Halloween II (1981)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Carlos M

  
  A terrible, useless sequel that invests in mindless gore instead of creating any real tension. Besides, it is ridiculous how it turns Michael Myers into an indestructible monster and leaves the rest of the cast as shallow bodies for slaughter.

• Eric A

  
  I love the Halloween films, but my words can't save a failure movie. I think this movie in particular was pretty funny since NO ONE else seemed to be in the hospital as the mayhem was going on! What kind of realism is that?

• Cory T

  
  Of course, 'Halloween' is the forefather of the 70's and 80's slasher genre only because of its inexplicable popularity. To me, it's dull, reductive and hardly worthy of being nominated as innovative (the stalking POV was implemented before and in a… More
  Of course, 'Halloween' is the forefather of the 70's and 80's slasher genre only because of its inexplicable popularity. To me, it's dull, reductive and hardly worthy of being nominated as innovative (the stalking POV was implemented before and in a superlative manner in the predated masterpiece 'Black Christmas'). The posthaste sequel is immeasurably more claustrophobic mostly due to the hospital environment with its narrow, alabaster hallways and spotless surfaces. Pleasance is more inexorable and obsessive as Loomis who inadvertently causes the death of a trick-or-treater and doesn't hesitate at his task to vanquish Michael once and for all. His monologue about Michael being the "ideal patient" expands on the notion that Michael is completely alien to soulfulness. Unfortunately, the follow-up is still a plodding, slothful mess of gratuitous nudity from a female nurse and wrongheaded creativity in the murders (Michael shouldn't be premeditated in the various ways to kill people via scolding water, scalpels, etc.). The denouement nicely ramps the consternation as Michael thoughtlessly collides through a glass door and Loomis sacrifices himself with flammable oxygen tanks to finally eradicate Michael. Otherwise, this is an altogether superfluous extension of the mythology, but it contains instances of unnerving tension.

• Alexander D

  
  To barely alter the most famous quote from THE SHINING: "All gore and no plot makes HALLOWEEN II a dull film." It seems now that Michael Myers just loves to heartlessly, mindlessly slice and dice his victims (which is technically every young person in sight). Like the… More
  To barely alter the most famous quote from THE SHINING: "All gore and no plot makes HALLOWEEN II a dull film." It seems now that Michael Myers just loves to heartlessly, mindlessly slice and dice his victims (which is technically every young person in sight). Like the first one, this is made a la a B-movie (though this time, it wasn't one). Unlike the original, we see every single murder in detail, and NOTHING is implied. It takes away the whole point of #1! To alter Jack Torrance's infamous words in THE SHINING a little more, what would really make sense is to say, "All gore and slight plot makes HALLOWEEN II a dull film." The story picks up exactly where the first HALLOWEEN left off. Once Michael Myers escapes after being shot six times (he's back!), Laurie Strode is taken to the local Haddonfield hospital. She is blood typed, and among all the time Laurie spends trying to escape Michael Myers, little does she know that she has a close connection between him. (I won't spoil it for those who have not seen it.) It's a great continuum of the first one, and very creative, but it seems that the plot is just being taken over by recurring, unrelated bloodbaths, nevertheless. The whole mood of HALLOWEEN II was, thankfully, the same as the first one. Even though it has now become a true slasher film, most of which aim not to terrify, it has an unsettling, eerie mood, and an irresistibly tense feeling. Who ever decided to record the music for this one, though, truly copped out and screwed up John Carpenter's original score, doing things such as playing the title theme backwards and playing the themes on a modified organ rather than a piano (though the harpsichord, which was sometimes used in #1, is kept more often than not). Aside from the still-fantastic performances of Jamie Lee Curtis (char. Laurie Strode) and Donald Pleasence (char. Dr. Sam Loomis), the acting in this film is not all that great, and if anything, unintentionally funny. Even Dick Warlock can sometimes do a dumb job as the main serial killer. Especially in that one scene near the end where he can't see anything or anyone, so he starts swinging his knife around like a total idiot. So unless you were left hanging by the last few seconds of the first HALLOWEEN, I would not really recommend HALLOWEEN II. It's easy to see why John Carpenter decided to abandon his role as director right after the first film, and only parts are good. It just seems like Michael Myers is going around murdering everyone in his way, using whatever he sees in front of him, and that is often taking away from the plot. (Though I did enjoy the face-melting scene.)

