Halloween

'œFinally we know why homicidal maniac Michael Myers wears a mask'”straight-up embarrassment,' said Phil Villarreal in the Tucson Daily Star. This messy, unnecessary film from director Rob Zombie is a misguided remake of John Carpenter's 1978 horror classic. Zombie's Myers is less of a faceless monster, but he's as keen as ever on slashing topless teenage girls. Halloween's few interesting scenes come at the beginning and give insight into the childhood abuse and neglect that shaped the ruthless killer. After that, 'œZombie ditches the psychological intrigue and character work in favor of a mindless hackfest.' What's wrong with a hackfest? said Misha Davenport in the Chicago Sun-Times. Zombie's slasher sequences may be a bit methodical, but the real problem is all that developmental psychology. 'œIt's like The Wonder Years but with more blood, fewer tears, and a better soundtrack.' The horror of Carpenter's original came from fear of the unknown, said Toni Ruberto in The Buffalo News. If we feel too much sympathy for a horror-movie villain, he ceases to be an effective bogeyman. Lop off this film's first half-hour, however, and you'd have a cleverly made take on a classic. Zombie's homage adds occasional bits of humor, as well as a terrifying new ending, and it 'œcould very well be looked at as one of the best in the genre.'

Rating: R

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up