The end of one of horror’s longest-running franchise is here, aptly named Halloween Ends, but it may just be the critical reception that will have you screaming.
After five decades in the sun, Halloween Ends will see a much-needed climax to the Michael Myers canon. Marketing itself as the definitive end and with star Jamie Lee Curtis previously saying it will “f*ck you up”, the hype is very real for it. Considering the hit-and-miss history of Halloween sequels, you may not be shocked to see how the latest is faring critically, though.
Clocking in at a 47 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, it looks to be an unhappy farewell to the David Gordon Green-directed trilogy. Fans are understandably not too shocked with the score, although there’s one universal question: is it better than Halloween Kills?
Most brutally, one fan called Halloween the “Fast and Furious” of seasonal franchises. Let that sink in for just a moment. Halloween, a franchise started by the brilliant minds of Debra Hill and John Carpenter, has descended to the status of Fast and Furious.
It’s far from a welcome sight with Ends director Green moving on next to the long-awaited Exorcist reboot. If the best he can do with one iconic franchise is a film with a 47 percent score, what hope does The Exorcist have?
The other question is how could anyone be surprised? Kills was bashed by both fans and critics last year, and sat on a 39 percent Rotten Tomatoes score. There’s at least some hope for Ends, which will be looking to stay well beyond its predecessor’s score.
While Ends will be the last of the Blumhouse-produced Halloween films, the franchise will undoubtedly return at some point. Regardless of critical reception, if it makes money they will continue to make them.
Halloween Ends is currently in cinemas and streaming on Peacock.