(2009)
Picking up immediately after the events of Halloween this sequel focuses on the aftermath of Michael’s rampage. Laurie Strode is understandably traumatized and must be sedated as she is carted off to Haddonfield Hospital. A year later we find Laurie still recovering from her mental and physical wounds as she attempts to put her life back together. Meanwhile Halloween is approaching and Michael, who apparently spent the year as a homeless person, slowly makes his way back to Haddonfield carrying a dark secret.
Halloween II fails on so many levels that I don’t know where to begin. In Carpenter’s Halloween, Haddonfield is a middle class neighborhood that could stand for “everytown”. In Zombie’s version Haddonfield is a grim, backwoods sea of rednecks, drunks and hookers, which brings up another complaint; why does Zombie insist on making all his characters greasy, filthy, and generally revolting? Zombie’s rednecks are not exclusive to his Halloween films and it begs the question, just where in the hell did Zombie grow up?
The characters, like the characters in all of Zombie’s films, are unlikable and generally loathsome. Carpenter’s Halloween worked well for many reasons including a sympathetic character to root for. Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie was a sensitive, heart-of-gold nerd and we loved her (and related to her). Her friends were regular generally likable teenagers who liked to drink and fool around. Zombie’s Laurie is a smug, snarky, self-absorbed twit with equally self-absorbed selfish friends. I couldn’t care less if anyone survived Michael’s slashing mission in Zombie’s universe. Even worse, In Zombie’s Halloween Dr. Loomis lacks a moral compass and has been reduced to a fame whore who shamelessly hawks his book about his famous patient (FYI psychiatrists are not allowed to write tell-all books about their patients, it’s kind of a no no in the field). Then there’s this,
Inexplicably Sheri Moon Zombie (Michael’s mother) appears several times in the film, occasionally on a white horse with young Michael Myers. The purpose of these surreal appearances continues to elude me. Is the appearance of an “angelic” mother supposed to supplant the reality that his mother was a hooker? Is this supposed to create sympathy for Michael? In the original Halloween we knew precious little about Michael’s back story. Zombie is intent on “explaining” why Michael became a psychopath. I don’t care why, it’s not relevant and it demystifies the Myers mystique.
Additional complaints include Michael’s vulgar grunting as he slashes his way through town; stabbing sounds that are amplified to the point of being ludicrous; and Zombie’s choice to jettison Carpenter’s Halloween score, which was essential for making Halloween “scary” and for making it the classic that it is today. Carpenter chose tension/”clean” slashing over gore. Zombie’s Michael eviscerates men, women, and animals in graphic detail. Yuck.
How I miss thee
Zombie’s 2 Halloween films are sadistic, hateful, nihilistic experiences. Like all of Zombie’s films his Halloween series seem to reflect an utter disdain for humanity. He appears to use the “Halloween” name as an excuse to further a disquieting agenda of hopelessness. There is nothing wrong with creating a gritty slasher film, but make us care a little. Zombie eschews scares for despondency. I don’t like to be depressed after I watch a horror movie.
