‘Halloween Ends’: What David Gordon Green’s Trilogy Ultimately Accomplishes

Good vs. Evil. Cheesy, sure, but it’s not just some random thematic thread in Green and Curtis’ Halloween DNA—it’s the whole construct.

We find ourselves at the end (no pun intended) of a four year stretch of a very divisive collection of films. David Gordon Green’s Halloween (2018) was well received upon initial release with critics applauding the back-to-the-basics approach and visual flair from cinematographer Michael Simmonds (who shot all three films). Not only was John Carpenter and Debra Hill’s Shape (James Jude Courtney) scarier than ever, but Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) transcended as a formidable force; something that Green and co. continued to capture in both Halloween Kills and the latest and final installment in Blumhouse’s trilogy, Halloween Ends. For those that are unaware, this particular canon ignores all the previous sequels beside the original 1978 classic—meaning the familial connection between Strode and Myers doesn’t exist. Instead the filmmakers opt to explore how each force operates independently of one another. Undoubtedly, this has been a consistent point of contention for fans across each of the sequels. From a thematic perspective, however, it has led the creators to find new meaning in how The Shape responds to his environment and what motivates him.

Part of the fun in this most recent trilogy has been carving into different theories to discover ourselves, as an audience, what frightens us most about his presence. Michael Myer’s has no real interest in Laurie Strode from what we can tell this time around. In fact, it’s Strode who constantly obsesses over catching and ultimately killing Michael. However, the whole entire Green trilogy strays away from focusing on what we’ve come to expect from a Halloween film. Halloween Ends may even be the clearest indication of that truth. People have speculated the “how and why” of Michael Myers, and the most frightening conclusion to those lingering questions is the simplest one: because he can. Instead, each of these recent films are brief snapshots into the life of a Haddonfield resident. Halloween Ends might be the longest film of the three, clocking in at 111 minutes (just shy of two hours), but each are able to achieve their own distinct flavor. While 2018 chooses to spend time with Laurie as she [correctly] anticipates Michael’s return, Kills infects Haddonfield with Strode’s mania when the boogeyman inevitably resurfaces. Ends, though, takes a biting left turn in the traditional storytelling structure which will certainly spark debate among fans. But the most fascinating tale to come of it lies in how Haddonfield morphs into the very evil they’ve tried viscously to eradicate.

Green speaks to the affect Michael has on the community, saying, “If we were stepping away from Haddonfield for four years [in between the events of Kills and Ends], I wanted to see that the town had kind of decomposed, to a large degree due to the violence that Michael Myers had brought.” While Strode and her granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak) get a significant amount of screen-time throughout the film, the framing centers sharply on an outsider with a tragedy of their own. What are the parallels? How do we get back to the original plot of the story? And the short answer is that we don’t, at least not with any inclination of predictability. It’s an experience that isn’t often awarded to fans of decades long franchises. Rohan Campbell (Corey Cunningham) must deliver an alluring, nuanced performance because the entire trajectory of the story depends on it; a bold, creative swing from the whole team. For what it’s worth, I do believe that this decision allows for a new perspective on how franchises can be molded into something fresh and exciting—understanding that each film is distinctive in nature and not entirely succinct. There’s a messiness to Green’s vision that protrudes in various beats but seldom is it ever boring.

As promised, Laurie and Michael share a bloody reunion. Not because Michael has some sort of sick fascination with our final girl, but because they are two sides of the same coin: Good vs. Evil. Cheesy, sure, but it’s not just some random thematic thread in Green and Curtis’ Halloween DNA—it’s the whole construct. Each film cements this truth in their own unique way but there is a constant that’s worth noting: and that is how Laurie drifts around the frame. Simmonds captures the pair in the very same absence of light most prevalently in Halloween Ends. One second she’s resting on a chair and the next she’s vanished among the set. In one particular scene, she appears out of the broad daylight to conveniently to put an end to an altercation that could get violent quickly. In 2018, she famously disappears from Michael’s sight after taking a fall out of her second story window during the film’s third-act climax. These moments not only demonstrate a deep respect for the character and her legacy but propel a convincing argument that she has become somewhat of a Shape herself. One particular track in John Carpenter’s score perfectly encapsulates this transition from a past life to the “freak” she has become. The universal polarity triumphs in the narrative shared between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers. Their collision isn’t justified by any motive, it’s inevitable. And Haddonfield, caught in-between, the collateral damage.

Perhaps, it’s best to go into the final chapter in David Gordon Green’s trilogy with an open mind. Even with some bumps in the road, the whole entire story is one that will be worth revisiting in a few years. Grab your closest friends and family and head to the theater one last time for The Shape(s)—will evil, indeed, end tonight?

Halloween Ends is currently playing in theaters and streaming on Peacock.