I am one
to fall for cheap scares, how stupid or unrealistic they may be.
While this fact does not apply to the recent overbearing
Jason X, it does with Halloween: Resurrection. This
is the eighth installment in the “Halloween” series, and the
spooky, but artificial scares never seem to tire. The wrath of
Michael Myers keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, and the
dark plot of the eighth film highlights this. This is one series
that has never lost its wit, because the flicks never go
overboard. While the original Halloween is much more
skillfully made than Resurrection; the latest effort the
ability to scare anyone in the presence of a dark theatre.
It opens
up to a short prequel, to explain how the villainous Michael
Myers, star of the “Halloween” films came to be the evil man
that he is. If you are, in fact, a virgin to the series, Myers
is basically an infallible criminal behind a mask. He is feared
by everyone on the planet, and has never officially been
captured by police. In this installment, a couple of TV reality
executives recruit six teenagers to stay in Myers’ childhood
home. They will be broadcasted over the internet, in real time.
As the night unravels, Myers sneaks into the house, and begins a
killing spree. Who, if any, will be able to escape?
The film
editing, done
by Robert A. Ferretti, is creepy and haunting. It is done in the
style of Fear dot com, and has the rare ability to make a
bad movie good. I particularly enjoyed the way that the several
shots from the teenager’s handheld cameras were cut. It is a
frightening and chaotic method that has the ability to make any
viewer scared, no matter what the material. Many would deny,
because of the films nature, that it has a sense of style; but
it does. This might not be the most noticeable aspect in the
film, but if you look hard enough; it is most definitely there.
This is not a masterful work, but rather a hauntingly
entertaining one.
The
direction, by Rick Rosenthal, is nothing to rave about. It is a
colorful affair, and the methods that he uses are skillful; but
the end result is mediocre. This is because he takes advantage
of his power. A director is expected to shape a films character,
no matter what the material may be. Rosenthal abuses this by
overdoing several scenes, and not cooperating with the
screenplay. At times he tries to make things that aren’t
supposed to be, scary. On rare occasion, this is to the benefit
of the film; but most of the time, it turns terrifying material
into comedy. Halloween: Resurrection doesn’t quite go
overboard, but it comes pretty close; and would be better off if
it were to take things less seriously.
With all
said and done, I enjoyed Halloween: Resurrection, and
even was scared at times. This is a franchise, similar to “James
Bond,” that will never die. Every now and then, a movie will
slip through the cracks, but overall; we smile at the results.
They are corny, stupid, and showcase mediocre talent; but
somehow fun. It is necessary to watch this material with an open
mind, because without one, it will be a frustrating and
lackluster affair. I can’t say, by any means, that Halloween
Resurrection is masterful, or creative, but it’s an engaging
experience that’s well worth a rental. Without this type of
movie, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy cinema itself. My
recommendation is to sit back, relax, and enjoy the cheap
thrills.
-Danny, Bucket Reviews