Halloween 2018

Jamie Lee Curtis returns for this sequel to the 1978 horror classic. In the original film Laurie Strode is stalked by an escaped mental patient called Michael Myers. Since then there have been numerous sequels of varying quality.

The 2018 installment ignores all the others and picks up 40 years after the first attack. Laurie has spent the decades preparing for Michael’s eventual return. She lives with constant paranoia and PTSD.

When Michael breaks free from a prison bus he goes after Laurie, as well as her daughter and granddaughter. These three women must overcome their fears and find the inner strength needed to outwit the killer. In this sense the film has a very empowering, feminist message.

Use Of Reversal

There is a continuous motif of reversing moments from the original. The opening credits signal this with footage of a decaying pumpkin played backwards. During the final act Laurie repeats certain actions that Michael did in the 1978 movie.

This includes Laurie stalking Michael and opening a closet door while looking for him. She even repeats the final shot of the original. The main twist of the new installment is the fact that the hunter becomes the hunted.