• Jeff "

  
  As a diehard fan of the first one, Halloween II builds new tense moments and offers a new twist on this tale. After the events of the first film, Laurie Strode is still being hunted down by her homicidal brother. The film has effective, creepy moments and when something happens on… More
  As a diehard fan of the first one, Halloween II builds new tense moments and offers a new twist on this tale. After the events of the first film, Laurie Strode is still being hunted down by her homicidal brother. The film has effective, creepy moments and when something happens on screen, you're sure to get a few jolts here and there. The film is more violent than the first film, and there's more gore to be introduced in this film, unlike John Carpenter's horror classic that relied on suspense and atmosphere instead of gore. There are still the traditional elements which made the first one such a blast to watch, but considering that the first is such a classic, and is my personal favorite; Halloween II isn't flawless. There are some elements that could have been improved on, but that's the case with every film. Director Rick Rosenthal (who would go on to helm many sequels) crafts a film that's a worthy follow-up to the first film. I felt that the film was well done, and Jamie Lee Curtis was absolutely wonderful in this installment. As a fan of the first, I very much enjoyed this second film. The suspense and creepy atmosphere remain, but there's of course a lot more violence this time around, but this is still one chilling, effective horror film nonetheless. As the first sequel to Carpenter's classic, Halloween II is of course one of the best follow-up films.

• Melvin W

  
  Laurie Strode: Why won't he die?  "More Of The Night He Came Home" Halloween 2, the first of many sequels of the horror classic. I really like this sequel. It has a really good and cool idea to follow up with another movie that occurs the same night of the first.… More
  Laurie Strode: Why won't he die?  "More Of The Night He Came Home" Halloween 2, the first of many sequels of the horror classic. I really like this sequel. It has a really good and cool idea to follow up with another movie that occurs the same night of the first. I'm so used to sequels that start with a timecard that says 5 years later or something like that. This one doesn't jump into the future. It continues the same story and shows the after effects of the first movie. Michael wasn't done that night. Although Carpenter did hand the directing over to Rick Rosenthal, he's still very much involved. He wrote and produced this and while it's no where near the brilliance of the first; it's still a quality horror film in its own rights. We learn a lot more about Michael and why he's doing what he's doing. It's also reenforced that he's basically indestructible.  No this isn't a masterpiece or a classic, but it is a fun continuation. Who after seeing Halloween didn't want more? It didn't need to be as good; it just needed to be respectable and an overall entertaining slasher. That this is. It's better than most slashers out there and way better than most slasher sequels. Fuck Jason I'll take this series over Friday the 13th any day.

• Tim S

  
  Halloween II may not have been directed by John Carpenter but it was written by him and he was somewhat involved with the project (albeit indirectly). This sequel picks up where the first one left off, with Michael Myers still alive and stalking what we later to find out to be his… More
  Halloween II may not have been directed by John Carpenter but it was written by him and he was somewhat involved with the project (albeit indirectly). This sequel picks up where the first one left off, with Michael Myers still alive and stalking what we later to find out to be his sister. Now, as I said in my review of Halloween, I can understand why they decided to tie things together and make things more complicated, but I don't believe it was all that necessary. The story dynamics are handled in a ham-fisted sort of way and don't really create anything solid and simple as the previous film. We find out that Laurie Strode is Michael's sister and that her identity was kept a secret in a "secret file from the government." That just reeks of a first draft story idea that they just seemed to go with and never question, even though it's incredibly silly. Michael also seems to be less interesting this time around. He is one of the pickiest murderers I've ever seen - at least in this sequel. It's less about the stalking and build-up and more about just murdering random people for seemingly no reason, other than he's trying to get to his sister. I don't know, I just find it a great step back instead of forward. The film's not completely worthless, however. The entire main cast, as well as the secondary cast members, all came back to reprise their roles, making it one of the best sequels in a continuity-sense. Unfortunately, the sum isn't greater than the parts, making this entry feel more like an out-and-out slasher without any magic of the original.

• Coxxie M

  
  the second best of the series, and yea, its actually pretty scary. the earliest movie image i can recall that kept me awake at night is Michael with fresh blood running from his eyes and him stabbing directionless at the air. i remember thinking, "who the hell doesn't even… More
  the second best of the series, and yea, its actually pretty scary. the earliest movie image i can recall that kept me awake at night is Michael with fresh blood running from his eyes and him stabbing directionless at the air. i remember thinking, "who the hell doesn't even scream or take off their mask or nothing after that? not even a grunt?" im sure thats not a big deal when in 2011 we can google "Bud Dwyer suicide video" but when you are eleven, it... you just can't go back to Rugrats after that, im sorry.

