Slasher Horror and the Resurgence of Michael Myers.
Michael, sodding, Myers. I have often wondered just how many films this character will feature in before the premise fades into the background. Here he comes, yet again, in another film, this one supposedly following on from the semi-reboot with Jamie Lee Curtis. Don't get me wrong, the original movie remains one of my favourites of this particular genre of horror, but with Rob Zombies films not all that long ago I wonder just how much more they can do with an unchangeable character. Yet again he marches on, unflinching, in his desire for carnage and chaos, killing anyone in his path and remaining singularly unstoppable, though it is always insisted that he is but an aging man in a mask. That fact breaks some of the immersion for me, especially as he must be close to seventy in the latest film and contained within a facility for the criminally insane with no access to exercise facilities etc. How is this man so strong, so inured to pain? Within the lore of the series, he is just a serial killer, and yet he is presented as almost a force of nature. Now, with Jason Vorheeves, it is presented that he is an immortal killer that comes back from the dead, used especially in the comedy fest that is Freddy Vs Jason. Don't get me wrong, that film has a certain charm to it, but I often wonder how it got made. With the many slasher films that have come out, both these characters have a long-running series of films, it is a wonder, to me, how they bring anything new to the table.
Michael Myers and Laurie Strode are brought back together in this new reboot trilogy and we see their dynamic from the original movie brought back to the fore. To my surprise, it actually worked, and I think it is largely because of Jamie Lee's performance as a woman still struggling with PTSD that the story carries any sort of weight. Rob Zombie's films took an interesting turn with a look at madness running in the family as they kept his pursuit of his baby sister as his prime drive and then her spiral into becoming a killer after his death. Here we have something more grounded and believable, Laurie having raised her daughter to survive Michael's return and the damage that has inflicted upon their relationship. I am not a fan of the triggering event, in regards to Michael's resurgence, and need to hunt down Laurie but, otherwise, the film works well as he tracks down the woman he once attempted to slay and finds himself against someone who has prepared for decades for this exact moment. I liked the idea of the one-time victim turning the tables on the killer and being ahead of Michael, ready to finally put this man down and move on from the pain she has carried her entire life. Of course, being a trilogy we know that he survives the attempt on his life, and with the release of the trailer for 'Halloween Kills' we know that this time the events are far more out in the open. It seems that Michael is on the hunt and cutting through any before him, as he focuses on hunting the trio of women down. I am hopeful that they keep the grounded approach and keep the focus on Laurie and her family.
To me, the market seems overly saturated with Slasher horror films but they can be done well if they make the characters interesting. The killer is often one-note, a juggernaut of destruction and death that will not be stopped, so it relies on those they pursue to keep your interest and retain your investment in the story. I am not a fan of films that rely solely on the gruesomeness of their kills to make their film stand out, though interesting kills are a plus. If you are a fan of some cheese and comedy in your horror films, give Jason X a watch, it is a ridiculous film and it knows it. In my mind, the Nightmare on Elm Street films is exempt from this genre, largely due to their supernatural nature and the, very much admitted, demonic nature of Freddy Krueger. I am looking forward to the next film but, hoping that after this trilogy, the character will finally be retired for a time. At some point, Michael will lose his menace and become a parody of what he once was. Any recommendations for lesser-known Slashers are welcome, and I hope you give the latest films a look.
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