Halloween II

  • Review Date: August 28, 2009
  • R
  • Genre: Horror
  • 2009
 Review

Common Sense Media says

Ultra-gory sequel/remake is brutally violent, badly made.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this sequel to 2007's Halloween remake is brutally violent, grotesquely explicit, and terrifyingly violent. There are innumerable scenes of killing, and it says a lot about the movie's savagery and viciousness that they're still grim even though it's not particularly well made. Expect sex scenes and non-stop stream of extreme profanity, too, but it's really the violence -- with young women covered head to toe in blood, slashed to ribbons, whimpering, and crying for aid -- that makes Halloween 2 truly unpleasant. Parents also need to know that this film review is for the rated theatrical version, and there is an unrated director's cut available for purchase and rental.

  • No positive messages to be found here -- it's a dark, bloody gore-fest that's all about killing and pain.
  • There are no positive role models in the movie; authority figures are either arrogant or ineffectual, and the villian of the piece is a brutal sociopath.
  • Constant, bloody, hyper-realistic violence, including slashings, shootings, stabbings, strangling, bare-handed neck-breaking, and more. The film's killer stabs people repeatedly with bone-breaking force, severs windpipes with broken glass, and strangles and snaps people's necks with his bare hands. Victims howl with pain and terror and spit blood; arms are broken with enough force that the bone snaps through the skin. A man's head is obliterated by a series of stomps; his mangled body is dangled for all to see. In another scene, a naked woman is smashed into a wall until her head is obliterated. Characters are literally covered in blood after assaults, and murder victims are seen with their eyes stabbed out and a butcher's knife protruding from their skull. All of this is depicted with excruciatingly realistic makeup/special effects, with grisly detail.
  • Topless go-go dancers cavort at a costume party/concert. Constant sexual discussion and language -- ambulance attendants discuss necrophilia; a young couple makes out and discusses various extreme sexual acts. A strip-club owner goes to have sex with one of his dancers, but they're brutally murdered before that happens. 
  • Non-stop stream of profanity, including "f--k," "motherf--ker," "s--t," "damn," "Jesus," "a--hole," "dick," "piss," "oh my God," "p---y," 'balls," "ho," and "c--k," among much more.
  • Not applicable.
  • Characters drink (beer, wine, liquor) to excess and smoke cigars and cigarettes. One character gets roaring drunk.

What's the story?

A year after the masacre depicted in the first Halloween, the survivors of brutal killer Michael Myers (Tyler Mane) are trying to cope with their wounds -- and the chilling fact that his body was never found. When Myers returns to the scene of the original crime, his bloody rampage continues, bringing him closer and closer to Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton), who has a secret connection to Myers -- and to the psychiatrist (Malcolm McDowell) who's profiting from a book about the brutal murders.


Is it any good?

 

Full of bloody, bleak violence and demonstrating writer-director Rob Zombie's failure to understand the basic mechanics of filmmaking -- editing, lighting, direction, and storytelling -- HALLOWEEN II combines the terrors of brutal murder with the startling ineptitude of someone who doesn't know what they're doing. Zombie tries hard to recreate the grimy, flat look of the '70s horror classics he loves, but the film's weak visual style isn't "real" or "interesting" -- just washed-out and shabby. Zombie also grafts pop-psychological motivations on murderer Myers so that he's attended by visions of his younger self and his mother. This is a clear case of more being less; explaining Myers makes him pedestrian and tedious, as opposed to the existential unknowable, unstoppable masked killing force of the original films.

Worse, Halloween II is either deranged and disturbing or deathly dull; there are huge sections of talk, talk, talk between the grisly executions, so audiences vacillate between being bored and being disgusted. The original Halloween II took up the story mere moments after the first movie ended and kept up a hurtling momentum that helped it over the slower or sillier bits. Zombie's meandering new plotline, taking place over a year, just stretches things out and gives you more time to reflect on how none of it makes sense. Even drenched in blood, anyone can see that Zombie, the new Emperor of Extreme Terror, is naked under the shock, schlock, and gore.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the movie's realistic, brutal violence. What purpose does it serve, if any? What's the point of it?

