Rob Zombie's H2

[swfreakjpb]

[MouthForWar]

[MouthForWar]

Well... I have a lot of thoughts on this. I'm not even sure how to make a coherent paragraph about my feelings towards this movie, so I'll just list my own random thoughts. After seeing the flood of negative reviews, I was DREADING this movie... turns out I actually kinda liked it! Maybe seeing all the hate for it actually boosted my opinion of it in some bizarre way?

Now, before I go further, let me say one thing. This movie is pretty f'ing stupid and its very jumbled... its got flaws galore, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it (I had similar feelings about GI Joe). I think the reason for that is I don't hold Michael Myers or the Halloween series in some high regard. Aside from the original classic, there hasn't been ONE good Halloween movie... ever. Outside of the 1978 film, there is no "legacy" there is nothing to ruin here. Halloween was tainted the second the original film got a sequel. I don't care AT ALL about Halloween as a franchise. The original film is the only thing that matters to me. So to me, this was just another pointless slasher movie that you could take or leave. Luckily, my standards for slashers aren't very high.

First off, if you dislike Rob Zombie and/or if you hated the first Halloween that he did, don't read any further and DO NOT go see this. You will be wasting your time. If you liked the last movie, chances are you'll like this one to some degree. I didn't hate the last one and think it (along with the F13 remake) gets way too much heat (neither of those remakes are good films but they certainly aren't as bad as people make them out to be. What makes that even more confusing is how widely loved the My Bloody Valentine remake was, and that was no better or worse than H1 or F13). That said, the last movie seemed like half Rob Zombie's movie and half a rehash of JC's classic. This is where the second Halloween is an improvement... it feels like the same movie throughout.

I thought it was better than the last one. This is all Rob's thing here and the white trash stuff is toned down quite a bit (although still present). Now lets start with my gripes with H2... First off, the whole subplot with Loomis could have been taken out entirely and you'd pretty much have the exact same movie... Loomis really serves no purpose other than to be in it. The A plot (Michael's killing spree) and the B plot (Loomis' book tour) don't tie in with eachother very well at all. Also, the ending its pretty bad... not entirely awful, but its not good either and REALLY sunk the movie for me. Also, the editing is just bad in some parts. Some scenes seem totally random and you can tell that many potentially interesting scenes were taken out for the sake of run time. The movie is honestly just a big incoherent mess at times mostly because of the lazy, rushed editing (making me look forward to a proper director's cut on DVD). In fact, most of the stuff shown in the trailers isn't even IN the theatrical cut! Another smaller gripe I have is one I have with MOST slasher movies... and that is that most of the victims don't have anything to do with the plot... they are just there for a higher body count.

I know I'm not painting a pretty picture here but there were some things I did like about it. I DID like all the "non-Halloween" things he did with the movie. I didn't mind hobo Myers or the tripped out surreal dream scenes and those are bound to be the 2 biggest things people are going to complain about. Its also fairly light on predictable "stalk & slash" scenes, which was a bit refreshing (but does make for a massive lack of suspense in parts). A lot of people have been whining about how Zombie's Loomis is too much of a dick or that his Laurie is so much different, but that's also something I found refreshing. Also, the only time we hear the theme song is during the end credits. All these things have pissed off a ton of people, but I also found that refreshing. I actually love the fact that he made his own thing and strayed so incredibly far from the "Halloween" formula. Myers is still delivering brutal kills, which is what he was always best at. This is still a fairly standard and cliche slasher film, but Zombie's efforts to keep it different from any Halloween movie before it are pretty respectable IMO (but many fans of the franchise will disagree). Just like Rob's last Halloween movie, for every pro, there's a con.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is when you pay for "Rob Zombie's Halloween II" you are getting exactly that. If it doesn't sound like a movie you would like, you will not like it. If you can't stand the white trash element or some dumb dialogue, and random scenes of nonsense, you will hate it. If you don't mind what comes with the "Rob Zombie" brand of film making, you should get some kind of enjoyment out of it. I look forward to seeing Rob's director's cut, which he claims will be much different in tone and delivery, so I'll save my true final word for that version... you gotta wonder why studios let film makers have final cut when it comes to DVD, but the theatrical versions are always rush jobs... I just wish I could decide if I like a movie or not without having to sit through 2 versions of it.

I'd give it a 2.5/5. Below average, yet entertaining enough to satisfy someone with low expectations. It wasn't a good movie, but, I was NEVER bored or annoyed with it (cept the ending), and I liked that it took chances. My standards for a slasher flick aren't very high, so I wasn't upset with this movie at all. But I still don't think Rob's style and the Halloween series mesh very well and both of his Halloween films showcase that in spades... its simply 2 great tastes that don't taste that great together. I really want him to make his movie Tyrannosaurus Rex and stop with the damn remakes.

But mark my words. This movie WILL piss off a loooot of people. But for a movie that was obviously a rushed "paycheck" job (it started being written in February and was released in August), its not all bad.

[king_ghidorah]

Halloween 3D is a go!

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/17231

Hmm..they apparently have a new director in negotiations with a new take..hopefully they take this into more of a "The Shape" realm although from what I'm hearing of the ending to H2...the shape might look a little bit different if this would come to pass..Spoiler: Michael Dies and his mantle is taken over by his sister, having not seen this film for myself I cannot verify as to the accuracy of this, maybe Mouth can help

I do miss the blue jump suited Michael who was of average size and never really lost his temper...he was more clean and calm...just...evil...not steroid rage driven and muscle bound

[Destroysall]

[MouthForWar]

[king_ghidorah]

[MouthForWar]

[king_ghidorah]

I can enjoy movies because they are movies and I can seperate them from fact...I enjoy many of the films you mention Mouth but somehow all of Zombie's personal statements and career choices and artistic expressions have led me to believe that he does idolize Manson to an extent...generally I too can seperate my love of a film from the Director's or actors if I find them to be unappealing but the films to be great but when the subject matter of the films matches the reason I disdain the film maker then it creates an label that I cannot easily remove from the director in my mind...

It'd be like if a neo nazi made a film that glorified the life of a neo nazi...a bit of a stretch but that's how I feel...

The other film makers made a variety of different movies and tackled a variety of different subject matter...so the refrence doesn't mesh well for me

For me there was no reason at all to put that poster there...it's right next to all of the other idols of Rob..bands, movies ect...to me it's in bad taste and so pathetic that Rob doesnt get the real life tragedy that that man invoked that it's almost laughable...no, I'm not saying that people can't use Manson, Hitler, Osama ect. in movies or whatever...but the way in which Rob did it there was tacky to say the least...this man destroyed countless lives and to glorify and make it cool or whatever he was trying to do is just sick. I'm not offended, I just think Rob is pathetic and don't really feel the need to partake of his work anymore

[MouthForWar]

Just seems like you're jumping to some pretty big conclusions/accusations is all... and all because a character in his movie has a poster on her wall? But whatever, if that's how you feel, that's how you feel. I never got those impressions.

EDIT: I just remembered something. There's a scene in H2 where Loomis is doing a book signing and there's a crazy Myers worshiper who gets his book signed. The scene is humorous and obviously meant to mock the people who idolize serial killers, so once again, I doubt Rob looks up to Manson.

[jellydonut25]

[MouthForWar]

[Tom R VanSlambrouck]

[Tom R VanSlambrouck]

[king_ghidorah]

[MouthForWar]

[jellydonut25]