• AJ V

  
  A good sequel to Halloween, it's exciting and full of horror and suspense. The only thing I didn't like was the ending. Overall a good movie.

• jd c

  
  An amazing sequel. This is where we learn Myers is almost superhuman (he walks through doors, walks around after being shot twice in the face, has a hard time going down while set on fire...etc) And although his body is gone after being shot in the first one, all signs can point that… More
  An amazing sequel. This is where we learn Myers is almost superhuman (he walks through doors, walks around after being shot twice in the face, has a hard time going down while set on fire...etc) And although his body is gone after being shot in the first one, all signs can point that he was just a normal person (a sick person (a serial killer), but not superhuman). If you disagree with this statement then watch the movie again and comment, because there is nothing that shows signs of a superhuman madman (other than when his body is gone at the end, which could've been rationally explained -- strange things happen every second, all the time, which are explained). Not so atmospheric this time around, but more bloody. Halloween II has fun with it's kills, setting up more memorable moments with the body count. John Carpenter produced this time, not directed. But being producer, like all producers, I'm sure he had a lot of say with went on in the film. Michael Myers seems meaner and more unstoppable. It's here we learn the real reason why he's chasing Laurie Strode (which is played again by Jamie Lee Curtis - part of her rising to fame as the famous "Scream Queen"). Halloween II is thrilling, cool, and exciting. It's a sequel that's almost as good as the first, BUT for different reasons (ones that are more far fetched than the original). It's still a great and intense horror film. One of the best entries in the franchise (and the second best mask that was used in the series). <a href="http://s294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/HorrorQf/?action=view&current=HalloweenII.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm89/JDHallowEEn/HorrorQf/HalloweenII.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

• Adam M

  
  Faster than the original, better than Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2. P.S. If you want to kill Michael Myers, do you aim for the head? Bullets through his vital organs don't seem to keep him down. Isn't the head important? I mean, hard to imagine a decapitated Michael… More
  Faster than the original, better than Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2. P.S. If you want to kill Michael Myers, do you aim for the head? Bullets through his vital organs don't seem to keep him down. Isn't the head important? I mean, hard to imagine a decapitated Michael Myers stalking Laurie Strode through the streets of Haddonfield... Maybe better to just explode the whole body though.

• Lady D

  
  Continuing from the exact point that the first left off, Michael Myers continues his murder spree, Myers has to be the slowest walking killer Horror history and with that in mind ? how on Earth did he escape from the Mental hospital? Not as good as the first, but if you are… More
  Continuing from the exact point that the first left off, Michael Myers continues his murder spree, Myers has to be the slowest walking killer Horror history and with that in mind ? how on Earth did he escape from the Mental hospital? Not as good as the first, but if you are working your way through the series ? then stick with it.

• Josh L

  
  Halloween II is a depressing experience because it is such a different movie than its predecessor was. There's no horror in this movie whatsoever. I wasn't scared, or enthralled, just bored and wishing the movie was never made because it will live as an blemish to the… More
  Halloween II is a depressing experience because it is such a different movie than its predecessor was. There's no horror in this movie whatsoever. I wasn't scared, or enthralled, just bored and wishing the movie was never made because it will live as an blemish to the classic original. The story takes place about 3 minutes after the original ends, but you can tell from the start that things just don't seem right. Instead of following all the victims and having a few shots of Michael, most of the movie follows Michael and gives you a few shots of the victims. It is not a good change. Revealing why he is stalking Jamie Lee Curtis is a shocker at first, but it really makes him less scary because we know his motivations, yet he is still an unstoppable force for some reason despite trying to humanize him. The movie has way more blood and gruesome shots than the original, probably because the originals imitators changed audiences expectations with slasher films after 3 years. Donald Pleasance is the lone strong point as he gives another good performance. Other than that, this is a fall from grace and one that will live on forever. I was incredibly disappointed, and you probably will be too.

