‘Halloween’ movie review: Rob Zombie’s insult to the John Carpenter classic

NOW STREAMING ON:

Rob Zombie’s unwanted remake of John Carpenter´s 1978 horror masterpiece reaches depths previously explored only by Van Sant´s Psycho.

First half of the film is an uncomfortable and completely unnecessary look into the childhood of Michael Myers, from his ridiculously dysfunctional family, to his murders at age 10, throughout his 17-year incarceration.

After he escapes, film becomes a ramped-up, overclocked, shot-for-shot remake of the original film.

Almost every character in the film is so unlikable – spouting dialogue straight from The Jerry Springer Show – that one can only cringe. Lone exception is Dr. Loomis, played by Malcolm McDowell with a confused conviction.

Cinematically speaking, the film is garbage; as a curio, it holds some perverse interest due to its grotesque non-stop parade of cult film icons.

Cameos include Udo Kier, Dee Wallace, Tom Towles, Danny Trejo, Ken Foree, Leslie Easterbrook, Sid Haig, Clint Howard, Bill Mosely, Sybil Danning, Mickey Dolenz(!) and Danielle Harris, who played Myers’ niece in Halloween 4 and 5.

2007’s Halloween is an insult to a classic and influential film and an embarrassment for all involved; and this is coming from someone who liked both of Zombie´s previous films, House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil´s Rejects.

Halloween

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Jason Pirodsky

Jason Pirodsky has been writing about the Prague film scene and reviewing films in print and online media since 2005. A member of the Online Film Critics Society, you can also catch his musings on life in Prague at expats.cz and tips on mindfulness sourced from ancient principles at MaArtial.com.

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