Not since 1989′s Halloween 5 has there been a Halloween movie that has been so lifeless and dull. Don’t get me wrong, Rob Zombie’s second outing with Michael Myers is a lot better than Halloween 6 and Halloween Resurrection, but it lacks the suspense and atmosphere that made John Carpenter’s original classic so compelling.

In the original 1978 film, Michael Myers (often billed as “The Shape”) was more than just a man. His presence was represented not just by his human form, but by something as minute as a simple camera shot. Even in his absence, you could sense that he was close by, lurking about and watching over us. That boogeyman motif is now gone, and when Myers is not in a scene, you know that he is not in the scene!

Ironically, Halloween II (the second film to go by that name) is perhaps the most unique in the Halloween film series. Where 2007′s Halloween remake attempted to show the psychology of Michael Myers and what made him a killer, its sequel tries to go further than that by diving into his subconscious, represented by visions of his younger self, standing by his mother and a white horse. These dream sequences are perhaps the most interesting scenes in the movie and in many cases, call back to the styles of some of Zombie’s music videos. But these moments sometime act as a double edged sword. By showing too much of Michael Myer’s mother in sequences that don’t call for it, it diminishes his presence.

Perhaps the most aggravating element of the film is how some of the characters are handled. Dr. Sam Loomis, the character who was once so wonderfully played by Donald Pleasance, is no longer the likable psychiatrist out to stop his former patient, but instead media hound out for publicity. I think Malcom McDowell is a perfect candidate to step into Pleasance’s shoes, but the way his character is written is so unappealing and he is just unpleasant to watch in nearly every scene in which he appears.

Even Laurie Strode comes across as less appealing than she was in the last film. Understandably, she is a mess now. Emotionally scarred and haunted by the nightmares that keep her from moving on, she drifts from scene to scene, almost waiting for the big reveal that causes her to jump the border.

The cinematography  is both good and bad. At times, it’s poorly conceived with shots that are out of focus, not centered, or far too shaky. In other scenes, we are treated to colorful and sometimes epic (for a slasher film), with color and depth. The same could almost be said for Tyler Bates’ score. The Halloween theme has almost been eradicated, making only one appearance near the end. In scenes of horror, the music is dry and emotional, characterized by distorted sounds that are not uncommon for modern horror scores. In the few emotionally prominent scenes, the music is actually pretty good and really shines. At one point, there is this beautiful piano piece that almost makes you forget that you are watching a slasher film.

At times, Halloween II shows promise, but it mishandles it’s characters, with the notable exception of the Bracketts (played by Brad Dourif and Danielle Harris, making her fourth Halloween appearance), and in many places, like most of the kills, feels random and pointless.

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