• Conner R

  
  I really enjoy this for being extremely brutal, even now. It spared no expense to mess with the viewer. It shows how much of an unstoppable force Michael is and how far he will take things just to get to Laurie. Loomis also flipped his switch in this, opening fire on trick-or-treaters… More
  I really enjoy this for being extremely brutal, even now. It spared no expense to mess with the viewer. It shows how much of an unstoppable force Michael is and how far he will take things just to get to Laurie. Loomis also flipped his switch in this, opening fire on trick-or-treaters which is priceless. The deaths were a lot more sneaky and creative, a lot like slashers of the time. That always gets me entertained, classic 80s horror. I think it's definitely on par with the original and doesn't fall under the unworthy sequel category.

• Anthony L

  
  Picks up straight after where the first film finishes and is handled very well. In some ways it?s the same film but in a hospital but once again Pleasence saves the day as Dr. Loomis!

• Jason O

  
  "Halloween 2" is a great sequel to the first movie in the series. Michael Myers is at it again as the saga continues. Armed with only a fatal knife, he is killing everybody in his path. Of course, his ultimate goal is to find his main counterpart, Jamie Lee Curtis, and put… More
  "Halloween 2" is a great sequel to the first movie in the series. Michael Myers is at it again as the saga continues. Armed with only a fatal knife, he is killing everybody in his path. Of course, his ultimate goal is to find his main counterpart, Jamie Lee Curtis, and put her away. The police and everybody else must find Michael Myers and try to kill him before he terrorizes the whole city. What makes "Halloween 2" so good is the performance that Jamie Lee Curtis puts on. "Halloween 2" goes along at a steady pace until it gets to the last 30 minutes. Once it gets to the last 30 minutes, the action and suspense pick up dramatically to make this a great movie. The main action in the movie takes place at a hospital that Jamie Lee Curtis is staying at. The movie also has one of the best storylines of any of the "Halloween" movies, and the effects aren't bad either. If you like the "Halloween" series, I recommend getting "Halloween 2." If you haven't ever seen any of the "Halloween" movies, I would recommend seeing the original before you see this one. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Can't say I remember much at all from this movie, so it can't be a favorite, but oh well, still good.

• Ken S

  
  A wonderful example of how 2 directors with the same material, can come up with wildly different levels of effectiveness.

• Martin S

  
  Boring. This was crap. Nothing new at all. Not interesting and a little stupid at times. Come on Michael...you can do better

• Dean !

  
  A quite good sequel following on from the same night as the first.

• David L

  
  "Halloween II" picks up right where the first film left off, with Michael Myers pumped full of bullets courtesy of Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence). But while he may be down, he's anything but out, and has followed Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) to Haddonfield Memorial… More
  "Halloween II" picks up right where the first film left off, with Michael Myers pumped full of bullets courtesy of Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence). But while he may be down, he's anything but out, and has followed Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital where she's receiving treatment for her injuries. Haunting the hospital's deserted hallways, Myers makes use of medical equipment on whomever he finds in ways that the AMA certainly wouldn't approve. While Laurie tries to evade her would be killer, Dr. Loomis obsessively hunts Myers, leading to a fiery conclusion. Taking over for director John Carpenter, Rick Rosenthal (who would return to the franchise more than 20 years later with "Halloween: Resurrection") lacks the style that made the original "Halloween" so memorable. Nevertheless there are some scary and gruesome incidents as Michael dispatches of the hospital staff in his search for Laurie. In fact, the sequel is a bit gorier than its predecessor, adding more to the shock value quotient. Rosenthal's use of POV shots are nearly as effective as Carpenter's in the original adding to the illusion that we're seeing events through Myers' eyes. Rosenthal also knows how to use shadows and darkness, making things seem scarier than they are. Must mention the "Camera Angels" are once again CLASSIC. The script by John Carpenter and Debra Hill essentially gives us more of the same. The setting is changed to a hospital, and it's revealed that Laurie is Michael's sister, but little else is added to the night Myers came home. As for the concept that Michael Myers is possessed by the Celtic Lord of the Dead - that innovative concept is mentioned, but never really explored. Which is kind of for the best. Jaime Lee Curtis is back as Laurie Strode , the 1st film she was front and center this time it's Donald Pleasence, as Dr. Loomis, who is more of the films focus Pleasence has the right blend of desperation, single-mindedness and fear that makes him the centerpiece player in not only this film but the whole franchise. You can even feel his commanding presence even when Loomis is off screen. The second "Halloween" film, while not quite as good as the first, It comes pretty close, and is still a very entertaining entry. More importantly, it sets up ideas that come into play in future sequels. Overall, "Halloween 2" is a scary and effective treat, and the final classic of the "Halloween Franchise".

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