I thought about posting this in the general discussion because it encompasses both genres but was RZ’s H2 really that bad? My reasoning is as follows. We are all jaded to the Halloween franchise. We know how H1 an H2 (the originals) cannot be topped and reign supreme. However, try to separate that from your mindset and think of it standing alone as it’s own movie or series (with RZ H1). Look at all the cheesy B horror flicks that are out there now. Some are so bad that I find myself drifting during the first viewing of it. Without knowing anything about the previous franchise, H2 is actually an entertaining and decent horror movie. It has gore, some suspense (not a whole lot), very good actors (Scout was pretty compelling) and some of your classic horror cliches. I’m sure I’ll get some degrading negative comments but think about it on its own and not comparing it to the original. About 90% of all things recreated don’t match up to the original (except maybe The Thing and a few others).
I like RZ H2. I thought it was a pretty realistic turn as to what Michael would look like, with the decayed mask, beard and long hair. Also turning Laurie into an emotionally damaged young lady was very realistic as well. Loomis selling out is all something that probably would have happened if this was a true story. At times though I felt Laurie came across whiny and very unlikable. I also felt ripped off when the hospital scene was a dream. What an awesome start to a movie! I personally give the movie 6 out of 10. I did LOVE the first one though.
I really enjoyed RZ’s H1. But it seemed like in part 2, the producers gave Rz total control to have done as he wanted. In the end we were left with a story and film that made no sense. Along with a Michael Myers that most of the fans were not accustomed to.
The only problems I have with H2 is that it seems like RZ is just trying sooo hard to show Michaels face and get people to relate to him, which personally I don’t think anyone should relate to a brutal murderer huh? Other than that I love the movie.
The problem with H2 is that it has absolutely NOTHING to do with Halloween or the Michael Myers character what-so-ever. If you asked me what I thought of the remake a year ago, I would have told you I absolutely hated it. But after seeing the pitiful excuse of a movie that H2 was, I discovered a new respect for the remake because at least it followed the original, basic story line.
Honestly, what about this movie was “HalloweeN”-like? And by HalloweeN, I mean what how was it strongly related to Michael, Laurie, Loomis, etc? He stole the Halloween name and used it as leverage to real in viewers. H2 wasn’t a Halloween film. It was just another hour and a half long story that Rob Zombie tells in every single one of his movies. White trash rednecks using vulgarity every 3 seconds and unnecessary brutality.
If the remake were to have vanished out of our minds without a trace and H2 was the only movie left, you could honestly re-title it, change the characters’ names around, and you’d have absolutely NO idea that it was a Halloween film. You’d be completely oblivious. That’s how irrelevant the movie was. Besides the opening dream sequence of course. That was about the only thing remotely enjoyable about the movie.
Like I said, I have a new respect for Halloween 2007. At least he stuck to the “brother stalking his sister in a white mask concept”. He even re-shot many of the same scenes and used some of the original dialogue. But H2 was not only a horrible HalloweeN film, but it was one of the worst horror movies I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen some bad ones in my day…
No, it was a great film in my opinion. It’s my favorite of the series. I’m glad the producers allowed Rob to make it his own instead of doing the same thing over and over. I actually cared about the characters (as I seem to in all of Rob’s movies). I’m aware that I am in the minority of people who do understand it. I think some of the misunderstandings stem from the fact that a lot of people think of this movie as a “remake” of Rosenthal’s Halloween 2. Rob’s Halloween 2 has nothing to do with the old film/films and I respect that.
I’m so glad he didn’t surrender himself to the hardcore fans expectations on what a “Halloween” movie is or should be. You can never please everyone no matter what you do. I think Rob worked on this film with the best intentions to make a substantial movie. I totally dig it all the way through.
When I first saw it in theaters, I can say I was really dissapointed. However, being a huge fan of the remake I think I was again expecting to see Rob Zombie remake Halloween 2.
A few months later, I watched it again when it came out on DVD and tried to approach it with the open-minded idea that this was Rob’s vision but it still left me a little cold.
