A Lackluster Finale

With the spookiest day of the year coming right around the corner there are many different types of media and traditions to go along with it. I have decided to review one of the most iconic movie franchises to date for this special occasion. I will be reviewing the award winning film franchise Halloween and more specifically the newest addition to the new remade trilogy, Halloween Ends. Halloween Ends is an American psychological horror film directed by David Gordon Green that was released on October 14th. It is the thirteenth installment in the  Halloween franchise and the final movie in a trilogy of Halloween sequels that started in 2018. It is the direct sequel to Halloween Kills which came out in 2021.

Halloween Ends takes place four years after the tragic events of Halloween Kills and continues to be located in Haddonfield, Illinois, the hometown of Laurie, the main character from the first film.Laurie is still trying to recover after the death of her daughter, Karen, which took place in the previous movie. Laurie is trying to move forward in life and unpack her trauma while also looking after her granddaughter, Allyson, after Karen was tragically stabbed to death by Michael Myers at the very end of Halloween Kills. Obviously Laurie’s new happy family life is short-lived since Michael Myers returns once again, ready to have a final face off with his rival who he has been chasing for over 40 years.

The film itself was interesting and pretty good when it came to introducing new character arcs for characters from the previous installment. But, if I’m being honest, most people went to watch this movie for the kills/deaths from Michael Myers himself,and I will say they delivered. The issue I have, though, is that Halloween Kills had over 30 deaths, whereas, despite being imaginative and wonderfully crafted, Michael only manages to kill two people during the entire film. To be fair, both of the kills were acceptable enough but I felt like more should’ve been done especially for the finale of the trilogy with Myers himself.

If I’m being completely honest, the movie was pretty average and boring for an almost two hour long movie. Instead of focusing on Michael Myers, the movie ends up focusing more on a new character named Corey. It lacked the action and suspense the two previous movies had and felt  more like a B-grade horror film rather than a Halloween movie. The movie’s climax certainly contained the most action, but had such an abrupt and laughable ending that it made me regret even watching it on opening night.

Not to my surprise, Halloween has gotten negative feedback from audiences and critics alike. Hitting a 40% on rotten tomatoes and an almost laughable 1.8/5 stars from audience reviews on google. One review stated “Who ultimately survives Michael’s rumble with Laurie ends up not mattering, since the film itself shows such little signs of life,” which I can not agree with more. It seems like almost no one liked how they ended the horror legacy of Michael Myers and I can obviously say the same.The film is decent as a horror film but is a huge disappointment as a Halloween film. If you are looking for a fun and gory slasher this isn’t the movie for you. Unless you’re a  die hard Halloween enthusiast save yourself the trouble of seeing this disappointing finale of a trilogy.