Halloween 2

In the immediate transition from the previous film's concluding scene, the madness and terror-filled screaming yields wondering figures in the darkness in parted yet conjoined destinies by blood and steel.

Michael's endless lives serve him again as he returns from Hell, resurrecting in the back of an ambulance while being transported to the morgue, courtesy of bovine intervention.

A remarkable psychological element utilized herein is the oneiric juxtaposition of himself as darkling {PTSD "inner child"}, accompanied by ghostly mother standing together with an æthyreal manifestation of the white horse* she gifted him at the asylum.

As well as the killing spree of bullies and deserving obnoxious wastrels, the theme of Michael eliminating all those who leave him continues here. The executions are not without method. Victims are either obstacles, nuisances, or detriments, many times justified.

Loomis develops an attitude problem, glomming the talkshow circuit promoting his over-embellished book The Devil's Eyes without consideration for the privacy of those involved, revealing certain personal information without permission, causing Angel Myers {baby sister} much consternation, to the point of heavy drinking with her promiscuous rocker friends. None other than Weird Al makes an appearance as a guest.

Despite this exploitation, Loomis remains a crucial personage to gain both an understanding, and nominally controlling factors.

One remarkable scene yields a harkening to that evocatively iconic display of primal strength exhibited by THE HULK flipping the car, but Meyers instead. Staged pre-2k, many such Gen X references herein.

Some nubile nudity. Interestingly enough, Michael can actually be heard producing atypical guttural sounds from time to time during killings, while he's usually silent, as in silent death.

KILL COUNT: 22.

_____________ * can symbolize innocence and purity, good fortune, or prosperity.

Ob Zombie's Halloween II is a divisive entry in the horror genre, and while I respect the risks he took with this sequel, the end result is a mixed bag. On one hand, Zombie's gritty, brutal style is unmistakable, and his commitment to exploring Michael Myers' psychological trauma and inner torment is ambitious. However, the execution often feels chaotic and overly indulgent.

The film leans heavily on dream sequences and surreal imagery, which, while visually striking, feel more like filler than meaningful additions to the story. Laurie Strode's descent into madness is an interesting angle, but her character becomes so unlikable that it's hard to root for her by the end.

The violence is graphic, as expected from Zombie, but it crosses into gratuitous territory, making it feel shocking for the sake of being shocking. While the film attempts to delve into deeper themes of grief and trauma, it often gets lost amidst the gore and erratic pacing.

Overall, Halloween II has moments of brilliance and a unique vision, but it's hampered by an uneven script and a lack of subtlety. Fans of Zombie's aesthetic might find more to love, but for others, it's a tough watch.