Halloween Ends (2022) has turned out to be one of the most divisive entries in the entire franchise, and it probably has something to do with these five shocking moments from the movie...
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Warning: There are MAJOR spoilers ahead for Halloween Ends.
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1. The Prologue
Halloween Ends opens like no other film in the series, as it doesn't feature Michael Myers. Instead, teenager Corey Cunningham is babysitting Jeremy, when the young boy decides to prank Corey, but is accidentally knocked from the second-floor balcony just in time for his parents to see.
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2. Corey Meets Michael
Though it takes 40 minutes for Michael Myers to appear, when he does, it's not what audiences are expecting, as he has been hiding out in a sewer for four years, weakened for reasons unknown. But it's really the moment that he seems to "transfer" some of his evil to Corey that has fans' jaws hitting the floor.
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3. Michael's Regeneration
Later in the film, when Corey, who has started a descent into madness following his encounter with Michael, lures his girlfriend's ex, Doug Mullaney, into the sewer where Michael is living. But it's not the inevitable kill that's shocking - it's the moment Michael "regenerates" after doing so...
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4. Corey and Michael Team-Up
Evidently, most of the movie's shocking moments revolve around Corey Cunningham and Michael Myers. And there's nothing more shocking than seeing the bogeyman "team up" with a mere mortal teenager, as together they descend upon two unsuspecting victims in their Haddonfield home.
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5. Michael's Death
Okay, perhaps there is a more shocking moment, and it comes shortly after the final showdown between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers. After crucifying Michael to the kitchen table, Laurie, along with all of Haddonfield, drive Michael's body to the junkyard and throw him into an industrial shredder...
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This isn't the first time the Halloween franchise has had what will ultimately become a divisive entry. The anthology entry Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) speaks for itself, while Rob Zombie's Halloween II (2009) remains a hotly-debated installment.
But while the latest sequel takes huge strides to surprise audiences, while also offering up a satisfying conclusion to the latest series of Halloween films, it isn't without flaws - no Halloween movie is, not even Carpenter's bonafide classic. There are also some missed opportunities that will frustrate many viewers.
Despite some missteps, Halloween Ends is a huge improvement over the 2021 sequel. Storytelling, dialogue, and direction have been fine-tuned, while the film makes a case for being the most atmospheric Halloween installment since Carpenter's original.
So, does Halloween Ends work as both a Halloween movie and as a conclusion to a trilogy of films (or four films, when you include the 1978 original)? The answer isn't so clear, but that doesn't mean you aren't in for a riveting Halloween installment that subverts many expectations.
Halloween Ends takes some huge risks, and if it's a murder-by-numbers sequel you're after, you might be sorely disappointed. But if you're looking for a sequel that's surprisingly thought-provoking and a little outside the box, Halloween Ends has plenty of tricks and treats...
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As per Blumhouse Pictures (via Wikipedia), here's the official synopsis for Halloween Ends, the final chapter in David Gordon Green's Halloween Trilogy:
Four years after the events of Halloween Kills, Laurie is living with her granddaughter Allyson after the death of her parents.
Laurie has decided to take all the fear and rage, she has been holding onto for the last 4 decades and write a memoir which is almost completed.
Michael Myers has once again disappeared and hasn't been seen since. This time Laurie has decided to liberate her fear and rage and embrace life with open arms.
All is quiet in Haddonfield, but when a young man, Corey Cunningham, is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she couldn't control, once and for all.
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Halloween Ends stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Will Patton, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, and Kyle Richards, who reprise their roles as Laurie Strode, Frank Hawkins, Allyson Nelson, Michael Myers, and Lindsey Wallace.
Newcomers include Rohan Campbell (Corey Cunningham) and Michael O'Leary (Dr. Mathis).
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Halloween Ends is now out in theaters and is also streaming on Peacock.
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