Halloween Ends has changed from one of the most anticipated movies of 2022 to one of the most dividing; you either loved the third installment of the David Gordon Green series or you were massively disappointed by it. Except for me, I’m in the middle.
I don’t think Halloween Ends was particularly bad, but I do see why people didn’t like it. The Corey character is annoying, as is Allyson. The once quaint town of Haddonfield feels jaded over it all. Laurie has gone from a badass killing machine to a fearsome housewife baking (and burning) pastries. And when Michael Myers finally shows up, he’s showing his age and *Spoiler Alert* dies at the end. It’s a far cry from the 2018 Halloween. Is it my favorite movie? Definitely not. Does it fit into the series? I think so, yes. Is it a bad movie? No, and here’s why.
The Legacy of Michael Myers
Keep in mind that were travelling on the (David Gordon) Green line of the “Halloween Express” (as CZsWorld has so eloquently put it). The legacy of Michael Myers in this timeline — that is, Halloween 2018, Halloween Kills, and Halloween Ends — is one of the more realistic ones. When people get hurt, they’re hurt enough to be in the hospital, and when they talk about bygone years, its clear they have aged. Michael Myers is an old man. Perhaps in his younger years (the 1970s), he could reasonably fall off a roof after getting shot and have enough adrenaline to keep it going. Forty years later, it’s not such a reasonable possibility. While I love the indestructible evil that is Michael Myers, I also can appreciate the filmmakers trying to lessen some of the complaints people have had about the other timelines, like Michael essentially not being human after coming back to life so many times. I’m glad it’s not a “gotcha” moment where someone is posing as The Shape, but I’m also loving the gradual wearing down he shows. Do I really think he can die? Ehh, that’s up for debate. But it’s cool to wonder.
The Feel of the Movie
I’ve tweeted this before, that Halloween Ends feels like November, but I want to explain because it may not have come off as I wanted. Ends is the movie manifestation of November in many ways. First, it’s literally November where much of the action comes after Halloween (you could argue that some points as still technically Halloween night, but I’ll say as it goes into the wee hours of the morning that we’re getting into November 1st territory as well). And it may be a little hard to explain, but this trilogy feels like the work up to, day of, and end of Halloween night. Halloween 2018 was the resurgence of the franchise — one we pretty much knew would have at least one sequel — making it the beginning of October. Kills was Halloween day itself: a stand-off with Michael, lots of killing, and pure evil. Ends was the aftermath, where everything has come to a rest and new beginnings are looked forward to. Never have I felt that way about a franchise. It’s an odd feeling, but one I don’t shy away from as it provides a sense of relief about everything we’ve seen this far. There is breathing room and time to process, which is rare in slashers.
Trying Something New
One of the biggest gripes fans had with Kills was the lack of Michael Myers and its supposed trying to “replace” him in the character Corey. Corey was not my favorite, as he played victim and got himself into something that was ultimately bigger than himself because he felt some type of way about it (and got killed for it). However, I do applaud the filmmakers for taking the ultimate left turn and not only killing Michael “for good,” but attempting to pass the torch to another evil entity almost seamlessly.
It mirrors how trauma — something the entire town of Haddonfield has experienced at this point — follows you and leeches onto the next life as well. Laurie and Allyson are definitely traumatized. Corey was past (and current) trauma. Just as Michael never stopped, evil never does. In an age of concurrent crises worldwide, this portrayal of trauma feels spot on. It was definitely not expected from an OG slasher icon.
I’ve expressed this same idea right after the not-so-hype release of Kills: people should stop comparing it to 2018 and recognize it for what it is: a middle child in a three-quel. The same can be said for Ends. It’s name sums it up perfectly. This is the end of Michael Myers. This is the end of Haddonfield’s curse. This is the end of the Green trilogy. But that, by no means, means it’s the end of this 40-year franchise. If anything, it’s an invitation for more, something I think fans should consider.
What did you think of Halloween Ends? Let us know in the comments!
