Feature Review | Halloween: Resurrection
Written by: Kage Alan

Rated: C    

Here's what we've learned from watching the Halloween franchise: 1) Michael
Myers will never die, 2) each sequel selectively picks and chooses what it's
going to recognize and ignore from the previous sequels and 3) victims,
sorry, characters aren't getting any smarter.  Apparently audiences aren't
either because the studio doesn't seem to be treating us any differently.  At
least there were some signs of effort in this one, though.

As we last left Mr. Myers, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) chopped his head
off, end of series or so we thought.  Nope, the powers that be decided that
Michael had actually crushed the larynx of some poor ambulance driver and
switched places with him, so poor Laurie killed an innocent man.  She's
currently in a sanitarium awaiting her brother's return, which of course he
does.  There's a picture of her son from H20 on the wall of her room, but no
mention is ever made of him in the film.  When Michael shows up and does his
thing, Curtis bids the series a kiss goodbye (or at least a "Kiss my ass, no
more sequels for me!" goodbye).  What's a serial killer to do after he's
finally managed to finish off his sister after 7 films?  It looked to me like
he'd decided to retire and go home.  Maybe he should have considered Disney
Land.

Now we're introduced to our next batch of lambs headed for the slaughter.  In
order to get their hands on a scholarship, a group of college kids sign up to
spend a night in the Myers house on Halloween in a nod to MTV's "Real Life"
and "The Blair Witch Project".  The house is rigged with cameras and each of
our lovely horndogs wears a tiny camera on their head that Internet audiences
can switch back and forth from at will.  Yeppers, the entire event is being
broadcast for everyone to see, only they neglected one minor detail; what if
Michael Myers was still alive?  I've got to give the writer credit for the
Internet idea because it certainly had potential.

The fresh meat "Resurrection" includes on the menu this sequel is Bianca
Kajlich ("Boston Public") as the feisty heroine who makes great use of a
wireless palm pilot, Busta Ryhmes ("Shaft") as the Internet show
host/producer etc, Tyra Banks ("Coyote Ugly") in a total throwaway role,
Thomas Ian Nicholas ("American Pie") as the guy STILL trying to get laid,
Sean Patrick Thomas ("Dracula 2000") as our resident chef, Daisy McCrackin
("3000 Miles To Graceland") and Katee Sackhoff.  Dialogue in the film borders on average to ridiculous and there's only one death we don't see on screen. Come on, it's kind of why we go to see these films anyway.  Michael doesn't toy with his victims here at all and is really quite brutal, but less would
have been more here had they sacrificed it for more genuine tension.

"Halloween: Resurrection" had some decent ideas going for it and actually
managed some suspense around the ¾ mark, but there are too many "Oh, give me a break!" moments for it to be entirely successful.  Security guards don't
see bodies lying on the floor, the guy knocked off setting up cameras in the
house is never missed, the Police don't show up until the end of the film,
characters in the house don't always hear somebody getting killed, the scares
are all accompanied by loud sounds that ruin the entire effect and the
mythology of Michael Myers isn't really advanced here.  Why did he go home
after killing his sister?  Why didn't he go after his nephew?  What questions
that producer Malek Akkad promised would be answered actually got answered?

Well, Jason went into space and Michael Myers got to do an Internet thing.  
The ending is left wide open for a sequel, but it's also the ending that
stunk the most.  There were a few things going for "Resurrection" that soon
went down the crapper when it seemed they had no idea how to end it.  Next time, if they want to throw a little of that $15 million my way, I'll give
them a much better one.  All in all, this was an average effort that still
treated its audience as brain dead.  If Malek Akkad is going to take over for
his father, Moustapha, then he would do well to start reading the reviews.  
I've been generous because I actually LIKE horror films, but these guys need
to wise up.

