Things That Go Bump is a column that reviews films from the horror and suspense genres. I recommend films on the following scale: Skip It, Rent It, or Buy It.
Be warned, this review is full of spoilers. So skip to the recommendation section on the last page if you want to stay spoiler-free.
I wrote last week that Rob Zombie's remake/re-imagining/reinvention of the Halloween mythos was a brutal, violent, effective film. It knows what it wants to be; it has a goal and a basic thesis for operation. Zombie believed that due to confusing plot lines and too many sequels, Michael Myers was no longer scary. He also realized that modern horror audiences wouldn't find his story scary without a back story that was truly messed up beyond anything imaginable. It worked because instead of being scary, the story was shocking and violent.
I've watched H2 twice. The first was in theaters and I will say that to watch that will only leave you more confused. I saw this again on DVD in the Unrated Director's Cut released on January 12, 2010. I have read countless interviews and even listened to a bit of the commentary from the director and I still don't get it and further, I don't want to. In an attempt to be both shocking and abstract, Zombie and H2 fall well short of anything worth watching. I defy anyone to tell me what is the central purpose or goal of Halloween 2 other than grand larceny of the viewers.
Plot Summary and Commentary - As If It's Going To Help
We open with a title card about the symbolic nature of the "white horse" in dreams. This is the first sign of trouble. When a director or movie studio assumes the audience is too stupid to get it, they give us one of these to set it up for us. It's kind of like an open-book test. You have the answers in front of you, so you pass it, but you probably won't learn anything from it.
Then, we get the big retcon. Debra Myers, played even more incoherently (if that's possible) by Sheri Moon-Zombie, walks into the sanitarium to visit little Michael presumably at some point in his treatment with Dr. Loomis. She presents him with a gift. You guessed it — a white horse statue. He proceeds to tell her he saw her and the horse in a dream the night before. Then, we flash to the title screen, hear the gun click, the shot fire, and Laurie's scream from the end of the first film.
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Article comments
1 - retard269
dude really who gives a dam about the plot aleast rob zombie turned him back into a fuckin icon and that is all the hardcore fans give a dam about [personal attack deleted]
2 - J. Newcastle
To quote Cici from Scream 2, "Yeah, well, there's no accounting for taste."
Thanks for reading.
3 - Debra Vaughn
I would just like to say that I am a big fan of all the Halloween movies the original. I also loved the Halloween movie that Rob Zombie did, but the 2nd one, totally SUCKS. I mean get real,, the ghost of his mom, the little boy. And who the heck was that kid., get the original Michael Myers from your first one.. He was much better.
All I can say is stick with the first one and you should have scraped the 2nd.. It just smells real bad.
4 - C,Machado
I would like to start off by saying I am a huge fan of this horror franchise.The first time i saw the original i was terrify and the second film scared me as well. Over the next two decades the movies started to become dumb except for the forth and fifth installments after that i truly believe that Micheal Myers became a joke.So when i found out that Rob Zombie was taking over the franchise i was happy and pleased that someone was going to bring back that killer who scared us all.The second film was a very different outlook on Micheal's life the visions of his mother were great because you got to see what he saw as far as the little boy goes for all you idiot's out there his role is important he is Micheal's voice how stupid can you be so having his mother and young micheal are important to the film.So for all the people out there who did not like the film you need to go back and watch it again watch both of them Rob Zombie did a great job with this movie. Rob's outlook on Micheal Myers was very different and shocking he brought back the best horror icon in movie history. So i end with this Rob Zombie did a phenomenal job with the films.
5 - J. Newcastle
@ Debra
The kid from the first movie apparently had too much of a growth spurt to be believable as a 10/11 year old for those scenes. I would have liked to have seen Daeg Faerch again, but it wouldn't have helped the plot.
Thanks for reading.
6 - J. Newcastle
@ C, Machado
Thanks for reading. Zombie's first take was solid. The second, not so much, in my opinion. You can tell because the Unrated Director's Cut of the H2 is significantly different than the theatrical. The D-cut of the 2007 film just added to the story without changing the plot. That tells me either Zombie or the studio didn't know what to do with this.
I wonder what Dimension does with this franchise now.
7 - The Sentinal
Do you have any idea of how much(or little)time Rob was given to make this movie?What he did in that time is great!Having watched Halloween H20 and Ressurection the day before watching H2 for the second time,I was reminded of what a good job Rob has done.
Let me put something out there that no one seems to get...If Rob Zombie had not taken over Halloween,you would be given another terrible sequel or remake.By that I mean the typical overly glossy,overly cheesy film.
