Last Updated on August 3, 2021
David Gordon Green and Danny McBride will finally unveil their new HALLOWEEN film to theaters across the country this weekend and early reviews have it as one of the best films in the franchise. With John Carpenter's blessing, we may finally be getting the HALLOWEEN sequels we have been waiting to see for four decades. But, with 11 films in the series to date, lets take a stroll through good old Haddonfield and rank every movie in the series from worst to best. If you disagree with our ranking or would like to share your own, let us know in the comments below.
HALLOWEEN is now playing everywhere.
(Dis)Honorable Mention: HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION
I know this is a Top 10, but I have to address the one film that should be excised from HALLOWEEN history forever. After the box office success of HALLOWEEN H20, the next attempted sequel had to fix the fact that Myers was decapitated at the end of the previous film. How did they fix it? By claiming Laurie Strode killed the wrong person and Michael lived. This film quickly runs through a chase where Michael Myers finally kills his sister before doing a 180 and making the story about a reality show where contestants have to survive in the Myers home. There is no reason for Michael to really continue killing and the lack of motivation is felt all around. This is by far the lowest point in the franchise.
10 – HALLOWEEN II (2009)
Rob Zombie's direct sequel to his reboot of the Myers franchise completely does away with any connections to the classic film and instead focuses on upping the crazy factor. Zombie's white trash aesthetic is out in full force here with the focus being on trying to psychologically connect Laurie Strode and Michael Myers with the ending hinting that Laurie is just as crazy as her brother. Over the top violent and prententious as hell (what is the deal with the white horse dreams?), this is a forgettable entry in the series.
9 – HALLOWEEN 5: THE REVENGE OF MICHAEL MYERS
After the success of HALLOWEEN 4, the rush to put together the next film resulted with a truly mediocre production. With the plot threads of the fourth film hinting at Danielle Harris' character becoming more evil like Michael Myers, director Dominique Othenin-Girard opted for a more straightforward continuation of the story that feels almost like a remake. The nod to FRANKENSTEIN in the opening act with Michael and the Hermit was a nice touch but not nearly enough to make this movie worth revisiting very often.
8 – HALLOWEEN: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS
Meant to combine the plot elements of the John Carpenter films with the Jamie Lloyd fourth and film movies, THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS was a development nightmare. Delays and financial issues created a six year gap between the fifth film and this sequel. Using a supernatural plot device of magical runes and a death cult that tries to explain Michael Myers as a demonic being of true evil, this film is bonkers. As crazy as it is (especially the Producer's Cut), CURSE is probably the most distinct and original story in the Michael Myers narrative. It also represents the first major starring role for Paul Rudd.
7 – HALLOWEEN (2007)
As a filmmaker, Rob Zombie's approach to horror is vastly different than any other director who has tackled a HALLOWEEN movie. Tonally, this HALLOWEEN is a much grittier and trashier take on the material that goes against everything that John Carpenter created with the first film. Still, the unique style Zombie brings to humanizing Michael Myers adds a different layer to this retelling of the first movie. It is impossible not to compare this film to the 1978 original but it still works far better than half of the movies that appear in the franchise.
6 – HALLOWEEN H20: TWENTY YEARS LATER
After the box office and critical failure of the sixth film, producers decided to ride the SCREAM bandwagon and had screenwriter Kevin Williamson develop this retconned story that completely ignores the events of the films following the first two HALLOWEEN films. Featuring the return of Jamie Lee Curtis plus a roster of hot young actors including Josh Hartnett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, H20 is a fun and self-referential slasher that works as an homage to the classic first film while updating the story for a late-1990s audience.
5 – HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS
Originally, the fourth film in the series was set to be a ghost story and not feature Michael Myers at all. Instead, producers decided to return to the slasher formula of the first films and delivered the first movie featuring The Shape in seven years. While Jamie Lee Curtis was not featured, the story shifted to Michael Myers niece, Jamie Lloyd (fan favorite Danielle Harris). By having Michael pursue a child, filmmakers took a calculated risk of alienating audiences. But, thanks to the return of Donald Pleasance and a well constructed story, Michael Myers returned with a vengeance.
4 – HALLOWEEN II
While not helmed by John Carpenter, the direct sequel to the original HALLOWEEN was scripted by the director along with Debra Hill. Following the successful visual style of the first movie very closely, this is the film where we first learn that Laurie Strode is actually the sister of Michael Myers. That twist has influenced countless movies in the decades since. While this is a good sequel, not having John Carpenter in the director's seat is tangible and holds this film back from being as good as it could have been.
3 – HALLOWEEN (2018)
While I have not personally seen the new HALLOWEEN, I have discussed with our very own Chris Bumbray (you can read his review of the film here). He clearly feels that David Gordon Green and Danny McBride have crafted the definitive sequel to John Carpenter's original movie. The mere fact that this is the first sequel in thirty-seven years that even has Carpenter's involvement speaks volumes. By putting the focus back on Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, HALLOWEEN doesn't need a numeral behind it as it truly stands alongside the 1978 film.
2 – HALLOWEEN III: SEASON OF THE WITCH
This may be the one film on this list that you will argue doesn't deserve to be here as it is the lone HALLOWEEN movie not connected to the Michael Myers saga. Well, the original vision was to make the series an anthology which each new chapter focused on a new holiday-themed tale. While we never got those other stories, SEASON OF THE WITCH treats the original movies as fictional films within this universe. With a story influenced by Celtic myth and witchcraft, we have the lasting chills from those rotten masks and the Silver Shamrock jingle. If you find you always skip this movie when watching the HALLOWEEN series, you owe it to yourself as this is one of the most underrated horror films of the 1980s.
1 – HALLOWEEN
As the prototypical slasher and the top grossing independent film for decades, the original HALLOWEEN is the gold standard for the genre. Few films have come close to stealing the crown from John Carpenter and Debra Hill's classic. While the sequels tried, in vain, to copy the contemporary success of Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, none come close to the raw horror of Michael Myers silently pursuing his prey in this film. Forty years later, we finally have a worthy sequel but no movie has come close to topping the first HALLOWEEN.
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