Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you all have had a great month of spookiness! And what better way to cap off the best holiday of the year than a ranking of the Halloween franchise!
Easily my favorite horror series; Michael Myers stands head and shoulders above the competition for me! Through thick and thin; good movies and bad movies; good masks and bad masks, I absolutely love this series that gives us our own personal Choose-Your-Own-Adventure!
And even though this should go without saying; this is my own personal ranking. We all have different tastes and I think that lends itself real well to this franchise!
Also, depending on the movie I may have less to say about it than the others. Doesn't mean one thing or another per se, just that my thoughts on it might just be brief ones. And if I were to discuss ever part of each movie, we'd be here for a long time. So, we're just hitting some broad strokes here!
So without much more delay, let's get into the ranking!
Honorable Mention: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
Let's get this out of the way right now. I DO like this movie. I like the concept and Tom Atkins is a great, flawed hero! There really is a lot to like here but it's the odd man out of the franchise and I'll treat it as such. If the plan to make every entry from this point on its own contained story, we'd be having a different conversation. But such was not the case. However, I do strongly recommend this film regardless!
12. Halloween Ends (2022)
The cinematic equivalent of a parent telling their child, "I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed." I still can't understand why they went in the direction they did with this one. I have no problems with the fact that they wanted to try something different--that's fine. I just don't think the closing chapter of your trilogy was the right time or place to do it. There are so many creative choices that are just purposefully at odds with what was set up in the prior two entries. There's a time jump that killed the momentum left over from Kills, a new character is introduced that we are just supposed to accept as a main character, and side characters/subplots from the prior movies are just straight up abandoned or hardly mentioned. But, I think worst of all, not making Michael Myers your main villain for about 90% of the movie and instead having Cory go through a Christine-like transformation, taking up the screen time. Then having what feels like a shoehorned final fight with Michael and Laurie just to say its the finale.
I do think there is an interesting idea in here by having Michael's essence influence and infect the town. It's a neat concept, but it felt like they already kinda explored that in Kills with having the town form into an irrational mob because of him. And the only other positives I can give it is that I think it's nicely shot and the score is great.
Look, if you like this film, that's obviously fine. Different strokes for different folks. But, for me, as a finale to a trilogy that I was liking more with each entry, this is a massive let down.
11. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
I think we can all agree that this one is pretty bad all the way around. And the only reason it's not below Halloween Ends is because this one at least has Michael Myers as the main antagonist.
However this one is pretty bad. it's hard to recommend this one unless you're just a fan of the series. Nothing really works here. First, and foremost, this one completely ruins the ending to Halloween:H20 while also ruining the character of Laurie Strode and her development from that film. It also squanders an potentially interesting idea with the almost found footage angle it tries to go for at certain times. It's also just kind of a dull watch. There's occasional moments of fun but they are far and few between.
Although, I will get this film a couple of good points. Michael's mask isn't the worst this series has seen to that point, though he looked more pissed off than anything. And say what you will about Busta Ryhmes, but he is the most fun and energetic person to watch here.
10. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1996)
Definitely the weakest entry in the Thorn Trilogy. This is a movie that no one truly knew what to do with. But, let's be honest here, the things in part five were never going to get a satisfactory resolution! It's a mess of a movie through and through.
However there are a few good nuggets in here. The idea that Halloween has been banned in Haddonfield is a pretty great one; and one that no other entry has fully explored to its full potential! Seeing a young Paul Rudd is pretty fun! And Donald Pleasence's final turn as Loomis is always a treat. And Michael gets a few fun kills along the way!
9. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
This is a dull watch depending on my mood, but it's at the very least a coherent movie compared to part six.
I think the most interesting part of this movie is Dr. Loomis. He's at the end of his rope with his dealings with Michael. He's more unhinged and willing to put people in danger to try and put an end to Myers.
Beyond that though, this movie isn't too interesting and almost completely ignores the ending of part four. And because of that it's another movie in the series that doesn't know what it wants to do with its characters, so they start throwing in ideas that will continue over to give the next movie problems.
And the less said about Tina, the better!
8. Halloween (2007)
Can they just give Rob Zombie the chance to make a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie already? I think his writing is better suited for that type of movie than that of the Halloween series. And at this point could his take be any worse than what has already been put out there?
That being said, I don't mind some of the choices made here. Not a lot of them, but some of the things it does differently I think it works well enough. I like the idea of spending time with Loomis as he tends to Michael in Smith's Grove. It's probably the most interesting thing here. Leaving you wondering whether he actually cares for the boy or is just exploiting him for his own gain.
And Michael coming from a broken home is good for at least differentiating this one from the original. I just think it takes away from the mystery of Michael Myers.
Unfortunately, about half way through the movie it becomes pretty close to a shot-for-shot retelling of the original. And at that point you might as well just watch that film.
But, if your looking for a more brutal, bloodier, Grindhouse take on the story you can't really go wrong here.
7. Halloween II (2009)
Hobo Michael is here! And he's bringing more of that Grindhouse sensibility with him.
So, it can be argued that this is a worse film than the last. And those in that favor wouldn't be inherently wrong either. However, I completely respect Rob Zombie for just swinging for the fences and making something closer to his own style than trying to retread something that was already perfected. It doesn't fully work, of course. But you can't tell me that this film fades inline with the rest of the series.