Rob Zombie makes a different kind of horror film.I think the closest comparisons might be The Hills Have Eyes,and Last House on The Left remakes.These movies have more of a realistic,gritty,and uneasy feel to them.They arent for everyone,but if you would rather watch the typical fake,glossy,cheesy horror film,then stick to standing in line with the rest of the teenagers of the world.
8 - J. Newcastle
@ The Sentinal
You are not wrong; the Akkad/Dimension team has put together some ill conceived sequels in the series.
I made it through a third watch listening to Zombie's commentary and many times I got the feeling he had some creative control but zero control over time and budget and you can tell he wasn't happy with what was happening. He even went as far to say there was no way to explain how Michael Myers gets his face shot off yet survives.
I stand by the idea that had he made what he really wanted (Laurie as the killer - no Michael, it's all in her head), he'd have done just that and it would have worked better.
Still, I say watch the 2007 one and move on because we learn nothing else in this one that moves the story.
I ask to you as well where is this series headed?
Thanks for reading.
9 - Thrill Fiction
A really good dissection of the film J.Newcastle. Horror movie fans sometimes resemble football (soccer) fans in that their team can do no wrong. Having watched it twice for my critique I know how painfull it was.
10 - KidNormal
(Currently watching 1/4 through)
Rob Zombie screwed up Halloween.
One scene at the beginning shows a parking lot without a single car and then out of no where the security drives up and in the same scene where the security guard locks the door that only had a screen and bars which would be very easy to just put your arm through and unlock. Also the nurse in that scene only got cut in the nose and just falls down. Rob Zombie YOU ARE AN IDIOT THAT IS PROBABLY SMOKING CRACK RIGHT NOW!
11 - Linsdey
i am a HUGE fan of the original Halloween series and i even liked the first remake...but this movie was HORRIBLE! what a let-down. Rob ruined the story and all the characters with it. michael myers is a mountain man that wears a scarf and sports a beard? wtf? and they show his face! i cant tell you how disappointed i am. i wasted 20 bucks on this dvd and will likely never watch it again. please Rob....dont make anymore Halloween movies. Thanks.....
12 - Danielle
Michael myers is not micheal myers in this film. I agree, his first remake was solid. This one was terrible. Michael NEVER grunts and moans when he kills, and he never overkills. His face is never shown in the other films and it shouldn't have been in this one. Terrible remake, and I'm sorry but only true Halloween fans could dislike that movie.
13 - Michelle
I agree with Linsdey. I watched it with my son, and he was very disappointed that Michael's face was shown. It ruined his whole character. There was nothing wrong with his face at all after what happened to him in the first remake. The killings did, however, make me very uneasy. They were brutal. I also couldn't figure out why the mother wanted him to kill her daughter. For what? I felt that the acting could have been a lot better too.
14 - lance
I won't go into my personal opinion of the film,but I find it damn funny people beleive showing Michaels face ruined the movie.
DO YOU PEOPLE NOT REALIZE HIS FACE WAS SHOWN IN THE ORIGINAL MOVIE!!!
15 - paul wynne
just watched it and have to say thought he made a complete mess of the movie i was so annoyed after watchin it. i loved the frst one thought he did a great job but i think he lost it with the secind one i really did not like it, i'm a fan on zombie but after this it will be hard to watch another one of he's movies sorry bor you disapointed me. sorry about my spelling
16 - Joey Watts
I love Halloween movies and i think Rob did a really good job doing a remake of this one and rob should do remakes of Wrong Turn 1 and 2 your a good directer i hope to see more movies from you good job man
17 - Daniel
The first Halloween I saw was Halloween H20, a masterpiece. Then I watched Halloween Resurrection on TV, and I loved it to, so I decided to watch every single film. I was like 'OMG, THIS IS ARE ONE OF THE BEST SAGAS OF ALL TIMES!' True that until I watched Halloween 1 and 2 remaked. It was just a piece of shit which isn't worth even watching. Mychael Myers is not the awesome, intelligent, mysterious and selective killer who was in the previous films, he is just a big retard who kills everyone he sees. Zombie finished with mystery showing the Mychael's childhood. Before we wondered why did he kill people, why was he mad; now we know he is nothing more than an unbalanced mad. And Laurie is not the innnocent teen anymore, he is actually the biggest idiot between all her friends. I must say the dialogues are damnly horrible, anyone in real life talks like them, the only word which was in every single sentence was 'fuck'. And well, just as a summary of the acting, just say that after calling a nurse in hospital because she felt bad Laurie could perfectly run everywhere she wanted to and do everything she wanted to, of course with one of her legs badly hurt. Now seriously, someone should stop that crazy idiot, Rob Zombie, he will finally destroy Halloween movies.
And lance, Mychael's face was shown in the original movie, that's true, but it was shown in the darkness so we couldn't exactly see how he was, and that scene was changed in the second film.