve seen but it fits the material perfectly.
The audio mix is clean and clear but a bit too polite. Surround and sub effects are too sparingly used. The music is nicely updated while still retaining the familiar elements from 1978. DTS:X was not used to its fullest potential here.
Bonus features include about 20 minutes of making of short features and 13 minutes of deleted scenes.