COMMENTS
Date/Time of Posting:  Jul 14 2002 / 07:40:43
IP Address:  64.209.62.143
name = Ben Wasden
where = ben_wasden@hotmail.com
Subject = Halloween 8
comments = I liked Halloween: Resurrection and gave it an 8/10. I thought that Michael was scarier here than in all the other sequels and I liked that he was back to his brutal ways, instead of playing "nice" in H20. The opening sequence was the best. This movie is getting really bad reviews, even worse than Jason X, but if all the critics would have seen it with the audience I did they would understand that the movie wasn't made for them. It was made for fans of 80's slasher movies. It was more like Halloween & Halloween 2 than Scream. - Ben Wasden

Date/Time of Posting: Jul 16 2002 / 23:28:58 
IP Address: 151.201.12.100 
name = AcidXian 
where = AcidXian@aol.com 
Subject = Blah 
comments = If all you care about is seeing people get butchered for little or no reason, then I suppose this film was a spectacular good time. But anybody who watches horror films for suspense, or to actually be scared a little bit, is in for a major disappointment. This review was way too kind, and I can only hope that this film has effectively killed the "Halloween" series. It's getting a little old, and more than a little ridiculous. 

Date/Time of Posting:  Jul 21 2002 / 05:38:25
IP Address:  68.0.198.53
name = Keith
where = SpecialK969@msn.com
Subject = Great
comments = Halloween Resurrection was most definitly better than H20..probably one of the best sequels in the series..critics are literally killing this movie..i read all the bad review before seeing it and after seeing..i now know something i didnt..the critics are looking for good acting, a great plot..blah blah..damn people its the 8th sequel in a horror series..what did you expect for it to be in the oscar nominations?  im a huge fan of the series so i loved this movie..if youre not..oh well that just sucks for you.

Date/Time of Posting:  Jul 25 2002 / 06:52:14
IP Address:  198.81.16.53
name = Sean
where = Swansonseans@aol.com
Subject = HALLOWEEN 8
comments = Although they did make some major mistakes with the new movie (the casting of Busta being one), I think critics are going a little hard on it. The script could have been polished, removing some of the crappy dialogue and the chainsaw scene, but at least it was exciting. I don't think the film should have been made in the first place, I liked H20 and thought it was a good way to end the series. But now I have to accept that my beloved series will continue on past embarrassment and enter the realm of completely ridiculous. But hey, at least they appear to be trying with this new one, and it's certainly better than H5 or 6.Also, the bad reviews are hurting it, but it will still likely end up the third most successful film in the series.

Date/Time of Posting:  Sep 26 2002 / 17:28:55
IP Address:  65.117.176.140
name = Chris Collins
where = q22328@hotmail.com
replyemail = Resurrection
comments = Im kind of sick and tired of reading all these bad reviews. This movie isnt about being a smash hit, its about a serial killer just living his life. After killing his sister off, people think the series is going to go down the hole. I think the series can continue because people still get scared, even if its cheap and pointless. Come on, this movie made atleast $20 million in the box office, way better then Jason X. I dont like the cast much, especially Busta but atleast theres an attempt to make this sequel good. I noticed that every sequel has its little differences. This movie has alot of things that we dont expect Michael to do. I find this one being a little more scarier then the other sequels. The scariness of the move makes up for the bad dialogue,cast, etc. Honestly, the dark atmosphere does alot for the movie. I noticed that the acting of Brad Loree is what Michael Myers should be like. I would give this movie 3/4. The only reason it didn't receive a 4/4 is of the bad acting. I would consider this one up there with H1,H2,H4,H20. Rick Rosenthal did an alright job. Some scenes are reminiscent of H2 in many ways.

Date/Time of Posting:  Oct 31 2002 / 20:31:16
IP Address:  204.233.32.178
name = Jacob Linderman
where = notreal@fake.com
replyemail = not suspence
comments = To those who say any of these types of movies is bad b/c of lack of suspence, they're retarded. You want suspence? Watch (or, by God, READ) The Silence of the Lambs. This is a slasher flick, something that guys would take chicks to in order to increase their chances of getting laid at the drive-in. That's what this is about; just people having a good ol' time without having to think (too much thinking=bad). That's why I like not so much Halloween: Resurrection, but the whole series. Bad acting, retarded people, people wanting to have sex, and then some stabbing/killing. Ah, nostalgia: what an intoxicating remedy to the harsh realities of today.