Halloween II

1981's HALLOWEEN II is better than many of the multitude of slashers of its era....but not by the widest of margins.  Its predecessor is rightly considered the prototype for this genre, and its success guaranteed a gaggle of imitators.  This would include director Rick Rosenthal's follow-up, which picks up right where the original ended.  He opted for something less gory than the competition, but in a strange turn of events co-writer John Carpenter, who also co-wrote and directed Part One, came in and added some violence in an effort to boost commercial appeal.  Odd, as the first film took a minimal approach with bloodshed.

Also odd is this film's lethargy.  There is no particular rhythm or energy in this sequel.  It's so quiet and slow paced you might even use it as your go-to bedtime movie, the kind you nod off to because you know it by heart and it's so mellow.  Not quite what'd you'd expect in this series.

Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) survived the night psycho killer Michael Myers came home after fifteen years in an institution.  Halloween, 1978.  The film opens with Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasance) shooting his patient several times (he repeatedly tells people six, but I counted seven) yet still finding "The Shape" has disappeared.  Off to slay more unfortunates in Haddonfield, Illinois. 

Mostly at the local hospital, where Laurie is taken for treatment.  It's no spoiler to tell you that just about the entire staff will turn over before sun up.  But these characters are vapid, instantly forgettable, even Budd (Leo Rossi), a crass, horny paramedic who shares his last hot tub with Nurse Karen (Pamela Susan Shoop), who provides the film's token topless scene, no doubt cheered by horny dudes in the audience.

Jamie Lee is barely used.  Pleasance is quite colorful and hilarious.  Everyone else is just kinda there. Kitchen knife fodder.  The hospital does provide some creative methods for folks to die but maybe Carpenter was right; Rosenthal didn't seem to quite get the mood.  He does supply some chilly atmosphere, and D.P. Dean Cundey's work is stellar.  Reason enough to watch the movie, honestly.

Alan Howarth's and Carpenter's reworking of the original score?  No bueno.

Carpenter and Debra Hill's screenplay bears some of the blame for HALLOWEEN II's deficiencies, including a ludicrous soap opera level revelation late in the film.  But Rosenthal's efforts to fashion suspense minus the side show gore are just too restrained.  Too low key.  Especially if you're ready for some good old horror movie thrills.

Nonetheless, this is still far better than any HALLOWEEN movie to follow.