by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Will Halloween finally end? David Gordon Green and Danny McBride’s trilogy of films may be coming to an end, but if Michael Myers makes money at the box office… Halloween will never end. Evil will not die tonight. Insert any other silly, contrived line attempting to be this new horror trilogy’s catchphrase. Billed as the ultimate and final showdown between Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Myers, Halloween Ends is the final chapter in this trilogy, but leaves much to be desired.
Does Ends offer up a satisfying ending to this story? It depends on the story that you are talking about. Halloween from 2018 is specifically a Myers slasher film that finds this unstoppable force slaughtering plenty of residents of his home in Haddonfield. But Halloween Kills begins to shift the focus from his murderous ways to the people of Haddonfield and the darker aspects of humanity. Then we get to this installment. For the first two acts, Corey (Rohan Campbell), who is ostracized by the town and driven to darkness and evil, is the focus of our story. Then the film remembers we are here for Laurie and Michael, so the third act feels like a completely different film. Such a mess. This film has no idea what it wants to be and in turn offers no real satisfaction for any of it.
But how do Green, McBride, and their fellow writers tell this tale? There is little narrative structure. This almost two-hour film feels completely aimless as it moves through a scattering of narrative threads. Laurie just strolls through life in the most random and mundane ways. Corey’s descent is a mashed up series of events that feel so at odds with Laurie’s story that it is distracting. When the film finally dives into the big climax, we actually get some tension and slashing about. But when it comes to a (supposedly) cathartic end, a terribly written and blunt voiceover takes away all the emotion. You have one of the most iconic scores from an iconic compose working on this film, and you shun it, and replace it with stiff voiceover? What a missed opportunity and a misguided judgment. Honestly, the voiceover is so overdone in this film, and it takes you out of the drama instead of adding layers to it.
But does Green deliver the goods? You know what I mean. This is one of the most unnerving and iconic slasher franchises of all time. But there is by no means enough of those elements to warrant this being called a horror film. Outside of the climax, this element is unfortunately left to the side. That unstoppable force of nature that we come to expect to see in a Halloween film is left to only a few fleeting minutes. Not going to lie, those elements work well when they present themselves, but outside of that, this is more of a boring slog than a continuation of one of the most beloved and iconic slasher franchises of all time. In a year anchored by some real strong horror, this one seems to fail on delivering so much.
Was this the best way to wrap up the latest venture in the world of Halloween? Certainly not. This dud leaves plenty to be desired, with only a few fleeting moments of terror and suspense. There should be credit given to the elements that feel fresh because so many properties are criticized for the laziness. But unfortunately, a fresh concept does not make a great screenplay. This film has so many strong concepts which are wasted in a flat and messy finale.
Score: 4/10
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