Halloween II

This entry in the now 13-strong film 'Halloween' franchise has a big fanbase to this day, and I didn't really understand why until, well I guess the past few years - nearly 30 after its original release.

For the first third, I finally understand it. For the rest, it's merely a matter of personal taste; anything set in a hospital generally turns me off - signs of a previous life perhaps. The first third though is strong. I love how the storyline continues seamlessly from the moment the original ends. It's full of the Halloween atmospherics we love. There's a slightly surreal edge to it, which seems to come from how they shot the same setting with a slightly different look and feel provided by John Carpenter's successor in the director's chair, Rick Rosenthal. FUN FACT: Rosenthal returned to direct the 8th entry in the series, 'Halloween: Resurrection,' which deserves a more fitting title: 'Halloween: Abomination.'

As a slasher, I think it delivers, which is why I'm mostly indifferent about this one. I'm glad it exists and is part of the cannon, and has its fans. It just lacks appeal to me after the first 30 minutes or so, and JESUS H. CHRIST this doesn't even get into that wig. Jamie Lee's wig. In 4K .... it's even "better."