John Carpenter's 1978 'Halloween' is wholly deserving of its status as a horror classic. To this day it's still one of the freakiest films personally seen and introduced the world to one of horror's most iconic villainous characters Michael Myers.Which is why it is such a shame that not only are all of the sequels nowhere near as good but that the decline in quality is so drastic. Ok, the original 'Halloween' is very difficult to follow on from, but most of the sequels could at least looked like effort was made into them. 'Halloween H20' is the one exception and the fourth film is also watchable. 'Halloween: Resurrection' is the worst offender. One of the worst sequels ever, of the genre and any genre, and one of the most pointless. 'Halloween H20' was a perfect place to stop the series, to have it resurrected so badly and in a way that disgraces the 'Halloween' name to intelligence insulting degrees is enough to make the blood boil. The only halfway good thing is Jamie Lee Curtis and she and her iconic character are written out in such a slap in the face way in a scene that is anything but creepy or suspenseful. Sadly that is the one scene that actually feels like it belongs in a 'Halloween' film.Curtis aside, the acting is absolutely dreadful. By far the worst acted of the sequels, yes worse than the 'Revenge...' and 'Curse...', with the embarrassment that is Busta Rhymes being the biggest offender. The entire cast of characters are far more annoying than Tina in 'Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers' which is quite a feat.Laughably awful dialogue, in a script that shouldn't have been approved beyond first draft if even that, can also be found. The film is even more ineptly directed than Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers' and the non-horror scenes in 'Season of the Witch'. Visually, it is far too gimmicky that it severely gets in the way of the atmosphere.The music, after improving drastically in 'H20', is even bigger a drawback than in the fifth and sixth films, no it is no longer one of the best assets like it was in the first four films. Here it sounds cheap, goofy and just doesn't fit in placement or in tone. There is nothing remotely creepy, tense, suspenseful or even entertaining here, the deaths cause unintentional laughs, nothing creative or shocking.The atmosphere is just ruined by that, gimmicky filming, a paper thin, confusing and ridiculous story that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, terrible dialogue and acting, intelligence insulting stupidity (Rhymes versus Michael, the nadir of the entire series bar none) and erratic pacing (mostly dull).In summary, should never have been made, an unforgivably poor quality and pointless excuse of a sequel and a film. 1/10 (a rare rating for me these days but this deserves it). Bethany Cox

Three years after decapitating the wrong person instead of unstoppable maniac Michael Myers, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis, in a cameo) has been committed to an asylum, apparently catatonic but actually lying in wait for Myers to track her down--he does. That's just the prologue, however; the rest of the film is made up of Haddonfield University students taking part in an internet reality show that will deliver them back to Myers' childhood home on Halloween to "look for answers." Directed by the inept Rick Rosenthal (who fumbled "Halloween II" in 1981), this generic installment catches viewers up on the previous effort, 1998's "Halloween H20: 20 Years Later", utilizing flashbacks--only then to have an intern at the asylum fill us in on Myers' entire criminal history, a checklist of murders. I'm surprised Dimension Films didn't try to save money and plug the whole movie with flashbacks. A stabbing here, a gutting there. Curtis gets off easy; not so the rest of the cast, nor any audience who stays to the end. * from ****

When I originally saw this film in 2002 I didn't mind it...at the time that is.After repeat viewings I completely see why so many hated this pointless entry into the franchise.This movie makes no sense and stands behind the most hilariously ludicrous nonsensical,and idiotic, explanation as to why Jamie Lee Curtis strode is in a mental institution at the beginning of the film.At the time I didn't mind the heroine but now again I see why so many hated her especially knowing in a deleted scene that she wound up saving one of the most obnoxious characters ever written to screen.The characters have no personalities two are pot heads,one is a pathetic dark goth like character,one screams at the drop of a hat and it gets tiring very quickly,one is a girl that seems to show self respect yet turns out to be a nympho,and lastly the boring stereotypical boyfriend that is constantly horny.Don't get me started on Banks and Rhymes either both are throwaway characters and Rhymes is instantly obnoxious,extremely unlike able,and you just...want...him..to..die quickly.I like Tyra personally however she wasn't given barely anything to do in this film,isn't on screen long,and essentially serves as another stupid soon to be victim for Myers.Myers was also boring and the actor playing him didn't really make much effort he wasn't scary not even the mask was scary the entire movie looked cheap and generic.The deaths are predictable and not that good,the jump scares are also predictable,as is who will survive,as is the tired twist ending that was utterly laughable.Oh yeah and the "teens" in the film especially the two guys trying to help on webcam to save victims in the house you...simply...want...to...DIE.The writers of this film took a perfect opportunity to allow Michael to slice and dice a room full of extremely bad,overacting,and obnoxious teenagers and completely squandered it.Lastly the webcam was truly distracting as well as obnoxious it ruined any ounce of suspense that there could have been.Flat out this movie sucked it is not scary,not interesting,very boring,and worst offense of them all they killed the most beloved horror heroine of this franchise at the beginning of this film.

Like an old man trying to understand how to use their grandchild's tablet, Resurrection is an irony riddled attempt from a film in 2002 trying to defibrillate a franchise started in 1978. Given this is the eighth and last of the canon series, it seems fitting for the man that started it all returning to end it. Not Carpenter of course, but Rosenthal who directed the pleasantly fine second entry that helped popularize the killer that just refuses to kick the bucket.Also returning is finish things is Jamie Lee Curtis who firmly ended her relationship with the franchise by dying in the prologue. Much like the prior film of comically beating Myers' butt, Jamie is ready for round eight but shockingly, and rather limply, loses in a scenario reminiscent of Halloween 2.But here lies the problem, whether it be supernatural orders found in the dreadful and oft skipped 'Thorn trilogy' or simple cinematic storytelling, Michael Myers did it. He achieved his goal, his mission in life, his series story arc in murdering his entire family. In effect he has no meaning to exist, which cements him in the same position of Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger who were all having so much fun they forget why they even started.Who do we have now? Who knows, I sure can't remember the forgettable cast of fodder this time around. Save for Tyra Banks in a small throwaway role and Busta "Trick or treat, motherf***er" Rhymes as the man to canonically take down the Shape for the last time. No real threat since Paul Rudd also accomplished that. Those two (Banks and Rhymes) working together on an online reality show exploring spooky tourist attractions leads to uninspired and poorly directed portable camera portions that resemble the found footage craze that boomed before and then after this film.There also happens to be two characters that watch this at a Halloween party and aiding in the protagonist's survival, absurdly but entertainingly they wear Pulp Fiction costumes the entire film. As bizarre as it is to see a white guy try to act serious watching live murders while wearing an afro and goatee, it's pretty great to see recognizable costumes on screen.Mentioning Jason and Freddy before, it's strange to witness the ends of these franchises. Even with reboots and rebirths, it's still morbidly curious to see just how confident and desperate studios were to maintain a franchise with no regard to quality or quantity. Fittingly the franchises end up resembling the icons themselves, disfigured and devolved yet still lurching onward. But more so, that it's the masks that instilled that magic, like the people embodying those killers, it's the directors, actors, producers, and studios that regularly rotate to wearing them. Copycat killers trying their best, or not, to score their name crudely alongside the originators by rekindling the legacy.