By Travis Johnson
It is stunning how good David Gordon Green and Danny McBride’s imminent Halloween sequel/requel/reboot/delete as necessary, is looking – judging by the trailers so far, those guys have absolutely nailed it, capturing the tone of John Carpenter’s never-bettered original, stripping away 40 years of moribund and confusing continuity* to deliver something lean, mean and hair-raisingly chilling.
In case you’ve missed all the hoopla, the 2018 edition of Halloween carries on directly from the ’78 classic, and sees Jamie Lee Curtis return as iconic scream queen Laurie Strode, who has been waiting four decades for the chance to finally whack psycho killer Michael Myers. She gets her chance when the big, breathy lug busts loose from the nuthatch on… *points to title*.
Or, as the official synopsis would have it, “It’s been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. She now faces a terrifying showdown when Michael returns to Haddonfield, Ill. — but this time, Laurie is ready for him.”
Seeing Jamie Lee in full on Sarah-Connor-in-T2 survivalist mode is pure fire, and of course everyone thinks she’s nuts for spending most of her life getting ready in case Big Mike cuts loose. It’s hardly a spoiler to say they’ll all be proved horribly, horribly wrong, much to the audience’s benefit.
If we have one request, though, it’s that this latest Halloween not spawn any sequels, even if it makes a gazillion dollars at the BO. Part of what makes this iconic is that it’s the final battle between Laurie and Michael – – let it be that.
Halloween is in Australian cinemas from October 18, 2018.
*There are nods a-plenty, though – those kids are wearing Silver Shamrock masks (Halloween III: Season of the Witch) for one thing.
