The circumstances surrounding this “Halloween” film are, without a doubt, the most interesting of this new trilogy. After the 2018 “requel” film and “just moments later” set sequel, writer/director David Gordon Green (“Prince Avalanche,” “Eastbound and Down”) has abandoned what was originally described as being one trilogy of films all taking place on the same night, virtually in real time. Instead, the final film in this trilogy “Halloween Ends” features not only a time jump, but the most divisive, bizarre, and intriguing twist on a “Halloween” film since… well, “Halloween 3.”
It's hard to summarize, even briefly, the plot of “Ends” because watching the film, it becomes apparent that what was advertised is very much not the movie audiences are shown. While what was shown in trailers and television ads seems like just another slasher film, what’s here is much more interesting. The film follows Corey Cunningham, played by Rohan Campbell (“The Hardy Boys,” “Mech-X4”), who, years after an accidental death of a child he was babysitting, meets Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis (“True Lies,” “Knives Out”), and begins dating her granddaughter Allyson, played by Andi Matichak (“Miles,” “Assimilate”) as Laurie sense more sinister things are afoot.
There’s a lot to dig into here, and suffice it to say that, given this is the final film in this new trilogy and of the “canonical” franchise, spoilers are abound. Regardless of how well executed it is, what Green and his writers Paul Brad Logan (“Manglehorn”), Chris Bernier, and Danny McBride (“The Righteous Gemstones,” “Eastbound and Down”) have delivered is a film unsatisfied with being just another slasher adventure with Michael Myers. There’s plenty of ruminations here on the nature of grief and moving on, and about how the way you treat others can infect their souls. There’s a surprising amount of talking here, and its at the very least interesting. Given how haunted Haddonfield has always been by Michael, even when he isn’t traipsing around, its refreshing to have a film where that’s at least partly addressed.
Curtis has the most emotional work to play with here of the series and she does a great job bouncing back and forth between someone trying to move on and struggling to forget. Matichak also does a great job with her arc and what she’s given, but some scenes are just kinder to her character than others. Campbell, meanwhile, is the film’s most fascinating performance for its most fascinating character. Once the hullabaloo of what this movie is dies down, it’s not hard to see Corey becoming a fan favorite character in the franchise.
The kills are appropriately brutal, and after two films all (mostly) set on the same night, it’s a breath of fresh air having one that doesn’t. It allows things to gestate and materialize over time and therefore make it all feel much more satisfying by the time things are over. It’s a shame that so much of the script feels super ham-fisted in what it wants to say but having a messier but more emotional script is better than having a sterile one.
It's hard to know what exactly to say about “Ends.” As a film, it certainly has a lot on its mind and wants to please a lot of people. It’s hard to think of any die-hard fans who aren’t at least pleased by the last twenty minutes, but there are unmistakable airs of “Halloween 3” here as well. It’s much much weirder than any “Halloween” film besides that third one and it has a lot to say. Whether or not it says it well is up to interpretation, but its there regardless and it’s simply wrong to say its serving up the same movie we got in 2018 and 2021. It’ll be divisive for sure, but its at the very least inspiring some kinds of conversation amongst fans, which is more than can be said about 2021’s “Halloween Kills.”
Tonight, Halloween ends, and according to Jason Blum, so does the franchise as far as they see it. What the future holds outside of Blumhouse’s hands is anyone’s guess, but “Ends” at least sends this new trilogy off on its most interesting note. It’s a big messy movie with a lot to say and a lot of people to please. Its sloppy for sure, but in an endearing way, not afraid to get super weird and play with the constraints of what the last two films were. If nothing else, it’s the most interesting movie in this new trilogy by far. 3/5
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