Halloween II, written and directed by Rob Zombie tries to explore a psychological relationship between Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton) and her psychopathic brother Michael Myers (Tyler Mane) who once again has the intention of killing every human that crosses his path in the infamous town of Haddonfield. The film primarily focuses on Laurie, and her hallucinations that mirror Michael's, which involve a ghostly image of Deborah (Sheri Moon Zombie) and a young Michael Myers. The psychology of the film stretches to the point where Laurie acts out Michael's murders, like a psychopathic envisioning that links her mental state to that of Michael’s himself.
While Laurie struggles with her dreams, Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) has been going on tour to promote his new book, only to be greeted with outrage from the public who blame him for Michael's actions and exploiting the deaths of Michael's victims. Loomis is once again victim to the citizens of Haddonfield, as well as Michael himself. Credit goes to Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) once again for living up to this incredible character created by John Carpenter who this time plays a rather comical and annoying Loomis, which sheds new light on his persona.
While the film deserves some credit for expanding the generic pattern of the slasher film by exploring a psychological depth, it is this very depth that discarded the true meaning of the Halloween series and the grit that the viewer would have expected in the first place. Halloween celebrates itself as a simplistic slasher film that knows what it is, and this was somehow lost in translation in this remake, partly through the script by Rob Zombie, and partly though his directing. The generic framework of the slasher film did not allow such a psychological depth as Zombie tried to explore, and this depth somehow got lost within itself. While Michael’s envisioning of Deborah’s ghost does further the sense of unease and unpredictability for the character of Michael himself, it did not enhance the plot, nor the nature of the slasher film itself.
If Zombie wanted to further engage in the psychology between Laurie and Michael, than why did he still insist on the film being “realistic and violent” as well? The psychological relationship between these two characters does add an interesting element to the series, but when combined with the gore, violence and realism, it conveys the film to be confusing and very un-generic for the genre that Zombie was trying to locate the film within. Audiences watching this remake will be disappointed for the reason that they are buying into a genre that is not being conformed to here, nor being expanded.
Zombie has merely experimented with the limits of the Halloween series, and has taken it too far on this occasion. The ending of the film, however, was satisfying, when Michael is shot twice by Sheriff Brackett and falls onto the spikes of the farming equipment. Laurie walks over and tells Michael she loves him, then she stabs him repeatedly in the chest and finally in the face. The shed door opens and Laurie walks out, wearing Michael's mask. This ending provides an interesting closure to the type of film that Zombie was trying to create, especially the idea of Laurie and Michael occupying the same mind. Overall Rob Zombie has made his intentions clear for this Halloween addition, but somehow his ideas were lost within the plot, making the film unconvincing and often confusing.
While Laurie struggles with her dreams, Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) has been going on tour to promote his new book, only to be greeted with outrage from the public who blame him for Michael's actions and exploiting the deaths of Michael's victims. Loomis is once again victim to the citizens of Haddonfield, as well as Michael himself. Credit goes to Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) once again for living up to this incredible character created by John Carpenter who this time plays a rather comical and annoying Loomis, which sheds new light on his persona.
While the film deserves some credit for expanding the generic pattern of the slasher film by exploring a psychological depth, it is this very depth that discarded the true meaning of the Halloween series and the grit that the viewer would have expected in the first place. Halloween celebrates itself as a simplistic slasher film that knows what it is, and this was somehow lost in translation in this remake, partly through the script by Rob Zombie, and partly though his directing. The generic framework of the slasher film did not allow such a psychological depth as Zombie tried to explore, and this depth somehow got lost within itself. While Michael’s envisioning of Deborah’s ghost does further the sense of unease and unpredictability for the character of Michael himself, it did not enhance the plot, nor the nature of the slasher film itself.
If Zombie wanted to further engage in the psychology between Laurie and Michael, than why did he still insist on the film being “realistic and violent” as well? The psychological relationship between these two characters does add an interesting element to the series, but when combined with the gore, violence and realism, it conveys the film to be confusing and very un-generic for the genre that Zombie was trying to locate the film within. Audiences watching this remake will be disappointed for the reason that they are buying into a genre that is not being conformed to here, nor being expanded.
Zombie has merely experimented with the limits of the Halloween series, and has taken it too far on this occasion. The ending of the film, however, was satisfying, when Michael is shot twice by Sheriff Brackett and falls onto the spikes of the farming equipment. Laurie walks over and tells Michael she loves him, then she stabs him repeatedly in the chest and finally in the face. The shed door opens and Laurie walks out, wearing Michael's mask. This ending provides an interesting closure to the type of film that Zombie was trying to create, especially the idea of Laurie and Michael occupying the same mind. Overall Rob Zombie has made his intentions clear for this Halloween addition, but somehow his ideas were lost within the plot, making the film unconvincing and often confusing.
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