Halloween Marathon: 2007
I’m doing this because I haven’t seen them all and have a lot of work to do and need something to watch. It’s been about 20 odd years since I watched this original, so let’s delve back in…
Previously: 1978 – 1981 – 1982 – 1988 – 1989 – 1995 – 1998 – 2002
Retcon Alert!: This one is a clean remake, restarting the story of the original timeline with Michael and Laurie being siblings.
Movie: Halloween
Released: 2007
Director: Rob Zombie
Cast: Scout Taylor-Compton, Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, Tyler Mane, Sheri Moon Zombie, William Forsythe, Danielle Harris
Plot: Michael Myers, product of an abusive household, murders half his family and spends the rest of his childhood in an institution. As an adult he breaks out and heads home to find his lost sister.
Review: If movies had a tactile sensation, it would be sticky. And it would smell. I discovered after the fact that I was watching the directors cut. Not only did this extend the experience, it replaced some scenes with repulsive depictions of rape and violence against nude teen girls that are very, very unpleasant to sit through. Zombie struggles to build suspense or the intensity of Carpenter’s original, so instead he doubles-down on the uncomfortable fixation of naked girls bleeding to death. I hate that almost every woman killed in this movie is at least partially nude, and I hate that the camera lingers on their dying, bleeding final breaths for a ridiculously long time. One of the actors is Danielle Harris, who we’d just seen as an innocent 11 year old character a few days ago. I don’t understand why you’d make these creative decisions unless you are trying to upset people.
The biggest departure from the original movie is an extended amount of time spent on Michael’s backstory and childhood. It feels like two movies, because it’s really difficult to reconcile the child actor we have with the hulking mass of Tyler Mane portraying the terrifying adult Michael Myers. The entire childhood story is just repulsive characters trying to out-repulsive each other Pink Flamingos style. There’s child abuse, domestic abuse and some weird Oedipus fixation going on. Later we jump ahead to our new Laurie (Taylor-Compton), who is a mish-mash of different traits that make her inconsistent and kind of an asshole.
One thing I like is the casting of Tyler Mane and his portrayal of Michael. The degree to which Michael was unkillable always stretched credibility. This guy looks like he could absorb the kind of damage being thrown at him. He’s an absolute beast, and easily the scariest version of the character so far. The murder of Danny Trejo’s orderly character was a good way to establish how cold-blooded Michael is. There should’ve been more build-up towards this betrayal.
I actively disliked watching this movie. I am not looking forward to the sequel.
Rating: ONE out of TEN