Though fairly nihilistic in its tone and depiction of the Laurie's trauma having survived her encounter with Michael, this movie is more visually interesting than its predecessor--and probably the whole series. Strange dream sequences and ghostly visions of Michael's mother are scattered throughout, giving much of the movie a music video feel.
But at the end of the day it's still not that great. But I put here in this spot because I respect the decision to go in a crazy direction and making it visually interesting along the way!
6. Halloween: H20 (1998)
The first time Laurie returned! And in some ways her portrayal is more believable that the Sarah Connor-esqe version we got in Halloween (2018). But to be fair, it's also kind of boring compared to the more proactive version of the character.
And in some ways, that carries over to the rest of the film as well. It's competently made, just kind of middling for a movie. It's not until the last thirty minutes, or so, when Laurie squares off with The Shape, when it finally picks up. Before that it's just a lot of meandering around with the characters, while Michael takes his sweet time getting to the private school setting.
I don't always need a high body count in a Halloween movie, I just need some good suspenseful moments. And unfortunately this movie doesn't have much of either.
5. Halloween II (1981)
I've always liked this one. It pairs quite nicely with the original movie, picking up right were that one left off and finishing up the story. Though it's not entirely seamless as Michael's mask, even if it is the same one, doesn't look great here. It's puffy and discolored from not fitting the actor's face and from sitting under the producer's bed after the first movie, respectively. But Michael's actor does a decent enough job continuing on from the last.
And Laurie being laid-up in the hospital for most of the movie doesn't really work either. Though I will say I feel like she should've never have been the main protagonist of the franchise. That should have stayed with Dr. Loomis, or at least a character similar to him. And on that note, is just as good here as he was in the first movie.
But this is still a fun companion piece to the first one and should always be in rotation during the spooky season.
Though, we did lose poor Ben Tramer in this one!
4. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
There was a time where this would've been my second or third favorite in the series. But lately it has stayed securely in my number four spot.
My favorite aspect about this is everyone believes Dr. Loomis when he tells them that Michael has returned to Haddonfield. And not only that, but they take action to hunt him down.
But in the end it doesn't matter as The Shape won't let anything stand in his way. He dismantles the phone lines lending into town, blows out the power and slaughters most of the police force in his pursuit of his niece. He is at his most lethal here! Too bad that mask still looks horrible.
3. Halloween (2018)
I was so excited when this can out; I could wait. Then, I watched it and I initially didn't like it as much as I do now. It did a lot of things right, but the tone felt at odds with itself with the comedic scenes/jokes just not being funny or in places where there should be tension and dread. And I think not having a Dr. Loomis type character in this movie or the other two, was a mistake. He helps in not only being a foil to Michael, but also inadvertently helps build him up to be The Boogeyman.
However, I think they nailed the most important part of the movie--Michael Myers. He feels right in step with the original portrayal. They made him scary again; and that long tracking shot of him killing his way through the neighborhood is fantastic!
2. Halloween Kills (2021)
Look I'm well aware of this films flaws. I see them every time I watch this movie. However, I think it gets enough right for me that I can over look those flaws. I will agree that the writing and dialogue isn't that good and that the pacing is a little hit or miss, but I think it nails Michael Myers as a character. He is The Shape through-and-through here. All he wants to do is to go home (with no explanation as to why) and he'll slaughter everyone who gets in his way. They even continue on whether he's is supernatural or not; clearly taking more damage than a human should but then seemingly ignoring it as he journeys on. Plus, this movie has my two favorite Michael moments (after the original) in the entire franchise with The Shape vs. the firefighters and The Shape vs. the town mob. Both shot well and show off how deadly he can be even when you'd think he'd be easily overpowered! And let's not for get that Michael get to win at the end of this movie. That's such a great way for the film to conclude! and one that's never really been done before!
Along side that I think the score is (again) great here, with the main theme almost having an operatic apocalyptic feeling. And I think it's shot well; Michael walking out of the burning house is amazing and ties in to that apocalyptic feel I just mentioned.
Although there are a couple of things that do bug me or I feel don't get enough credit. Firstly, Judy Greer, as Karen, doesn't seemingly get enough credit for her role! I enjoyed her character in both 2018 and here and it was a shame that she was killed off and couldn't com back for ends.
Secondly, and this is a bigger one for me, I think kicking Halloween II (1981) out of the timeline was a mistake! I think if you kept that in, and just kept the brother/sister angle changed like they did, it'd make the town mob more believable. As it is, they go from zero to sixty as soon as they catch wind Michael is back. And he only killed three people (four if you want to count the mechanic) in the original movie; something they even poked fun of in the 2018 film. Where as in Halloween II (1981) his body count grew beyond those three. It'd make the town's panic more organic and would've also tied into the themes in Halloween Ends (2022).
Beyond that, I still think this is a fun movie! And I still recommend it to everyone to check it out. It's just a fun throw back to all those 80's slashers we all like so much! Bad dialogue included!
Also, Michael's look is the best since the original movie!
1. Halloween (1978)
Is there anyone who doesn't put this as their top choice? I'm genuinely curious.
What is there to say? The one that started it all is still the best! Everything from its mood, its score and its characters is classic in every sense of the word. And while there were technically slashers before it, Halloween practically made slashers a household name, leading the way for more icons in the genre that many hold dear today!
And that the ranking! Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are! Do you agree with me? What does your list look like? Let me know!Again Happy Halloween everyone! Have a great one!
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