Made three years after the original but set on the exact same night (October 31, 1978), Halloween II is as direct a sequel as a film can be.  Michael Myers, shot but not dead, is on the loose again and Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence, less convincing this time), is still after him.  Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), who we eventually learn is Michael’s younger sister, is taken to the hospital for treatment and Myers eventually follows her there.  The nurses and staff begin to disappear and eventually Laurie has to fend for herself against Michael.

Halloween II is not a terrible horror film, but it isn’t a great one, either.  The psychological depth of the first film is lost and the compelling characters are replaced by empty vessels waiting to be killed.  Considerably gorier than the first film, Rick Rosenthal’s Halloween II repeats most of the tricks of the original but each time comes up a little short in comparison.  Dean Cundey’s photography is again very good, but Carpenter’s refusal to direct the sequel (he did write it with Debra Hill) has at least two consequences.  One is that the performances are worse.  The other is that the scenes aren’t as well blocked and shot.  A general disappointment, it still stands up fairly well against other slasher films of the time.  ✰ ✰ ½.

MJM  02-06-2012