Halloween: Resurrection

Trying to breath a little Blair Witch/reality TV life into a horror franchise that has been on creative life-support for over 20 years, Halloween: Resurrection features masked psycho Michael Myers going ginsu on a bunch of teenagers (no, really?) who spend the night in his dilapidated childhood home as part of a live Internet broadcast called Dangertainment. The college kids vying for tuition money wear headsets with little cameras in them so we can see their point of view as they get hacked to death, while one of the program's producers (played by overacting, incessantly yapping hip-hop star Busta Rhymes) dresses up as Michael Myers to give the kids a scare, not knowing the real dude is in the house. While this camera gimmick is put to good use once the bodies start piling up, the movie fails in several other important ways--not the least of which is that it's never even a little bit scary. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Rick Rosenthal and editor Robert Ferretti, a 41-minute “Web Cam Special” footage featurette with optional director commentary, a seven-minute set tour featurette with production designer Troy Hansen, a four-minute “Head Cam” featurette, the four-minute “On the Set with Jamie Lee Curtis” featurette on Curtis's reprisal of her original role, six deleted scenes and three alternate endings (each with optional director commentary), toggle-friendly storyboard comparisons for five segments, and a stills gallery. Bottom line: lots of extra goodies in the DVD bag, but overall this film is more trick than treat.] (R. Blackwelder)