While Michael Myers and the “Halloween” franchise have become synonymous with the horror genre, it’s fair to say that the movie series has not always been as entertaining as it should have been. Here’s my personal ranking of the “Halloween” films.
- Halloween III: Season of the Witch
The “Halloween” franchise was intended to be an anthology film series but many fans were angered by the fact that Michael Myers did not appear in this one. Putting that aside, I still think that this is a really bad film. The annoying song will be stuck on your head for eternity.
- Halloween II (2009)
Rob Zombie (“The Devil’s Rejects”) made one of the strangest mainstream horror films of all-time with “Halloween II”. Parts of it are brilliant but so much of it does not go together. What could have been a great film becomes a total disaster.
- Halloween II
Since this was the first sequel, I had fairly high expectations. Unfortunately, “Halloween II” is as bland as you can get.
- Halloween: Resurrection
The “Halloween” franchise goes to cyberspace. This film embodies the early 2000s horror industry. It’s a completely forgettable entry.
- Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers
We discover that Michael Myers was secretly under the control of a cult the whole time. This is another bland entry in the franchise with the new revelations feeling pretty underwhelming.
- Halloween Kills
A seriously disappointing follow-up to 2018’s “Halloween”. “Halloween Kills” turns Michael Myers into a superpowered villain able to take anything thrown at him. It’s just goofy and Jamie Lee Curtis (“True Lies”) gets nothing to do.
- Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers
This is the point where the franchise felt truly stale. There is little to no innovation here and it feels like the filmmakers were getting so lazy.
- Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers
After audiences were disappointed with the lack of Michael Myers in the third film, he was brought back here. Again, I just find this rather generic and unimpressive.
- Halloween (2007)
Rob Zombie’s first time directing a “Halloween” film was a mixed bag. It brought some changes to the origins of Michael Myers but at other times, it stuck very closely to the original. While certainly nowhere near as convoluted and messy as its sequel, 2007’s “Halloween” feels uneven. I do like the casting of Malcolm McDowell (“A Clockwork Orange”) as Loomis though.
- Halloween H20
While not exactly a good film, “Halloween H20” at least proved to be a fairly entertaining sequel. Jamie Lee Curtis was back and proving why her Laurie Strode is one of the smartest characters in horror film history.
- Halloween (2018)
After four decades of underwhelming sequels, 2018’s “Halloween” went back to basics. While it’s certainly not without its flaws, this film made Michael Myers intimidating again.
- Halloween
You just cannot beat the original “Halloween”. One of the most iconic horror films of all time, this is a terrific film from beginning to end. What makes it so effective after all these years is that it feels grounded in reality. Michael Myers feels like a legitimate and realistic threat here. The franchise would descend into the realm of ridiculousness. However, this first picture remains a classic.