Halloween II (2009)

I enjoy this film. I like that Rob Zombie tried to make something different rather than making the same movie over and over but there are several things wrong with this movie. First, what I liked. I liked Malcom McDowell, Brad Dourif and Danielle Harris. I liked the hospital sequence. But the writing sucks. The dialogue is pretty bad and Scout Taylor Compton is awful. The movie still suffers from overly gory violence, over the top swearing and unnecessarily gratuitous nudity. I didn't hate the fact that they showed Michael unmasked but it was jarring. On one hand, it made sense. Why would he walk around everywhere dressed up in a costume. On the other hand, it made him less menacing. In the end, this film is mediocre at best.

Man Rob Zombie what got into your head? This is why the Halloween series in the 2000s suck! This is like a long rejected Rob Zombie music video. Bad story, bad script, bad plot, bad acting, and bad ending. This is worse than part 6, Resurrection, part 5, and the remake! My head hurts from writing this review. TERRIBLE MOVIE, SKIP IT! If you going to watch it, I recommend you skip the movie and watch the trailer instead.

Once again, Rob Zombie has created a film that I love far more than I should. While his first remake delved into origins of Michael Myers to the frustration of many Halloween fans, I couldn't help but find it an engaging alternative to the original, and allowed for that film to stand on its own without begging comparison to John Carpenter's version.With this entry, Zombie takes even more risks and refuses to abide by any rules, not just ones of the Halloween franchise, but the slasher genre itself. It has a cerebral, ethereal tone, giving way to the infamous dream sequences, and has uncompromisingly brutal levels of gore. It completely reinvents the characters, and barely resembles a Halloween film at times. These are probably the main criticisms of the film, and they're exactly why I love it.Despite the obvious reasons why this film shouldn't work, it fits together these various elements thematically and creates a totally unique experience that I've almost never had with a horror film. It takes the events of Zombie's first Halloween and uses them to take our characters to unexpected places, in order to explore themes of loss, trauma, and familial bonds by exploring the cyclical effects of violence. All the major characters have been seriously altered, mostly for the worst, due to their near-death experiences, and struggle to retain their humanity. Rob Zombie takes us into the minds of both Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, bringing the audience to understand both what drives these characters, and ultimately the demons that plague them both. The film doesn't shy away from the violence because it wants to submerge its audience within the carnage, entrapping us within the grotesque and the macabre just as it does the same to the principal players.This isn't mention to fact that Halloween 2 might be the most visually stunning horror film in recent years, with its 16mm print serving to emphasize the dark, gritty atmosphere that every frame of this film is soaked.At the end of the day, Halloween 2 isn't without its problems, but its a totally engrossing and unique cinematic experience that leaves far more of an emotional impact than your typical slasher fare. Despite the polarizing reaction, to say the least, Halloween 2 comes recommended.

Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie, Scout Taylor-Compton, Tyler Mane, Danielle Harris and Brad Dourif star in Rob Zombie's 2009 horror sequel. This sequel picks up a year later and Laurie Strode (Compton) is trying to get past the horrific, Halloween events with killer, Michael Myers (Mane) who is assumed dead. Meanwhile, Sam Loomis (McDowell) is promoting his new book depicting Michael Myers and the identity of Michael's sister which ticks some people off, like Sheriff Brackett (Dourif). Soon, Laurie discovers that she's Michael's baby sister, Angel and Michael returns for another Halloween reunion. Zombie's wife, Sheri appears as a ghost version of Michael's mother, Deborah haunting Laurie and Harris also reprises her role as Annie Brackett. This is a strange, tense horror sequel that's a step down from the first film. I'd probably only view it once if you're into horror/slasher flicks.