Director David Gordon Green brings his trilogy on horror icon The Shape/Michael Myers to a close in Universal Pictures, Halloween Ends. In the four years since Michael Myers' latest killing spree, which sadly ended with her daughter's death, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) has been living with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) as well as finishing the writing of her memoir. Since then, Michael Myers has seemingly disappeared. Allowing the specter of Michael to determine and drive her reality for decades, Laurie has decided to liberate herself from the fear and rage that has driven her existence for so long. Laurie now embraces her life with gratitude and joy instead.
On the other hand, Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) wears the label of a leaper of Haddonfield after he was accused of murdering a boy while babysitting him in 2018. In a series of events, Laurie and Corey's paths cross, sparking a cascade of violence and terror as they emerge into the light. Ultimately, this will force Laurie to confront the evil she cannot control once and for all.
After months of speculation and leaks, Halloween Ends finally arrives. A lot of fans know the bulk of the Halloween Ends plot. Out of respect for those who don't, I will try to keep my review spoiler free. One thing I will mention, though, is that there is no mention of the pandemic or anything else political. In addition, the film is going to have a very decisive reception.
David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan, and Chris Bernier collaborate on the screenplay. The quadrant of scribes opens the film setting up Corey's arc before giving us a nifty credit sequence that franchise fans will get a kick out of. In the role of Corey, Rohan Campbell organically taps into the part of the town outcast.
Gorden crafts somewhat of a domino effect for the character of Corey that we know; eventually, he will snap. I also commend the correlation they create for the character with Allyson. The chemistry between Rohan Campbell and Andi Matichak is natural, and I understand why the film makes the choices pertaining to their arcs.
However, this is a Halloween film, and thus it's all about Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie Strode. Curtis can play the role of Laurie in her sleep, but this time out, she's aged and still ready to put up a fight. What I took away from this take on Laurie was that she's s prepared to move on but has to put the past to rest first. If this is the last time we see Jamie Lee Curtis in the franchise, I say job well done.
As for Mr. Myers, it's true that he doesn't have a massive part in the film. Instead, the leak that the script took some from Stephen King's Christene is accurate. When I first heard this plot point, I expected something akin to the "Camp Crystal Lake" novel series of the early nineties. In those novels, a random person would find the Jason Voorhes hockey mask and go on a killing spree. Halloween Ends doesn't take the route, but the way they omit Myers for most of the film works for me.
Halloween Ends closes out David Gordon Green's version of the franchise decently enough, featuring the iconic score, brief returns of characters, some decent kills, and a few callbacks for the fans. While I've never been a super fan of the series, I enjoyed making one last trip to Haddonfield before the next reboot.
Final Grade: B
Halloween Ends opens in theaters tonight and will be available to stream on Peacock