After nearly 45 years and more than a dozen movies, the Halloween franchise is taking its first stab a definitive ending. Laurie Strode and Michael Myers are making their supposed final appearances in a slasher that thrills as often as it disappoints.
Halloween Ends refocuses the serial killer tales of Haddonfield, Illinois in a dramatic way: unlike 2018’s Halloween and last October’s Halloween Kills, this “ending” isn’t primarily focused on the rampage of Michael through the town claiming as many victims as he can.
Instead, the main plot looks to the recovery of Haddonfield as its citizens learn to once again heal and move on from Michael’s impact. The town is paranoid, hurt, and burdened by unexplainable violence. How does that impact the town, and especially affect Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis, returning to her star-making part) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak)?
This is a great set-up for an overarching theme, and would be a great moral for the horror genre. Unfortunately, the concept is only introduced and never thoroughly explored.
The most interesting new character, and closest Ends comes to its thematic goal, is the disintegration of student and Allyson’s new boyfriend Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell). His story of a violent accident turning his life from promise to murderous plays off the Michael Myers story in a fascinating way.
All of this drama is occasionally interesting, but it also replaces most of the run time normally dedicated to the gleeful and creative killing sprees that have defined the franchise since 1978. It’s only in the last 40 minutes that the dangerous stakes show up and the showdowns begin.
Once the action really gets going, the action fans are looking for comes up with some great choreography and bloody fights. Given that the movie is selling its premise of Laurie and Michael’s latest encounter, it’s hard to describe the high and low points without spoiling what happens.
Needless to say, fans will be more satisfied than conflicted, but the impact of the finale is more vaguely interesting than roundly enthusiastic. Go in expecting one or two good twists rather than the masterful terror of the series’ most recent two entries.
What I do like is the moral that Laurie describes when cautiously navigating old threats and new to those she loves. As she wistfully remarks, "Evil doesn’t die - it changes shape."
The shape of Halloween Ends is more dramatic than evil, meaning it falls short of being a special franchise finale. But it still offers a few good scares.
Halloween Ends
5 out of 10
14A, 1hr 51mins. Horror Drama.
Directed by David Gordon Green.
Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Rohan Campbell and James Jude Courtney.
Now Playing at 5 Drive-In, Cineplex Winston Churchill and Cineplex Oakville & VIP. Also in IMAX.