Not until I finally saw the Blu-ray Director’s Cut edition did I really understand and open up to what Rob was going for in this version. The relationship dynamic between Laurie and Annie takes a very dark, realistic turn in the face of everything these girls have been through. The random white horse references are better explained as well as Michael’s character overall and while I’m still on the fence about wanting my killers scrutinized and analyzed I now understand what RZ’s “vision” was and absolutely respect him for it.
If you haven’t yet, see the Director’s Cut verion. I highly recommend it!
perfectly put the dream opening one of the best openings to a horror movie i had seen in years, and as for the hobo michael i thought RZ H1 should of had a more white more clean happy but putting rob zombie and clean together just dont mix, but in H2 after gettin shot in the head the mask would be all beat up and 2 years on the run he would of looked like that it was a great lookin michael i love hobo michael i know its prolly the weed, but the white shit was dumb rob zombie shit, i love HoaTC and the devils rejects is ok, but RZ H1 5/10, RZ H2 8/10, JC H1 10/10
It had some good elements to it, and a lot of potential but there was more bad than good imo. It really wasn’t the most horrible movies I’ve seen, in fact it’s not even in the top 20 worst films I’ve seen list. I’d watch it again, just because I like the brutal kills. Also, I felt that Rob Zombie really held back on his F bombs in this movie.
I agree that neither one were bad at all. The examples I saw for the negative so far are incorporating the fact of the Halloween franchise. I think Puckface was one that gave an example that it could stand on it’s own and if you knew nothing of the series of Halloween, and it was never created, would you have enjoyed that movie for horror itself? I bet most people would say yes. Again, having to completely dismiss the franchise. Good stuff guys
maybe it is not Halloween-like to some but, i felt that it was. and to give new depth to lauries
character and make the movie more towards her and how she is copeing …i thought that was
a great idea. people say they don’t like that myers grunts or that they showed his face well,
he grunted in Carpenters H1 and you see his face, too…
i love the grunge look to myers and his aggresiveness in RZ H2…it was more real to me.
unlike seeing myers in a Brand new mask, jumpsuit and freshly polished black boots (H8)
which would only make me think of myers finding a spot and relaxing…taking a shower,
washing his clothes, shaving, trimming his fingernails, brushing his teeth, etc…etc…etc…
which to me ruins the whole myers image…
the RZ mask: it was alright and i liked the idea of it later on turn into dry rot and how he kept
the same mask in H2 (which means they just didnt go and get him a fresh mask for the new movie)
so, Rob Zombie i have to give props to for his attention to detail, and for answering questions for the fans
with his version of how myers got the jumpsuit or myers’ days in the instituation showing that he really is human
and how he transforms into who he is…and the fact that this director
took time to make a 4 hour documentary happen for the fans…now what other director gave
a shit about the fans like that?
RZ H1 was alright (gets better with time) but, RZ H2 i thought was a great movie and was a more realistic myers to me…
I went into both of RZ’s films without any expectations. Even as standalone movies, they have lots of problems. I keep reading that it was gory and brutal, but to me that’s not enough to warrant praise. As horror fans, sex, violence, brutality…that should all be there to accent the story and not be the central focus. As far as character development goes, Rob just let the actors do whatever the hell they wanted. I really felt that H2’s dialogue came off as amateurish and awkward. Rob even said he often ditches the scripts and lets the actors wing it, and it shows.
As a Myers fanatic, I just can’t get into the fact that Zombie wanted to bring Myers down to a human level. He wants us to feel sorry for Myers. He wants everyone to relate to him, as if that’ll disturb us…Zombie made Myers the textbook serial killer, giving him motives that the audience could understand. He had to vent all that rage due to all the abusive relationships he had…he was a victim. Though sad and tragic, it’s not scary or terrifying at all. That’s not to say that Tyler Mane isn’t physically imposing as Myers. It’s just not as deeply unsettling or creepy as the original incarnation.
Rob wanted to make Myers scary again. He wanted to make a movie that rivaled the original like The Thing or Scarface. In both aspects, IMO he failed miserably.
