Director David Gordon Green and actor Danny McBride succeed where many have failed. They took one of the biggest horror franchises in the world, that had become odd and tedious, and breathed new life into the narrative. How did they manage to pull it off? Green and McBride took ‘Halloween’ back to its roots and audiences around the world are already reaping the rewards. Instead of crafting another outlandish scenario or crazy backstory similar to what weighed down previous sequels, they stuck to what made the original film a classic. What audiences want is that classic cat and mouse game. We want to see Micheal on the hunt and others attempt to try derailing him but failing miserably. This struggle has made franchises like ‘Nightmare On Elm Street’, ‘Friday the 13th’, and ‘Child’s Play’ classic horror franchises. 
Of course, there’s always going to be that one character who can bring an end to this madness and in this case, it’s Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). Strode appears to be one of the few people who still remember the horrific events 40 years ago which lead to Myers initial incarceration. The rest of Haddonfield (her hometown) seems to have conveniently forgotten about that dark day. Strode’s life has been driven by the aftermath of these events. Judy Greer plays Karen (Laurie’s estranged daughter) who hasn’t forgiven her for all the preparation and fear she instilled in her at a very young age.
It’s as if the previous films after the original release never occurred and Green isn’t shy making the audience aware of that. Green and McBride provided a solid foundation for the audience to buy into allowing us to erase the errors the franchise had previously made and focus on ‘Halloween’s’ new path. The film sought to answer the question, “Can this type of evil be subdued after being locked up for 40 years?”. Judging by the trailer, everyone pretty much knows the answer.
The performances and cinematography in the film are solid. Green’s pacing of the narrative was certainly effective. What ‘Halloween’ amounts to is nothing more than a crowd pleaser. They did everything in their power in hopes of igniting a passion for this franchise with a new generation of fans. ‘Halloween’ hits all the right beats and will undoubtedly experience commercial success. This film is 3 out 5 stars and well worth the price of admission.
Dewey Singleton has been reviewing new releases in television and film for many years. Dewey's reviews have been heard in multiple markets (Houston Atlanta, Tampa). Dewey's past work has been with awardswatch.com, awardsradar.com, and bleeding cool. Dewey is a proud member of the CCA.