Review of Halloween II (1981) by Johnathon W — 10 Oct 2016

Solid sequel to the horror classic, that while not as brilliant as the original, still delivers some scares. The smartest thing the movie does is follow the original directly making it feel like a continuation of the first film.

The returning cast members are solid, with Jamie Lee Curtis continuing her turn as one of the great scream queens of all time while Pleasence gives credibility as Dr. Loomis. This is also the film where Michael Myers connection to Laurie Strode is revealed along with implying he is more than just human.

Unfortunately, the film doesn't have quite the chills of the original, and some of the characters fall for some classic horror tropes. Plus, there are some glaring plot holes upon repeat viewing, notably the hospital it takes place is awfully vacant, particularly on Halloween (any medical professional will tell you that is one of their busiest nights).

However, there are still plenty of chills & iconic images (Michael's final walk is one notable sight) along with some of the most gruesome kills to date (you won't look at a needle the same way again).

Still the best sequel of the "Halloween" series to date, though not quite a classic.