Halloween Kills is not a bad movie. It is also not a good movie. It was, however, a very lackluster and disappointing movie. The entire movie felt like what should have been the final act of the film. It also sucked that right after the previous movie, Halloween 2018, two sequels were confirmed so walking into Kills the viewer already knew that Michael would survive whatever hell he got put through. 

To start with the good, the kills in this movie were the best in the entire Halloween franchise. They were all brutal and equally as gory. The sequence with the firefighters and the burning house was the best part of the movie. It also provided us with the best shot of the movie, with Michael Myers emerging from the burning house. 

That being said, nearly all suspense and tension were removed in place of brutality and gore. Now, while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, there were almost no suspenseful or scary moments in the film. There was literally one scene where I was genuinely tense, and it was over fast. 

There really isn’t a story in this movie. This movie moves the plotline of the new trilogy (2018, Kills, Ends) nowhere. It’s more of a bridge movie that sets up Halloween Ends. Now, even with that being the case, I have no clue where they could go, or how it sets up Halloween Ends. When the movie ended and the credits started rolling, all I thought was “that’s it?”

The script in this movie is significantly worse than Halloween 2018. One thing I loved about 2018 was that the characters and dialogue felt real. It was things actual people would say and do. Halloween Kills struggles with both humor and suspense.

This movie also has some of the dumbest characters in the franchise. They fit every cliché of the horror genre, like hearing a noise upstairs and checking it out or going into a house alone with Michael being in there. Also, for some reason, every character in this movie feels the need to get within 3 feet of Michael before pulling the trigger on their gun, letting Michael push the gun out of their hand.

Just like Halloween 2018, James Jude Courtney gives an amazing portrayal of Michael Myers. I would say he is the best version of Michael across the franchise. He has the perfect build, and he can fit whatever Michael needs to do, whether it’s a stalking Michael, or a rage-filled brutal Michael.

Overall, Halloween Kills is not a good follow up to Halloween 2018, and it doesn’t contribute anything to the new trilogy. But, if you’re more of a Friday The 13th fan, and just want a gory slasher, this movie is perfect for that.