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‘Halloween: Resurrection’ Is Way Better Than the Original 1978 Film — Here’s Why!

John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) is a revered horror classic. So much, in fact, that if you dare utter anything negative towards the landmark slasher, you’ll be condemned to a lifetime of banishment. If it were up to fans, they might lock you up with Michael Myers himself.

There’s no denying that the original film paved the way for the slasher genre as we know it. Carpenter’s ability to build atmosphere and tension, coupled with the iconic figure that is the Haddonfield bogeyman, Michael Myers (Nick Castle), made the 1978 film a certified classic.

Along with Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), Chucky (Brad Dourif), Leatherface (Tobe Hooper), and all the other iconic slasher movie villains, Michael Myers has become the stuff of nightmares. But, like his knife-wielding brothers, he has also been subject to ridicule.

Busta Rhymes saying "Let the dangertainment begin" in 'Halloween: Resurrection'
Credit: Dimension Films / Nightfall Productions / Trancas International Films / Miramax Films

Related: Every ‘Halloween’ Movie Ranked Worst to Best

Halloween is no stranger to bad sequels — you can easily split the franchise down the middle in terms of what’s good and bad. You might think this is tricky to do considering there are 13 movies, but, actually, there’s one entry that’s a little bit of both.

Halloween: Resurrection (2002) is widely considered the worst film in the entire Halloween franchise (although we think Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers gives it a run for its money). And there are many reasons why most fans absolutely detest the 2002 sequel.

First of all, it stars rapper Busta Rhymes as one of the leads, Freddie Harris, the ambitious host of a live web series in which participants must spend the night in the old Myers house in Haddonfield, each of them equipped with microphones and glitchy webcams.

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) screaming "Michael" in 'Halloween Kills'
Credit: Universal Studios / Miramax / Blumhouse Productions

Related: Does Michael Myers Actually Talk In ‘Halloween Kills’?!

On paper, it’s a decent concept, but the film is horribly executed, and though it was trendy at the time (thanks to 1999’s excellent The Blair Witch Project), the found-footage stuff is ugly and incoherent. And then there’s the acting — it’s goofy, hammy, and overall, just poor.

What really grinds fans’ gears, though, is the fact that Michael Myers (Brad Loree) actually kills Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) minutes into the film. The worst part about her death is that she’s painted out to be a complete imbecile. A Home Alone trap, Laurie, really?!

Not only that, but the fact Michael is even alive despite being decapitated in the vastly superior Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) is a massive insult to our intelligence (Resurrection claims that it wasn’t actually Michael who was beheaded, but a paramedic…).

Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney) and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in 'Halloween Ends' with the burning house from 'Halloween Kills' behind them
Credit: Disney Dining

Still, there’s plenty of “dangertainment” value with Halloween: Resurrection (if you’re familiar with the film, you’ll get the reference). It’s one of those films that’s so good, you can’t help but watch it through your hands with your toes curled. But is it better than the original?

Well, of course not, but there are obviously some fans out there who genuinely prefer Rick Rosenthal’s 2002 sequel over John Carpenter’s 1978 film. Despite being widely considered a masterpiece in filmmaking, the original is a pretty slow, and oftentimes boring slasher.

Of course, the film begs for our patience so that it can craft some solid tension and atmosphere, but one would be kidding themselves if they thought that 1978’s Halloween doesn’t have all those incredibly drawn-out shots as a way of padding out its runtime.

So, in terms of entertainment value (or dangertainment), you’re probably going to have a lot more fun watching Resurrection than the film that started it all. But then it depends what you want out of your Halloween movie. If waiting well over an hour for things to get going is how you prefer to spend October 31, Carpenter’s classic is the film for you.

If, however, you want to watch rapper Busta Rhymes perform martial arts on the horror icon Michael Myers, and Jamie Lee Curtis fall two feet to her death, then you can’t go wrong with Resurrection.

Are you one of the very few fans of Halloween: Resurrection? Let Disney Dining know your thoughts in the comments below!

Daniel Roberts

Dan is a huge fan of Star Wars, Disney, Jurassic Park, Ghostbusters and Harry Potter, and has written for numerous entertainment websites.

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