‘Halloween Kills’: Does the Extra Gore Kill the New Horror Movie?
Michael Myers is almost upon us (again) in the new John Carpenter-inspired Halloween movie, Halloween Kills. The brand-new horror picks up right where Halloween 2018 left off. Some viewers thought this sequel was one of the best Halloween movies of all time. The new one attempts to mirror modern societal issues.
But not so fast—a few movie critics already shared their discrepancies. Could all the gore ultimately kill Halloween Kills?
‘Halloween Kills’ showed promise of realistic fears
When the official Halloween Kills trailer premiered, horror fans freaked out. Many relished in its new theme of rebellion. Residents of Haddonfield were never this confident against The Shape before. Now, they’re ready to hunt him down.
The trailer slashed viewers’ screens with its beginning: Michael quashing the firefighters. It also revealed a moment when the killer is unmasked. Some viewers wonder if they’ll ever see his face. Then again, the franchise established Michael as a faceless being to his audience.
Jamie Lee Curtis made a bold remark at the Venice International Film Festival. She compared the new horror movie to society in America, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“There’s a line in Halloween Kills that goes, ‘The system is broken,’” the actor explained. “Well, you know, the system is broken all over the world, and people are rising up all over the world in collective rage against the machine and unjust systems…In America, we’re a divided country. I think evil is seemingly winning a bit lately. That doesn’t mean it’s always going to happen, but evil has seemingly won many times throughout history.”
Critics are pointing out flaws in the new ‘Halloween’ movie
Countless viewers applauded the 12th sequel of Halloween 1978. Many praised how this 2021 film introduced new elements of war and teamwork. Overall, the positive reviews reflected the music, acting, and vengeful storyline.
However, other critics took a swing at the horror movie. According to Digital Spy, a few viewers thought the film was messy. Some thought the plot was tangled or detached, while others thought the gory scenes became unnecessary. A majority of the negative comments used the film’s gore to deride it.
Since a handful of critics mocked the bloody gore, many viewers can’t help but ask: Is this movie worth seeing?
They’ll have to find out for themselves. Ready or not—Halloween Kills will hit the big screen on Oct. 15, 2021.
‘Halloween’ 2018 recharged the horror movie franchise
However movie fans feel about Halloween Kills, 2018’s Halloween received countless positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the flick holds a 79% Tomatometer score. As new and older fans rushed to theaters, they realized this was a starkly different sequel when they watched the pumpkin rise from its rot.
When viewers compared the 2018 film to the 1978 Halloween, they commended the quicker pace, new variations in music, and above all, how ruthless Michael Myers had become after 40 years.
Many, however, still pointed out the problems. For example, who wanted to watch a child square up against the killer? Probably no one. But this is precisely what 2018’s Halloween unmasked: the cold-blooded expectations in modern cinema and society.
Halloween 2018 is not streaming for free on any platform. However, other Halloween movies are streaming on Apple TV.
