You have to hand it to the makers of “Halloween Ends.” They set out to once and for all conclude the story of Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney). At the risk of spoiling the movie, I can say the mission is accomplished. “Halloween Ends” — and thank goodness for that.
Nevertheless, there are four possible ways to continue the “Halloween” franchise after such a thorough ending. A, yet another remake in about 10 years from now. B, copycat killers, which is how the “Scream” movies have hung around for nearly 30 years. C, a copycat killer possessed by Michael and/or the apparent longstanding evil existing in Haddonfield, Illinois, which “Ends” came awfully close to having. D, picking up from what happened after the attempted mass pagan sacrifice at the end of “Halloween III: Season of the Witch.”
Hey, I said they were possible. I didn’t say they weren’t pointless.
Make no mistake, “Halloween Ends” has a point. Several of them. This is a movie about moving forward from tragedy, regaining one’s life, how it’s wrong to judge people and the consequences of a careless tongue. That last one is gruesomely depicted.
Directed by David Gordon Green, who co-wrote with Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier, “Ends” comes across like a feature-length compromise. Laurie and Michael may be the characters attracting audiences to “Ends,” and they lead the finale, but there’s also plenty of time for the woes of her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and troubled Corey (Rohan Campbell).
Vilified and harassed by many after a babysitting job went horribly wrong, to the point where even the victim’s father thinks it’s too much, Corey gets unwanted attention from two people in particular. The first is Laurie, who isn’t Ms. Popularity in Haddonfield thanks to the last two movies. The second is Michael Myers, who finally shows up nearly 50 minutes into “Ends.”
Michael and Corey begin a sort of master and apprentice relationship, going after most of the people who have done Corey and Allyson wrong. There’s at most three tragic deaths in “Ends,” three out of more than a dozen. The movie encourages viewers to think that most of Michael and Corey’s victims deserved their fates. In order to achieve that, we have to spend a lot of time with unpleasant people not worth caring about.
Your mileage may vary as to whether it’s worth caring about Corey. While I felt that he received a disproportionate amount of attention from the moviemakers, I also genuinely liked Campbell’s performance. “Ends” should deservedly lead to more opportunities for him. Curtis’ performance needs no qualifiers. She’s engaging and charismatic as ever — now please, stop making her have to do intense fight scenes!
Two final notes: Viewers with photosensitive epilepsy, please be warned that there is a strobe light sequence that goes on for at least a minute. Viewers in general, please pay attention to the principle of Chekhov’s gun, the idea that a potential weapon introduced early on must be used by the conclusion. “Halloween Ends” is littered with metaphorical guns.
I give “Halloween Ends” my Not Recommended rating.
