Well…I guess technically this title isn’t a lie. It is the end of this studio’s run on the franchise. But we all know that after a few years hibernation, this franchise & Michael will come back. The one rule that applies to Horror movie villains & Hollywood is that nothing ever stays dead. But I’ll give props to the marketing of this installment. The trailers and TV spots focused on the fight between Laurie & Michael without actually telling us what the plot is. I have to give credit for that. More trailers should try to actually keep their movies & shows in as much mystery as possible. Enough about that though, we need to actually discuss the film.

Four years have passed since the events of the previous two movies, as well as the last time Michael was seen by the people of Haddonfield. Laurie & Allison are moving on as best as they can, trying to reclaim some resemblance of normalcy. Then one day Allison runs into a young guy named Corey who due to a freak accident, is viewed by many people in town to be a monster himself. But Allison sees the good guy he is trying to be and the two form a connection. But something seems to have start encouraging Corey to give into his darker impulses. To embrace the darkness in in and get back at the town that has tortured him for son long.

Honestly, the story and stuff surrounding Corey is some of the best stuff seen in this franchise. It’s really fascinating to see a character like and get a chance to explore some questions that can relate to this franchise. What makes someone snap? Is evil created or is it always around, waiting for the right chance to come out? The actor who plays Corey does a great job portraying someone dealing with inner torment, struggling to find some meaning in his life and figuring out how to move forward. And I enjoy his connection/romance with Allison. Granted, it is a tad rushed considering how long the events of this movie take place. But a lot of movie romances are and it doesn’t really harm the story.

One connection Corey has that is more interesting though is the one he has with Michael. I’ve never seen Michael act this way with anyone from any of the previous films. It’s genuinely new and still manages to keep him intimidating. And while the people behind this specific trilogy never outright confirm Michael is supernatural, I personally think it’s the only way to explain some of the stuff he does over the last few films. Especially when it comes to a few choice scenes from the first half or two thirds of this installment. And yet this specific depiction feels much more natural for Michael than whatever they were doing in something like Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers.

But you are probably wondering about the actual climax of the movie. Laurie & Michael have another clash, obviously. And while I feel like it’s still a kind of repeat of the 2018 film, it does admittedly feel different enough to feel exciting. As for what they do with Corey towards the end, I do feel unsatisfied. The movie was playing up that Corey might become the next Michael Myers, and I was actually on board for that idea. But the way he meets his end feels like it goes against what this movie – and what this trilogy – was about in terms of themes. They could have easily changed the way he died. Do it in a way where maybe Allison does bring Corey back just in time for him to go up against Michael, a depiction of love & kindness being stronger than evil. Corey could still die, but Michael will be weakened enough where he can still meet his fate at the hands of the Strode family.

But that version of what I wanted didn’t play out. The actual fight between Michael & Laurie is, again, still fun to watch. And the actual clash does feel conclusive. But what happens following that clash is a twisted funeral procession that feels really silly. It does harm the movie and is one of the more noticeable weaknesses of the movie. A few others include how this movie – like the last one – has too many scenes of people talking about the original film and the past two films. We already know the events of these movies! Stop wasting time repeating stuff that we’ve already re-watched in anticipation of this movie. And there are still scenes where it goes for comedy but it feels tonally jarring. That’s an issue that has persisted throughout this trilogy. The 2018 film manages to not be harmed by that problem, it’s more persistent in Halloween Kills where it still somehow manages to make it at least an enjoyable, entertaining mess. But here, it just feels awkward.

At the end of the day though, this is still better than Halloween Kills. It’s still one of the better sequels to come out of this franchise. This trilogy would have been stronger though if these filmmakers took more time to really plan things out. Spread out ideas and development across both of these movies and make it feel more connected. Because while Halloween Ends is a solid movie, the trilogy overall is pretty weak. But that shouldn’t stop you from checking this movie out. I know a lot of people feel like this was unsatisfactory for one reason or another. But for what it is and what it does successfully do, I was able to enjoy it – the good stuff, the awkward scenes, & the bloodshed. All the way to the end.