Rating: 2.5/5
Hooptober 2.0 | 1/31 | Franchises 1/5
October 29, 2018 Aaron and Dana are true crime podcast hosts. Today, they are at Smith’s Grove Psychiatric Hospital to visit with a patient who has been at the facility for 40 years and is being transferred to Glass Hill. They interview Dr. Loomis’ protégé, Dr. Ranbir Sartain, who gives a rundown on the various psychological studies done on this patient with no consensus That patient, of course, is notorious serial killer Michael Myers.
Yes, this is an alternate timeline in which Michael went to a psychiatric hospital after his killing spree on the first Halloween. And Laurie Strode still lives in Haddonfield. The podcasters go to interview her. They drive to a high gate and offer her $3000 over the intercom system. Once inside, they recall Laurie’s troubled past — estranged daughter and failed marriages. Laurie takes her money and sends them packing as they tactlessly eviscerate her. Laurie’s granddaughter, Allyson, wants a relationship with Laurie, but Laurie has defined her whole life around the murders. Still, they meet with one another. Laurie gives Allyson the $3000 she got from the podcasters.
October 30 Laurie shows up at the prison for the transfer, gun in hand. But she can’t bring herself to do what Loomis suggested — kill pure evil. Instead, the bus crashes, and Michael escapes, killing two people and stealing their truck.
October 31 Michael goes after Laurie and Laurie’s family.
There isn’t much to this movie. It feels referential and flat. Laurie is not a character — she’s a first draft. The final 20 minutes is where the film begins, and it’s in a way that doesn’t suggest two sequels, so I’m curious to see where this goes.