Halloween II

Rob Zombie's 2007 remake of John Carpenter's seminal 1978 slasher movie was a travesty; now he returns to the scene of the crime with this equally repulsive sequel. Scout Taylor-Compton reprises her role as Laurie Strode, the girl who supposedly killed maniacal killer Michael Myers (Tyler Mane). A year later, she's living with the sheriff (Brad Dourif) but troubled by bad dreams, and Michael's erstwhile psychiatrist (Malcolm McDowell, chewing the scenery like a rabid animal) is hawking a book in which he reveals that Laurie is actually Michael's sister. Of course, Myers isn't dead at all, and he returns to celebrate Halloween in his usual sanguinary fashion. What follows is an explosion of mayhem, with various nonentities being slashed and smashed to oblivion, punctuated by the unwise fixation on Michael's unhappy childhood that played such a regrettable part in Zombie's first film (Michael's mother and his younger self periodically appear in spectral form to accompany Michael on his marauding). Carpenter smartly avoided psychological backstory, simply presenting Michael as an inexplicable bad seed, and Zombie's attempt to “flesh out” the character fails. But that's a minor problem compared to the director's revolting style, which emphasizes graphic blood and guts. Halloween II is utter junk, all the worse for so thoroughly trashing Carpenter's minor classic of suspense. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary with writer-director Rob Zombie, deleted/alternate scenes (26 min.), audition footage (12 min.), “Uncle Seymour Coffins' Standup Routines” (9 min.), a blooper reel (5 min.), makeup test footage (3 min.), six music videos from Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray version is the “movieIQ” trivia feature and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing remake.] (F. Swietek)