Review of Halloween (2007) by Eytan D — 15 Jul 2012

When I first saw Rob Zombie's Halloween, I was unfamiliar with his previous horror outings. But now that I am aware of his style, I find this remake to be gravely underrated. As a huge fan of the franchise, I thought this was a breath of fresh air, compared with the stupid Halloween: Resurrection.

Rob Zombie had a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but instead of succumbing to being a carbon copy of the classic original, he takes the story in an interesting new direction. Sure, Michael Myers is scarier without motivation, but who hasn't wondered what makes our beloved boogeyman tick? The introduction of Michael's highly dysfunctional trailer trash family is one of Zombie's signature filmmaking decisions.

The second act in Smith's Grove Sanitarium is disturbing and memorable. The third act, in which the real remake portion sets in, doesn't feel like a copy, but an homage and tribute to Carpenter's film.

The cast is filled with great horror names, and it's the first time in a while that The Shape is actually intimidating. I appreciate this one for what it is. It's a treat, not a trick.