Trick 'r Treat

Back when I first watched this film, it really surprised me how good it was for a direct-to-video horror film, and over the years it's grown into probably my favorite Halloween movie. "Trick 'R Treat" is a darkly comic horror anthology film, telling four intertwined stories that all take place one Halloween night. A spooky diminutive child-sized character named Sam (you know, like Samhain, the pagan festival of the dead), with a gunnysack mask with button eyes makes an appearance in all four stories. One story involves a homicidal principal (character actor Dylan Baker), another involves a cruel Halloween prank gone wrong, the next involves virginal Anna Paquin being set up by her more experienced gal pals, and the last story stars Sam, where he teaches a mean old man (Brian Cox) a lesson about the true meaning of Halloween. The spirit of Halloween and sticking to the rules of Halloween is what motives Sam and links the four stories. Mixing comedy and horror is a tough nut to crack, but writer/director Michael Dougherty ("X-Men 2" "Superman Returns" "Krampus") and produced by Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects" "Valkyrie" "Bohemian Rhapsody") absolutely nail it. "Trick 'R Treat" manages to be scary, funny, and always entertaining. The film carries a light tone, but the level of violence is definitely not for the kids. The film is something of a Halloweenophile's dream, depicting a small-town that appears to put on the most elaborate town square Halloween party you've ever seen, is filled with the most amazing front yard displays you've ever laid eyes on, and depicts a town populated by more people super into Halloween than you ever thought existed. It's timeless Norman Rockwell Americana by way of Stephen King (how can you resist that!). Since its initial inauspicious debut direct-to-video, "Trick 'R Treat" has developed a sizable and well deserved cult following, so, if you're looking for one film to get you in the mood for Halloween, you should check this one out.

'Trick r Treat' is a comic-style anthology and the different tales are woven together pretty well. The direction is slick and the structure is sound.

The tales themselves are a mixed bag. Not bad but not stunning.

The injection of two or three decent actors gives it enough 'oomph' to lift it just above your average horror flick. Without the likes of Brian Cox and Dylan Baker I fear this may have slipped into the murky depths of DVD oblivion but, as I say, they do enough to keep it all watchable.

'Trick r Treat' is silly fun that should please most horror fans.

This movie has become a bit of a cult favourite in recent years and that's down to how devilishly clever each of the little stories are. Taking place over one Halloween night with interwoven narratives, the film shows us some great little movies before tying it all together at the end. Here's hoping for a sequel!

"Trick 'r Treat" is probably what they intended "Halloween III" to be: A fun little horror movie that takes place at and revolves around Halloween. The episodic structure of the movie and the comic book background are reminiscent of George A. Romero's "Creepshow" and "Tales From The Crypt".

Although there is a certain amount of gore and some nudity this never feels like "hardcore horror", but more like a movie you could enjoy on a rainy afternoon with your kids... and that's a good thing. We've had so many shocking, violence-laden movies lately, that this is a very welcomed return to the more light-hearted, charming horror of our childhood.

"Trick 'r Treat" never strives to be special or meaningful. The episodes aren't especially original or disturbing, but director/screenwriter Michael Dougherty proves that you can breathe life into a horror movie just by taking it seriously, by putting your soul into it. The settings are atmospheric, the cinematography is inspired and beautiful. Some scenes are blatantly stolen from other movies (a scene that involves a little person slicing a grown-ups heel from underneath the bed is taken right out of "Pet Semetary", then we got the hand with a life of its own, that we've all seen before in "Evil Dead II", the Addams family movies and even "Waxwork II: Lost In Time"). However, these moments seem more like respectful nods to the movies we enjoyed as kids.

"Trick 'r Treat" has got its heart in the right place. It's the perfect movie for Halloween. It's charming and lots of fun. Great to see that there are still people like Dougherty out there who make old fashioned horror movies like this one.

Trick r Treat was the perfect movie horror fans needed for the Halloween season. An anthology film but with stories interconnected and told almost like a comic book panel. It's an obvious throwback to the classic EC Comics in almost the same vein Creepshow was. It's a movie that just oozes and screams the Halloween season with an orange color palette, beautiful Autumn cinematography, and jack-o-lanterns in almost every frame. There's four stories happening & each one gives you a different variety. There's a insane killer principle, a group of ghost children, some girls heading to a party with an outrageous twist, and finally a grumpy old strooge who hates the tradition. They're all accompanied by the spirit of Halloween himself Sam who's already become a horror icon despite only being in one movie. With his burlap sack mask, orange pajamas, and psycho but childlike nature he's the perfect embodiment of the Halloween season the same way Santa Claus is to Christmas.

Although it's no horror masterpiece Trick r Treat is just a fun good time to enjoy every season and to help get you in the mood for all things spooky and strange. Happy all hollows eve.