Below you'll find my review for Halloween II...which I thoroughly enjoyed by the way...
Let me start off by stating that this film is unlike any other Halloween that has come before it. Now if you thought Rob Zombie's 2007 remake was a turn of the page, then get ready to turn to a new chapter. Zombie's Halloween II is arguably the scariest and most terrifying psychological mind trip that I have EVER seen!. Yes, it is a slasher in nature, but the film dives into a territory of gritty realism that has been long overdo in the horror genre.
Let's start with the beginning. The film opens precisely where the remake left off. We get to see the gruesome aftermath of Michael Myers' bloody Haddonfield rampage. And then immediately we jump to the hospital (which is actually the only resemblance to the original Halloween II), where we find the battered Laurie Strode, played by the talented young actress Scout Taylor-Compton. There's also a shot of Myers escaping the capture of authorities through a freak coroner accident. Oh, don't worry, this is a lot more believable than the reason explained in Halloween: Resurrection about the ending to H20.
Mr. Zombie shows that he really is growing as a filmmaker. The film -- which was shot in 16mm -- looks absolutely beautiful. There's a completely different look and feel this time around...and it definitely pays off.
Now there were rumors of Zombie not using John Carpenter's "Halloween Theme", but rest assured (I don't want to spoil anything), you have nothing to fret about.
The film really seems to hit the ground running and never lets up. There are a few uneccessary characters and deaths, but that's okay, we've come to expect no less in horror films.
There is also some interesting moments between Mane's Myers and Taylor-Compton's Strode, where they seem to be sharing the same visions about their mother (played by Sheri Moon Zombie) and the younger Myers (played by a newbie). It's a little weird at first, but it eventually all starts to make sense, which really adds to the atmosphere of the film.
Michael Myers is no longer just a Shape. He is now a character. Yes, that's right. Rob Zombie has successfully given life to a character that, in my mind, has been dead since 1982. Not only that, but he has done something that no other Halloween director has done -- and that is: expanded the character. We get to see into the mind of madness, if you will.
In the end, this may not be the best of the Halloween films, but it is the best Halloween II ever, hands down. This film is definitely worth the price of admission.
If you're a fan of the series and plan on seeing this, just remember this is a sequel to Rob Zombie's Halloween, NOT John Carpenter's Halloween. I said it earlier, and I'll restate it now: this is the scariest and most terrifying psyhological mind trip that I have EVER seen!
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