Halloween Ends is still in theaters and doing well. However, the divisive nature of the film has audiences participating in much discourse online. There has even been a petition started by some upset Halloween fans for a reshoot of Halloween Ends.
The film switches focus from Michael Myers by bringing in a new Haddonfield character and it has some folks screaming at the walls in their parent’s basement. Stars of previous Halloween films’ Taylor Scout-Compton and Danielle Harris did not enjoy the new film either and they let it be known.
Harris and Compton’s podcast, Talk Scary to Me dug into their recent screening of the new David Gordon Green film and the verdict was not good.
“It was a really cool story if it was about a new serial killer and what it was like for someone to become a serial killer …” Compton said. “But then they just kind of threw Michael Myers in there, is what it seemed like to me,”.
“Where are the kills? Where’s Michael? What the hell is going on?” Harris agreed.
This seemed to have been a lot of people’s response to the film. I get that. However, if you go back to even the very first Halloween, you will find that Myers isn’t on screen very long. If you show too much of the monster, it loses its ability to scare an audience. So, I feel it is important to look at that. Arguably, Rob Zombie’s Halloween films spent the most time with the character on-screen.
“I was mortified when he went into that tunnel and [Corey] almost beat his ass. I was mortified,” Compton said. “I almost couldn’t look, I was so traumatized about what was happening.”
Myers was 65 and covered in scar tissue in Halloween Ends. He had spent years underground alone. A young man in his 20’s driven by evil may have the edge for strength against a senior citizen.
“I know how hard it is to make movies. I also don’t want to offend anybody that made the movie. It’s just our opinion,” Compton said. “Now I get when people have opinions about my movies and your movies – I get it.”
Compton obviously feels kinda bad about not liking the film. Not every film is going to resonate with everyone. I really enjoyed Halloween Ends but it took me three watches and the realization that these films were a Haddonfield Trilogy and not a Myers or Strode trilogy.
All of these comments join the swirling discourse that is Halloween Ends.