“Halloween” (2018) sees Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) distanced from society as her traumatic encounter with Michael Myers 40 years ago has taken a toll on her family. “Halloween” is a strange franchise that seems to have peaked right at the beginning and only gone downhill since. Every sequel after the original has garnered mass disapproval despite a very vocal minority where most of them would end up being “cult films” by definition. With director David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express) set to helm the project despite his comedic roots, many fans were concerned with the initial decision. A slew of trailers and promo material later, and you could feel the excitement building for a film that was abandoning all “Halloween” films post-1978. A decision that would infuriate few, but excite many. A decision that would seemingly give fresh life to a franchise that hasn’t seen mass praise in 40 years. A decision that then ultimately delivered a film that is a complete misfire despite good intentions. First and foremost, Danny McBride co-writes the script with David Gordon Green and Jeff Fradley. McBride is a well known fan of the franchise and with a slew of other reborn franchises releasing in the past year, “Halloween” was getting a new treatment from a diehard fan. This proves costly as “Halloween” suffers from an (already) overdone trope in these franchise revival films. Although a direct sequel to the original that abandons so many films prior, “Halloween” commits many injustices unto itself. A film that relishes in preying on nostalgia through visual, audio, and plot cues. Images, sequences, and thrills are mostly ripped from the beloved original. Of which is a head scratching decision considering a sequel should always build off the foundation the original set in place, not wallowing in what has already come before and been done better. Admittedly, the kills by the hands of Michael Myers are pretty violent and wildly rewarding. Showcasing a clear cut handling on what The Shape is capable of, and ultimately represents in it’s themes and messages. These themes and messages would certainly hold “Halloween” upright as the backbone of the film, but it is mishandled. As mentioned previously, Green and McBride had good intentions in creating a sequel that abandoned past films and started anew by exploring Laurie further. While there is a level of appreciation I can’t help but feel like the entirety of “Halloween” (2018) is a missed opportunity. Instead of a story that capitalizes on trauma and dread that takes hold of someone and the effects it can have on those surrounding that figure, “Halloween” instead takes the laziest route to box-office success. Rather than developing an idea to embody multi-generational terror that has inflicted unseen wounds to the public, we are delivered a “been there done that” sequel. A sequel so focused on being hip and cool with the modern audience to deliver high levels of gore while channeling the inherent schlock of the original just doesn’t compliment one another. Especially when the film can’t commit to a simple exploration of ideas that are worth caring about. It is wildly bizarre in all exercises. Whether they be brief moments of looming terror, or extensive sub-plots that amount to nothing and solely exist to reach a theatrical runtime. Here’s the thing, “Halloween” has a lot on it’s mind and that is admirable, but it is handled by people that don’t understand how to handle it. It is entirely amateurish on all fronts considering that the foundation for such a hauntingly tragic tale is right there, but the mass fandom ideas take over. You can count on two hands (might need to include your toes) the amount of predictable cinematography and storytelling that is going to harken back to what has already been done before. Of which eliminates any palpable sense of immersion or amount of care from the audience to give to the film. Sure, “Halloween” was never going to measure up to the Carpenter masterpiece, but this sequel only proves that it just wanted to wear the mask of the original and it is on much too tight. “Halloween” gets a 33/100