Halloween II: Review By Vamp

Ah, good ole' Halloween II! This one I was also able to catch on the AMC(American Movie Classics) Channel, here in my home, and this one I was especially happy with because it's what I refer to as a TRUE sequel. I'll explain. A TRUE sequel, in my opinion, stays with the original cast, original story, and is almost, if not exactly as good as the original. A TRUE sequel also picks up EXACTLY where the story left off, and that's what this one does! So pretty much, this movie was genius, in my opinion. It's definitely a great one and it's got the feel that the old ones did. It's cool to see what happened after Dr. Loomis looked out over the balcony and notices that Michael's no longer there. As the cover of the DVD, as well as on most other posters, entitles "More of the night he came home" it's, well, more of the night that Michael Myers came home, and it reveals some stunning revelations as to Michael's drive, and why he is doing what he is doing.

The director of this movie is Rick Rosenthal, now if you've been reading all of my Halloween reviews, that name will sound familiar to you, or if you follow directing in movies. Well, I'll explain why this name sounds familiar to you. Rick Rosenthal is the man that directed the finale of this series, Halloween: Resurrection, and that's where you've heard him! My review for that movie. Anyhow, in this movie, Rosenthal does an excellent job at bringing us a TRUE sequel, and yes, I will be saying that throughout the review(So don't comment about it. :). Anyway, his visions for the films look and feel definitely mirrored that of the first film, and it felt like a Halloween: Part II, which, well, it is, but whatever. lol. The writers of this movie were John Carpenter and Debra Hill, who did the first movie, and as they did with the original, they bring us a fresh new idea, and carry it out, and give us exactly what we wanted, "More of the night he came home!" This is one of the few sequels that we have out there in this world that is almost, if not better, than the original movie! Definitely a great job from the director and writers!

The visuals of this movie are something, that for the first time, I feel obliged to ensnare you upon. These visuals are what this new director did great with! I mean, every director out there has a different vision than the other, but since John Carpenter was the director of the first one, this is where it's cool. This movie looked and FELT exactly as if John Carpenter had directed! Which is great because it helped it feel as if it were a TRUE sequel. I also like the fact that it's all still at night, and the directors and writers didn't forget that it's still supposed to be the same night as the first. It shows that they payed attention! lol. Another thing, and I always mention it for these movies, is the new ways Michael has for killing people. These people have twisted imaginations, but it's what makes these movies slasher movies, and if he just killed everyone the same way, it'd get boring, so new stuff, like boiling people in a hot tub, is expected! The visuals of this movie were done very well!

The storyline of this movie is original too because it adds on to the same story of the first one, like all sequels do, but this one adds on exactly where the first one left off! A TRUE sequel! Anyhow, I've always liked sequels to movies that do that, you know, picking it up where the last left off, exactly! It's great because at the end of such a great horror movie, like Halloween, you leave saying "I want more!" However, when you say you want more, you mean that you want more of that story, with those characters. You know what I mean? Anyhow, the writers definitely did a good job of adding on to the first one, and giving us another great Halloween movie. After having looked out the window in the end of the first movie, Loomis has now mobilized fast. He gets all the cops back out on the streets looking, and Michael is still out there, killing more and more people to get at Laurie Strode, whom we learn something new about. Now Michael stalks the halls of a Hospital, searching for Laurie, whose been fixed up, and is under the conclusion that the nightmare is over. The story picks up, like I've said, right where the first one left off, so you're immediately drawn in because you were left with the adrenaline in the first one, and this one helps pump more, keeping you locked to your seat.

Tony Moran returns in this movie as The Shape, or as we know him better, Michael Myers. Michael was shot six times, a couple bullets hitting him in the heart, but he is not finished off just yet. Michael got up and walked away, bleeding like a stuck pig, as if nothing had even happened! Now he continues to hunt Laurie Strode for some reason that no one can seem to figure out. This however becomes hard for Michael, because after he disappeared after falling off of the balcony, the police and ambulances mobilized, taking Laurie somewhere that he doesn't know. However, this doesn't stop him, as he soon finds out where Laurie is headed, to the hospital, and kills his way to there, finding a ride. While in the hospital, Michael begins making sure that he will not be bothered when he finally has the chance to kill Laurie, and begins killing all the Hospital attendants and doctors, and finally it's down to him and Lauire, but like earlier that evening, Laurie proves to be a harder kill than he'd imagined she would be. Tony Moran once again does a wonderful job playing Michael Myers/The Shape, bringing all of Michael's emotions to the surface of the mask, making the mask come to life in a way, and making him all the more creepy. With the big hulking slashers like Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Leatherface, it's all about movement and gestures, and that's what Tony Moran gets down for Michael Myers, delivering a truly convincing and believable performance. He was definitely a great casting choice for this role.

