AlthoughHalloween Killsis far from the most liked orwell-received installment of theHalloweenfranchise, I think it gave us the best and most threatening version of Michael Myers to ever grace the big screen. Afollow-up to 2018’sHalloween, which acted as a sequel to the iconic 1978 original,Halloween Killssees Michael escape a trap at Laurie Strode’s home and embark on a rampage throughout Haddonfield.
Over the years, the franchise has given us manydifferent looks at Michael Myers, but the one seen in 2018’sHalloweenwas among the best. He was intimidating, silent but deadly, and his advanced age added something even scarier. He was locked up for decades, yet was still ready to get back to killing once he was out.Halloween Killstook that one step further, making for the best Michael Myers.
Michael Myers Is Unstoppable In Halloween Kills
He’s Basically Impossible To Kill
Michael Myers is always kind of unstoppable. That’s part of what makes him so scary, but inHalloween Kills,he was seemingly unstoppable to a supernatural degree. At first, Michael escaped the fire set by Laurie Strode, which was mostly due to the firefighters getting involved. He killed them all, setting the stage for a movie where he’s seemingly determined to get back to Laurie and murder her.
However,the town of Haddonfieldhad other plans, coming together to try and stop Michael on the 40th anniversary of his initial killing spree. Spearheaded by Tommy Doyle, a mob surrounded Michael and attacked him, beating him with various weapons, stabbing him, and seemingly leaving him for dead. For any normal man, that attack would’ve resulted in their death butMichael showed that he was no normal human being.
The mob began to part and walk away, believing they had killed Michael, only for him to stand back up. Michael then proceeded to run through them, killing dozens in the kind of unstoppable rage that we’d never witnessed from Michael. He cut them down one by one and it seemed like no matter what the town did, Michael would survive it. That made him more unstoppable than ever before.
Laurie & Her Family Never Faced A Bigger Threat Than This Michael Myers
Michael Went After Several Family Members In Halloween Kills
The history between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers began in the original 1978 film but continued in interesting ways.Halloween IIintroduced the concept of Michael and Laurie being siblings, whichthe Rob Zombie entriesfurther developed, while the middle films also brought in Jamie Lloyd, Laurie’s daughter and Michael’s niece. However, that concept wasn’t used for this modern trilogy since it picks up after 1978’sHalloween.
When Michael kills someone in the mob or a random Haddonfield citizen, it’s scary but when Laurie and her family members are involved, it takes things up a notch.
That means that in this timeline, Michael has no relation to Laurie and had only ever been a threat to her. When he escapes in the 2018 film and comes after her, Laurie has a daughter and granddaughter who are now in Michael’s crosshairs.That raises the stakes to a point that hadn’t been seen in the franchise yet.When Michael kills someone in the mob or a random Haddonfield citizen, it’s scary but when Laurie and her family members are involved, it takes things up a notch.
We are connected as an audience to Laurie’s family, so when Michael ultimately kills her daughter Karen at the end of the film, it’s the biggest murder Michael has committed. He’s taken something from Laurie that she can never get back and it sets the stage for a showdown between the two that has never been more personal.
Halloween Kills Showed The Right Way To Make Michael Myers Somewhat Supernatural
Michael Was Something More Than A Man But It Never Went Too Far Off Course
There’s always been anidea that Michael Myers is more than just a man. A lot of it relates to the fact that he seemingly cannot die but going too far into the realm of supernatural would be a bad move. It would change the premise and vibe of theHalloweenfranchise too much. There’s something scary about a man going on a killing spree with nothing really motivating him, that being some supernatural entity would take away from.
It makes Michael a bigger threat without moving away from what the franchise had already established about him.
Halloween Killstoes that line perfectly. When Michael gets attacked and put on the verge of death by the angry mob,it’s noted that he’s basically the embodiment of evil. It’s not the movie flat out saying he’s beyond a human but it’s just enough of a nudge in that direction that you buy into his survival and subsequent killing of the mob. It makes Michael a bigger threat without moving away from what the franchise had already established about him.
Halloween Ends Should’ve Focused More On This Version Of Michael
The Last Film In The Trilogy Went In A Different Direction
As noted,Michael killing Karen at the end ofHalloween Killsset up one final showdown with Laurie inHalloween Endsthat should’ve beenepic. That would’ve been especially true if the same, unstoppable evil incarnate take on Michael was the one who Laurie faced off with. Given how the first two films take place on the same night, having the third wrap up that night feels like it would’ve been the ideal way to go.
Instead,Halloween Endsgoes a year in the future and shifts the focus to Corey Cunningham. The idea ofMichael infecting Coreywith his evil is an interesting one but it lessens Michael vs. Laurie. That’s further extrapolated by the fact that Michael feels like an older man in the film. InHalloween Kills, he’s as brutal as ever and that’s the version who could take on Laurie in a fitting conclusion to the story.
While Laurie finally beating Michael still felt good for the viewing audience, it wasn’t as satisfying as it would’ve been if Laurie had beaten Michael at his peak. The Laurie Strode from 2018’sHalloweencolliding with the version of Michael Myers fromHalloween Killswas the final battle that the franchise deserved after all that build up. It’s unclear if we’ll ever see Michael Myers on screen again but this trilogy gave us the highs and lows of the character.
