Halloween: H20 (1998)

HALLOWEEN: H20, as in HALLOWEEN: TWENTY YEARS LATER, is an effec-
tive, if largely unimaginative slasher sequel.  Jamie Lee Curtis 
returns to the role that made her famous, delivering a meaty per-
formance as the all-grown-up Laurie Strode.  (In the intervening 
years, she faked her death, got married, bore a kid, turned to 
drugs, got divorced, raised a teen, and, as a functioning alcohol-
ic, is the headmaster of a private high school in Northern Cali-
fornia.)  The story fast-forwards past the events of HALLOWEEN II 
and asks us to just go ahead and forget all the subsequent sequels.  
(William Peter Blatty did something similar in 1990, when he filmed 
his excellent novel "Legion" as THE EXORCIST III.)  The scares are 
genuine in this one, even when they're fake-outs; just don't expect 
much sex, gore, or bad language.  (Don't expect much overt wit, 
either.)  By the end, everything plays out pretty much as expected. 
Phones get disconnected, dark rooms get explored, and one big guy 
with a knife displays the most amazing powers of stealth, strength, 
stamina, and speed.  Only the final scene goes completely over-the-
top, past silly-scary and the all the way to silly-shocking.  Take 
a date.  Laugh, scream, and talk back to the screen.  With Adam Ar-
kin, LL Cool J, a bunch of teen actors I didn't recognize, and, in  
a quaint cameo, Janet's PSYCHO mom Janet Leigh.  Directed by Steve 
Miner (FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 and 3) and well-scored by John Ottman 
(THE USUAL SUSPECTS), who incorporates John Carpenter's original 
theme and, during one of Ms. Leigh's scenes, throws in a few bars 
of Bernard Herrman for good measure.  Cute.  (Rated "R"/89 min.) 

Grade: C+

Copyright 1998 Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros

Originally posted to triangle.movies as MOVIE HELL: Boo!