Donald Pleasance also returns to his role as Doctor Samuel Loomis, the doctor who cared for Michael while he was still in custody. After finding out that Michael had disappeared after Loomis shot him six times causing Michael to fall off of the balcony. When he sees this, Loomis heads out to find and capture Michael and stop him, hopefully killing him, but the only trouble he finds is that the police are blaming HIM for Michael's escape, and we all know how much Loomis warned EVERYONE that Michael was not to be underestimated. Now Loomis runs around trying to get Michael, while at the same time being a bit psycho about it. When someone wanders into the street and is hit by a police car, simultaneously slamming this person into a van, and then exploding, causing the person to burn(Note: This person was wearing a mask similar to Michael Myers' Mask), the police are convinced that they got him, but for some sinking reason, Loomis feels that Michael is not dead yet, but walking around, and still killing. They soon find out though that this incinerated person was really only a seventeen year-old kid, and must head out and find Michael. Soon Loomis is forced to depart from Haddonfield because they think it's his fault again, and that's when Loomis learns something that causes him to have an epiphany, knowing exactly what Michael's doing, and what he's after. Donald Pleasance does another great job as this character, making the Character's emotions and worries, as well as his sense that he must protect the unsuspecting citizens from Michael all come to life, making it a more realistic character. He delivers a wonderfully convincing and believable performance, and he was definitely another great casting choice for this movie.

Returning as well is Jamie Lee Curtis(As you all know, Halloween was pretty much the movie that jump started Jamie Lee Curtis's career in acting.), and she once again plays Laurie Strode. At the beginning of the movie we find Laurie telling Loomis that it really was the Boogie Man, and him replying that as a matter of fact it was. Then she is taken to the local hospital, where she continually shouts for them not to put her under, but they do anyway, and when she awakens, she finds, much to her surprise, that she is still alive and safe, but she has the sinking feeling, and utter terror that Michael is still coming after her, and she's not too far off from the truth. As Jamie lies in the Hospital, healing and resting, little does she know that everyone else in the Hospital is being killed off by Michael Myers, who has found her again, and is trying to get to her. However, as Laurie rests, she has dreams, and these dreams are explained, and this is the secret about Laurie's past that reveals Michael's intentions. Michael is Laurie's older brother, and he is after her to finish the job he started by killing her older sister. Now Laurie must fight for her life in a Hospital where no one is likely to find her and rescue her. Jamie Lee Curtis does a wonderful job in returning to this character, and making it what it is. She brings out all of the character's new fears and emotions in the movie, you know? Feeling alone and afraid, not sure if Michael Myers is really dead or not, or if he is still after her, and she makes all this happen upon her presence, and makes her character all the more realistic. She delivers an incredibly convincing, and incredibly believable performance, and she was definitely another great casting choice for this movie.

Lance Guest, an actor whom I've never heard of before, stars in this movie as Jimmy Lloyd. Jimmy is a young man who works with the ambulances at the local hospital near Haddonfield, and when he is called to the Strode house to bring in the only survivor of a brutal massacre, Jimmy finds out that he knows who this girl is. It's Laurie Strode, and she goes to school with Jimmy's little brother(I forget the brother's name, something like Izzy). Well Jimmy takes it upon himself to make sure that Laurie is cared for thoroughly by the attendants, and makes sure that he is there for her if she needs anything, which is hard because the nurse, Mrs. Alvers, is very strict, and keeps insisting that he leave the room, and not bother Laurie. Soon, however, Jimmy learns of what is going on in the hospital, and that the escaped mental patient, Michael Myers, is after Laurie Strode, he rushes around to try and find help, but finds that everyone else in the hospital has already been finished off by Michael Myers, now it's just him and Laurie and he must find a way out of the hospital and to safety. Lance Guest, though I've not heard of him, and am not familiar with his work, does an excellent job in this movie as well. He plays out Jimmy's love for Laurie, as well as his determination to do his job, and his overall fear of everything going on that night, and makes it all so realistic and relateable. He delivers an incredibly convincing, and incredibly believable performance in this movie, and was definitely yet another great casting choice for this movie.

All in all this is the perfect sequel to one of the best Horror slasher films of out age, not to mention the follow-up to the father of all slasher films. This movie's excellent directing and writing group help to make the visuals and the plotline/storyline all the more incredible, and all this is only helped by the fact that all of the actors play their parts wonderfully, all giving us incredibly believable, and incredibly convincing performances, that will ring out forever in the timeline that we call incredible sequels! This movie's also very fast-paced and grabs hold of your senses sending you into an awesome movie watching ride, and making for one hell of a sequel. This is truly a TRUE sequel, following up the first one exactly, and it's one of my favorite sequels ever! It's one of the best installments, in one of my favorite series of all time, and I recommend anyone to watch this, and any of the others!!!!!

THIS CONCLUDES THE EIGHTH REVIEW IN MY NINE PART SERIES OF REVIEWS FOR THE HALLOWEEN MOVIES: STAY TUNED FOR MY REVIEW OF HALLOWEEN, COMING SOON!!!!!