Weird. That is the only word that I can come up with to adequately describe my feelings leaving the theater after seeing Rob Zombie's Halloween II. I will not lie, I was desperately hoping to enjoy this film. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I was anxiously counting down the days until its release. Now, I sit here trying to sort out in my mind, exactly where the film went wrong.
For starters, everything that Rob Zombie did well in the original 2007 remake, he overdid here. I mean, sure we want gore and scare tactics, but there needs to be a storyline to connect the events that are taking place. The last film worked well because it focused on the mentality of Michael Myers, uncovering his past and showing what caused him to brutally kill his family. However, that same style wasn't present here, leaving me in a state of bewilderment as I saw an amazing series reboot quickly fall into the generic cookie-cutter protégé of today's slasher films.
The dream sequences, a random fixture to say the least, are extremely overdone, in length and in quantity, making you question whether what you are seeing is real or not. It is fun the first time, especially with the long and energetic opening; though by the hour mark, the effect had dwindled considerably.
For those who are fans of Rob Zombie, you will be more inclined to appreciate the film for its violent nature and uncensored approach - people aren't just killed; they are brutally mangled. One man gets his head beat in by a shoe, and another is decapitated with a piece of broken glass, while a dog becomes Michael's unexpected dinner. These are just a few of the gruesome moments that made their way onto the screen, making me wonder if Zombie was more concerned with blood than with actual story telling.
Laurie Strode, played by Scout Taylor-Compton, isn't at all like I remember her being. Gone from the original is the innocence and youthfulness that has always made her appear as the-girl-next-door type, replaced by a rebellious, heavy metal-loving party girl who yearns little sympathy. Call me ridiculous, but the polar opposite extremes can't be justified based on the previous year's events. There isn't enough time to make the full transition, and her rough edge is just too extreme to come off as plausible.
I will give kudos for its creativity and a somewhat quick ending; although it was not exactly what I was looking for. Sadly, and, I really hate saying this, but Rob Zombie blew it here. He had the chance to make a worthy sequel and go down as the man who re-energized a fading iconic franchise. Now, due to the disappointing and overdone Halloween II, his Mike Myers films will be looked at as failed attempts. Even though the first was near flawless, it will be grouped with this regretful excuse of a film.
