Post by BucksFan on Feb 3, 2010 18:31:04 GMT -5
It was a sunny day in the middle of May of last year when I received a message from a new member to the Movie Reels community. His name was Krew and he asked me if it would be okay if he wrote a sequel to my original film, "Halloween". I immediately felt honored and quickly said "YES" with great enthusiasm. I was rather burnt out from the 6 months I had spent writing and editing my "Halloween" and I was eager and excited to see what direction Krew would take with the sequel. Dealing with sequels of popular franchises is not by any means whatsoever a cakewalk. There are so many little things you need to watch out for and there is an overwhelming amount of pressure to make it a better film than its predecessor. When Krew's unique vision of "Halloween 2" finally hit the CinePlex, I was more than pleased with the outcome....
The first segment of "Halloween 2" takes place just moments after my film ended and picks up in the hospital. Throughout the entire opening, there was not one moment of boredom. Krew jumped right into the story with no hesitation which I think takes some courage when you are dealing with the over criticized horror genre. But he definitely managed to pull it off. The hospital staff is likable, quirky, and yet realistic. The same goes for the text. Krew has a unique way of words. He chooses descriptions that are so explicit that you can almost feel the blood that fills the scenes creeping down your arms. Everything is so detailed and so thought out.
As the beginning hospital sequence comes to an end, the story shifts to a few months later and it takes an extremely original twist that has never been presented in any "Halloween" film...the story fast forwards through each season of the year. Throughout this progression of seasons, other things are progressing as well...Laurie Strode's insanity. Krew depicts the character of Laurie amazingly well and graphically shows how she changes from an innocent, perky teen into a depressed and bipolar woman. As this progression happens, the reader can truly feel what she is going through. Everything is so realistic and yet very fresh and entertaining. We then watch as Laurie finally buries her past and sort of goes back to being her true self again. This is a great method to help the reader relate to the character and situation she is in. It made you forget about all the other troubles (Michael Myers) and really get into Laurie's head. But just as we can finally relate with the characters, Michael shows up to crash the party! In Krew's vision, Michael Myers is confined in a coma for the majority. But then, as Halloween rolls around, he wakes up! And so begins the massacre....
Another thing that I loved about "Halloween 2" was the way Krew went back to the basics of the original but kept the story fresh and new. This FEELS like a real "Halloween" movie should. No Rob Zombie here, this is all Krew's doing. Krew uses simple tactics like explaining how the autumn leaves slowly fall on the suburban streets and depicting the various forms of Halloween decorations that surround in abundance. There is a real message and feeling behind Krew's screenplay. It's not just words on paper. The reader will literally feel as if they are in the little town of Haddonfield on Halloween night. Near the end, after an ill-fated encounter between Laurie and Michael, there is a scene where Michael carries his sister down the suburban street. This was a really special moment because it truly brought the series back to its origins and topped off having the feeling of a real "Halloween" film.
In the end, I was utterly pleased by Krew's "Halloween 2". He respected the original while also taking it in his own new direction. The characters were likable and realistic. The atmosphere felt like a Halloween film should and the suspense and scariness was perfectly in-tact. The only thing I have to say is that in my original, the film took place in 1978, like the original. But here, it is modern day. It's only a minor thing that I'm sure no one else caught but I thought I'd just say that to clarify if there were any questions about that. But overall, Krew has done an amazing job with this film and I would STRONGLY, STRONGLY recommend it to everyone on this site. It is a work of art with a great story, strong characters, and a very clever ending!!! Thank you so much for continuing the series Krew. You've accomplished everything I hoped you would and because of you, the next "Halloween" is imminent....
The first segment of "Halloween 2" takes place just moments after my film ended and picks up in the hospital. Throughout the entire opening, there was not one moment of boredom. Krew jumped right into the story with no hesitation which I think takes some courage when you are dealing with the over criticized horror genre. But he definitely managed to pull it off. The hospital staff is likable, quirky, and yet realistic. The same goes for the text. Krew has a unique way of words. He chooses descriptions that are so explicit that you can almost feel the blood that fills the scenes creeping down your arms. Everything is so detailed and so thought out.
As the beginning hospital sequence comes to an end, the story shifts to a few months later and it takes an extremely original twist that has never been presented in any "Halloween" film...the story fast forwards through each season of the year. Throughout this progression of seasons, other things are progressing as well...Laurie Strode's insanity. Krew depicts the character of Laurie amazingly well and graphically shows how she changes from an innocent, perky teen into a depressed and bipolar woman. As this progression happens, the reader can truly feel what she is going through. Everything is so realistic and yet very fresh and entertaining. We then watch as Laurie finally buries her past and sort of goes back to being her true self again. This is a great method to help the reader relate to the character and situation she is in. It made you forget about all the other troubles (Michael Myers) and really get into Laurie's head. But just as we can finally relate with the characters, Michael shows up to crash the party! In Krew's vision, Michael Myers is confined in a coma for the majority. But then, as Halloween rolls around, he wakes up! And so begins the massacre....
Another thing that I loved about "Halloween 2" was the way Krew went back to the basics of the original but kept the story fresh and new. This FEELS like a real "Halloween" movie should. No Rob Zombie here, this is all Krew's doing. Krew uses simple tactics like explaining how the autumn leaves slowly fall on the suburban streets and depicting the various forms of Halloween decorations that surround in abundance. There is a real message and feeling behind Krew's screenplay. It's not just words on paper. The reader will literally feel as if they are in the little town of Haddonfield on Halloween night. Near the end, after an ill-fated encounter between Laurie and Michael, there is a scene where Michael carries his sister down the suburban street. This was a really special moment because it truly brought the series back to its origins and topped off having the feeling of a real "Halloween" film.
In the end, I was utterly pleased by Krew's "Halloween 2". He respected the original while also taking it in his own new direction. The characters were likable and realistic. The atmosphere felt like a Halloween film should and the suspense and scariness was perfectly in-tact. The only thing I have to say is that in my original, the film took place in 1978, like the original. But here, it is modern day. It's only a minor thing that I'm sure no one else caught but I thought I'd just say that to clarify if there were any questions about that. But overall, Krew has done an amazing job with this film and I would STRONGLY, STRONGLY recommend it to everyone on this site. It is a work of art with a great story, strong characters, and a very clever ending!!! Thank you so much for continuing the series Krew. You've accomplished everything I hoped you would and because of you, the next "Halloween" is imminent....
REPORT CARD:
Plot - 9
Charcters - 10
Suspense - 8
Writing - 9
Atmosphere - 10
OVERALL (Out of 50) - 47 --- A
Plot - 9
Charcters - 10
Suspense - 8
Writing - 9
Atmosphere - 10
OVERALL (Out of 50) - 47 --- A
