I will right off the bat say that the original, 1978 John Carpenter classic is my favorite movie. So spoiler alert it will come in at #1. I only mention this as I’ll be using that perfect film as the basis for comparison when I rank, and briefly review the other 10 installments.
11) Halloween II (2009): I enjoy this one more than Zombie’s first Halloween effort, but it’s more for the “so bad, it’s good” elements it brings to the table. The opening sequence (which would eventually prove non-consequential to the movie) is incredible. Unfortunately the tone it sets is quickly wiped away. If you’re into brutal violence without a coherent story, this film might be for you. Otherwise, not much to see here.
10) Halloween: Resurrection (2002): Like most things of the early aughts, this wasn’t good at the time, and it surely doesn’t hold up. With that said, I will watch it every time it comes on AMC. “So bad, it’s good” is definitely a theme with a bunch of these Halloween sequels, and this is the epitome of that quality. Michael, who CLEARLY died at the end of Halloween H2O, is brought back to us in the most absurd of explanations. He really put the mask on a paramedic who had his larynx crushed, and that’s who had their head chopped off in the previous movie? Come on! Resurrection takes that ridiculous explanation, and runs with it. It is just one stupid mess of a movie that uses insanely out of date technology as its narrative, and it culminates with a Kung Fu show down between Michael Myers and Busta Rhymes. It is really bad, but if that can’t kill 90 minutes on a hungover Sunday, I don’t know what will.
9) Halloween (2007): Rob Zombie’s first series endeavor is basically exactly what I thought it would be. A really good looking, horribly written, completely useless remake with lots of brutal violence. I do think Rob Zombie is a talented guy. But I don’t think what he is a good fit for the Halloween franchise. On the flipside, what I perceive to be his negatives are really at odds with the idea and themes created by John Carpenter. Almost half of the movie is a backstory explaining what makes Michael tick. So of course in Rob Zombie’s world, it’s because Michael comes from an abusive household in which the only love he gets is from his mother who just happens to be a stripper. This leads him to kill small animals (ultimate serial killer cliché), and eventually moves to murdering people. We’re then “treated” to therapy sessions between Michael and Dr. Loomis (who is kind of a self-centered douche in this version). Giving the monster motivation is a huge mistake in my opinion. The interesting part of Michael was that there was no motivation. He was “purely and simply, evil.” By the time we get to the events of the original movie, we’re 50 minutes in. I will say Haddonfield and its essence is captured perfectly. Rob Zombie is quite great with a camera. The problem is the characters are all duds, and the script is just awful. It’s just impossible to care about anything that happens in this movie. While his 2nd film in the series has a lot of WTF value, this one just says “why?”. It might be a better movie technically speaking than Resurrection, but it’s far less enjoyable.
8) Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers. Truth be told, the next three rankings can be interchanged by which mood I’m in on a particular day. Halloween 5 is just really frustrating because Halloween 4 is a very solid installment to the franchise, and this just isn’t. It is entertaining though. Donald Pleasance gives probably his most over the top performance as Dr Loomis, and that alone is worth the watch. The film’s biggest sin though, isn’t the one dimensional characters, or its cowardice approach of not capitalizing on the previous film’s ending. It’s introducing the Thorn storyline which would really put the series off the rails.
7) Halloween H20: This movie from a filmmaking standpoint is actually pretty solid. Steve Miner is a more than capable horror director. Jamie Lee’s return was also a very welcomed addition, and it was smart to retcon all of the sludge that was in the 4, 5, and 6 timeline. The problem with this movie is that it just doesn’t feel like Halloween. It instead feels like a Dawson’s Creek Halloween special. It’s one of those films from that time and place that were just really trying to capitalize on the success of Scream. As great as Scream was, its imitators were not.
6) Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers: Probably the most confusing film in the series. Also the most problematic from a production standpoint. Lots of rewrites, re-shoots, and re-castings… The making of this film was a mess, and so is the movie itself. But you know what? I like it. It has a very ominous vibe to it. There are actually scary moments. And the kills are fun. The Thorn storyline is explained, and wow it doesn’t make any sense. At times you almost feel like the filmmakers are messing with you, and that this can’t REALLY be a movie. But it is. Far from my favorite in the series, but again… I like it. And Paul Rudd is in it, which puts it just a notch above the other stinkers I’ve already talked about.
5) Halloween II (1981): Now we get to movies I actually very much enjoy. Halloween II was made 3 years after the original was a massive success, and it takes place on the same night as that film. That was a very creative, and in my opinion effective choice. It doesn’t have the same specialness of the original, and it doesn’t’ have Carpenter in the director’s chair, but it works. The violence is a little over the top for my taste, as I’m more of a sucker for the suspense of the original. But it’s a fun movie, and it was made in the post-Friday the 13th world. So that was going to come with the territory. Watching the original and Halloween II back to back is always a fun evening for me.
4) Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988): This is just a fun slasher sequel. It takes place and was released ten years after the original. The pacing is great. The characters are sympathetic. And most importantly, it’s genuinely eerie. Daniel Harris is great as Michael’s niece, Jaime. And of course, Donald Pleasance as Dr Loomis is always a good time. Don’t dwell on the fact that Michael and Loomis clearly burn to death at the end of Halloween II. Just sit back and enjoy yourself for 90 minutes, and watch a good mindless slasher flick.
3) Halloween III: The Season of the Witch (1983): How highly I rate this is sure to draw some heat. I’ve heard it a million times. “It’s stupid. Michael isn’t even in it.” Of course Michael isn’t in it. He burnt to a crisp at the end of the previous installment. Do you know what the subsequent sequels don’t have? JOHN CARPENTER!!!! While he didn’t direct it, this movie has Carpenter’s fingerprints all over it. He developed, produced, and did the score for Halloween III. It looks and feels like a John Carpenter film. It’s neat visually. It’s scary at times. It’s hilarious (albeit unintentionally) at times. And at ALL times, is absolutely fucking bonkers. Aside from the original, Halloween III is my second most watched in the franchise. If you’re looking for Michael Myers, you won’t find him here aside from the times the characters are watching the original on TV. But you will be highly entertained if you approach it with an open mind.
2) Halloween (2018): Look everybody! We have yet ANOTHER movie just called “Halloween” featuring Michael Myers… That aspect of this film is kind of ridiculous. I wish it had a different title. But whatever, that is about the only complaint I have with this movie. My favorite part is that it disregards EVERY sequel and picks up 40 years after the original, yet is filled with allusions and Easter eggs from the entire franchise. In short, it’s the Halloween sequel I always wanted, and I cannot wait for the follow up that drops next month!
1) Halloween (1978): I could go on and on about this movie. But you’ve all seen it. It is not just my favorite movie in the Halloween series. It’s not even just my favorite horror movie. It’s my favorite movie, period! Carpenter’s classic basically created the template for modern horror slasher, and inspired countless imitators. But there is only one Halloween (1978).
By John Brenner - Nerdthusiast Content Writer and Podcast Host
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