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entertaining u newspaper: your monthly guide to entertainment
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Shoot 'Em Up
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by christina wagner
Rating: B++
Rated R
109 minutes
Thank God Rob Zombie started doing movies. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not downing the Saw movies, I’m downing the bastards of great classic horror flicks like I Know What You Did Last Summer. Zombie’s bringing sexy back with this gore-tastic prequel to the 1978 classic by John Carpenter and the late Debra Hill (who still has family ties in Jacksonville). In this third attempt, Zombie hits the nail on the head and finds the equation that provides a special blend of B-movie gore, borderline classy smut and a hint of Gus Van Zandt with Parkinsons.
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Before the film project was made public, Zombie felt obligated to inform Carpenter, out of respect, of his intentions on the remake of his film. Carpenter’s only request was for him to “make it his own.” Zombie did that and more by creating a visual masterpiece that combines a great classic horror foundation topped with a deeper look into the mind of a true maniac, thus almost reinventing the character by adding new life to Michael Myers; seeing him with a different set of eyes. Another great kick to this film is the way it almost reads like a book, you become intimately involved with the character; but he’ll turn on you in a heartbeat.
Filmed in its original location of Haddonfield, ten-year old Michael Myers (Daeg Faerch) begins to show signs of mental instability. I must say one thing, the kid totally nails the whole creepy demented nature of his character and he rocks this eerie little scream that sends chills down your spine. Poverty-stricken and surrounded by nut jobs like himself, Myers occupies his time by slaughtering innocent animals, ignoring his mother’s abusive and hideous boyfriend (William Forsythe) and killing people. Myers’ mother, Deborah (Sheri Moon Zombie), is a stripper and a fairly recent widow straining to keep her family together but finding herself losing her grip fast with no relief.
Sidenote: Why does Zombie insist on casting his wife in every film he has worked on? I admit she’s gotten better, but come on! She’s her usual horrible self. Just because you’re banging the director doesn’t mean you can act. Okay, back to the movie.
The token slut (one of them) is Mikey’s older sister Judith Myers (Hanna R. Hall). She tends to flaunt her (ahem) assets in order to get what she wants from the mother’s boyfriend and just about everyone else. She appears to distort Michael’s opinion of women by degrading him every chance she can get and joining in the taunting demonstrated by many of his high school peers. The only love in his heart is reserved for his mother and his baby sister, whom he lovingly nicknames “Boo.” (Take note hip-hop community, you guys actually ripped off something we came up with first.)
Hell breaks loose and the devil awakens on Halloween. After mother Myers heads out to “the office” Mikey looses it, and overnight becomes a household name. The only survivor is his infant sister. Act two takes you inside the mind of Michael Myers, further instating the fact that he’s completely out of his mind and should be locked up. It’s also the introduction of Dr. Samuel Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) as he attempts to break him down and get to the bottom of it all, which as we all know, turns out to be an absolute failure.
After 17 years with no success he packs up and moves on to write a book about his little psycho and cashes in. Myers continues on with his antics and takes up the unusual hobby of mask-making, rotting in his cell until the day comes when they try to relocate him. Bad idea. He hauls ass to the old neighborhood and seeks out his little “Boo,” now 18 and fully equipped with a new name and family, but without any idea about her true roots. Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton), originally played by Jamie Lee Curtis, is the goody-goody in complete contrast to her slut-tastic gal pals Annie Brackett (Danielle Harris) and Lynda (Kristina Klebe) and is the first to notice Myers lurking around the neighborhood.
Then rolls around Halloween, and yes, we all know what Mikey’s up to on Halloween. If his older sister had just taken the little screwball trick or treatin’ in the first place, we probably wouldn’t be in this predicament, but the little whore had to get some. Well moving on.
So yeah, he does his whole I’m crazy and I need to kill people thing, while Dr. Loomis rolls up into town and recruits the initially hesitant town sheriff, Sheriff Brackett. I’ve given away enough. Do yourself a favor and put this magazine down (or shut your computer down) and check out this flick. Halloween is
Zombie’s best work yet (he has even found a way to make some of the goriest parts hilarious). A warning to parents, this film is extremely graphic and sexual.
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
