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In this weeks episode of the Halloween Rewatch, Cory and Nathan delve deep into a very surreal sequel as they discuss Rob Zombie’s “Halloween II.”
Trailer:
Halloween II (2009):
In a flashback, Deborah Myers (Sheri Moon Zombie) visits her son, a young Michael Myers (Chase Wright Vanek), at Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. She gives him a white horse statuette as a gift. Michael says that the horse reminds him of a dream he had of Deborah’s ghost, all dressed in white and telling him she was going to bring him home.
Moving ahead fifteen years, Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton) is wandering around in shock after having shot an adult Michael (Tyler Mane). Sheriff Leigh Brackett (Brad Dourif) finds Laurie and takes her to the emergency room. Meanwhile, the paramedics pick up Annie Brackett (Danielle Harris) and Michael’s psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (Malcolm McDowell), who are still alive after being attacked by Michael, and take them to the hospital. Michael’s body is taken in another ambulance by EMTs Gary Scott (Richard Brake) and Alan Hooks (Dayton Callie). While Hooks and Scott converse, the ambulance crashes into a cow. Michael awakens and decapitates a disoriented Scott.
Two years after the events of the first film, Laurie is now living with the Bracketts. Michael has been missing since last Halloween and is presumed dead, while Laurie has been having recurring nightmares about the event. While Laurie deals with her trauma through therapy, Dr. Loomis has chosen to turn the event into an opportunity to write another book. Elsewhere, Michael, who is still alive, has been having visions of his mother’s ghost and a younger version of himself, who instruct him that it is time to bring Laurie home, so he sets off for Haddonfield.
As Michael travels to Haddonfield, Laurie begins having hallucinations that mirror Michael’s, which involves Deborah’s ghost and a young Michael in a clown costume. Her hallucinations also begin to include her acting out Michael’s murders. Meanwhile, Loomis goes on tour to promote his new book, only to be criticized by the public, who blame him for Michael’s actions and for exploiting the deaths of Michael’s victims.
When Loomis’ book is released, Laurie discovers that she is really Angel Myers, Michael’s long-lost sister. She goes to a Halloween party with Mya (Brea Grant) and Harley (Angela Trimbur) to escape how she is feeling. Michael appears at the party and kills Harley, then goes to the Brackett house and fatally wounds Annie. When Laurie and Mya return to the house, they find Annie, who dies in Laurie’s arms. Michael kills Mya and then comes after Laurie, who manages to escape. Sheriff Brackett arrives home and finds his daughter dead. Laurie flags down a car, but Michael kills the driver and flips the car over with Laurie still inside. Michael then takes the unconscious Laurie to an abandoned shed.
The police discover Michael’s location and surround the shed. Loomis arrives and goes inside to try to reason with Michael. Inside, he finds Laurie, who is hallucinating a younger Michael holding her down, and tries telling her that no one is restraining her. Just then, Deborah instructs the older Michael that it is time to go home; Michael attacks Loomis and kills him. Stepping in front of a window while holding Loomis’ body, Michael is shot twice by Sheriff Brackett, and falls into the spikes of some farming equipment. Apparently released from her visions, Laurie walks over and tells Michael she loves him, then stabs him repeatedly. The shed door opens and Laurie walks out, wearing Michael’s mask. Later, Laurie sits in isolation in a psychiatric ward, grinning at a vision of Deborah.
Summary:
Again popular consensus, we actually enjoyed this film. We respect Rob Zombie’s decision to take a more surreal and introspective look at trauma and madness. All the returning actors bring something new to their characters, meaning advanced development in a more realistic manor. Yes, this film still suffers from Zombie’s crude dialogue, almost from the get go, and yes, there is still plenty of violence for violence sake. Clearly, this director was influenced by some of the greats (namely Carpenter for this series) but this time we find he may be more influenced by less popular names like David Lynch. It’s a gamble bringing that sort of element into a slasher franchise, which I believe would account for “fans” distaste for this instalment. If you put that aside, this film is actually quite interesting, and explores Michael Myers motivations better that ever. Mild recommend.
What’s Up Next?:
We’re heading to the movies to see Jamie Lee Curtis, once again, return for “Halloween” (2018)/
Of course, a series can’t be over before we have a couple of bonus episodes. Once we wrap up Halloween, we start a quick double feature as we discuss Jamie Lee Curtis in “A Fish Called Wanda” and after that, the main cast reunite for “Fierce Creatures”.
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