  • What separates a "good" violent horror film from a bad one? When do these movies go too far?

  • What separates an inspired horror remake from one that seems created just to make money? What kind of cultural impact did ow-budget genre classics like the original Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street have?


This review was written by James Rocchi
Teen, 17 years old
February 7, 2011
 
There is absolutely no positive messages here, and it's just gore fest that only 13 year old boys would find interesting. (though they shouldn't be watching this in the first place) this film is very childish and cheasy, but it's absolutely not for children. Adults won't enjoy this either with the ridiculous amounts of gore and sex that even they wouldn't even apropriate for themselves.

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Kid, 9 years old
February 6, 2011
 
blood
so bloody i almost threw up.

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Adult
October 3, 2010
 
older, around 17 and up
its a grim movie, as it should be. the violence being realistic was an artistic choice that i felt was right. cartoony violence just dumbs down reality, the movie was very well made with natural lighting and impressive cinematography. emotionally involving as well. see annie bathroom scene...

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Teen, 17 years old
February 2, 2011
 
Ok for mature teens.
I was a little scared when i saw this movie but then like any other scary movie it had graphic violence and sex, in it i dont recommend this movie to teens 13 and under.

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Teen, 16 years old
October 14, 2010
 
12+ if they know it's just a Movie :P
Oki had to Review this.The Reason i have all the bad checks chekced in is Because what good is a movie without it being a Little Naughty? especialy i Horror Movie.i Saw it when i was 15 and Really i Loved it and i Think The Reason Parent's Arent wanting there Kid's to see this is Because They are afraid they will Pick Something up From it and 2nd it Help's you Learn to Know what to do in a Voilent sitt so Think Twice Before Saying No and Please Remember What Good is a Horror Movie Without a Little Naughtyness?.oh and the voilence is BIG! But if you can Handle that Go Ahead Go See it Hope you Like it! :D

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Teen, 13 years old
December 19, 2011
 
One big Dissapointing Friday the 13th meets Nightmare on Elm Street.
It's not even as good as the first one.I have watched this at the movies and on DVD in unrated director's cut.For parents who want to know the difference between the theatrical version and directors cut ,let me tell you there's NO difference.Maybe a bit more of violence and gore but who cares?ot sucks.its rubbish.Not as good as first one.Mature kids may be able to handle it.

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Kid, 12 years old
September 7, 2011
 
AAAH SUPER HORROR
i only put too much violence cause i didnt put anything else cause i didnt see it i only saw at least 1 second of the movie and then cya movie it was in teh middle of the movie it was soooo disgusting i saw the part where a witch killed a CHILD and while he is dead there were monster insects on him i was TOO DISGUSTED the summarry is about a witch who kills kids i saw the summary

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Teen, 16 years old
December 18, 2011
 
waste of time, terrible horror movie
the first one is way better than this one! OMG i hate this one. it is everything accept good, lovely, entertaining and all the other good things. if you watch this movie just to let you know it is a waste of time.

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Adult
October 10, 2011
 
From a 18y/o.
Pretty legit remake not good in the sence of horror more gore no sence of imagination. dont show your kids

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Teen, 17 years old
May 22, 2011
 
Not suitable for children under 13.
Very frightening but great!

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This review was written by James Rocchi
Studio:Weinstein Co.
Director:Rob Zombie
Cast:Malcolm McDowell, Scout Taylor-Compton, Sheri Moon-Zombie
Genre:Horror
Run time:101 minutes
Theatrical release date:August 28, 2009
DVD release date:January 12, 2010
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:strong brutal bloody violence throughout, terror, disturbing graphic images, language, crude sexual content and nudity

This review was written by James Rocchi
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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