Trick ‘r Treat
| release date | October 6 2009 |
| studio | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| director | Michael Dougherty |
| writer | Michael Dougherty |
| starring | Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, Leslie Bibb |
| rating | R |
| site | trtmovie.com |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
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This movie was goddamn incredible. If you are a Halloween fan, you will not let you down. This movie is brilliant both visually and conceptually. WB should be ashamed for keeping this gem from theatrical release.
-JKilla, NYC
Best Halloween Movie since Hocus Pocus. I say that because there really aren’t any Halloween movies out anymore. It captures the imagination and fears of every child going out Trick or Treating but it puts a big horror twist on it all. What’s Halloween without blood, guts, gore, and a couple hot chicks. It is visually one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. A+
This movie is absolutely amazing. I heard a nice bit of hype and was very excited to pick it up. I was not let down one bit. There’s a lot going on in this movie and it all works and comes together so perfectly. An absolute must see. Two things I really liked were the two actresses from Dead Like Me, which was one of my favorite shows. Whether or not they got two of them by accident or on purpose is beyond me but I enjoyed seeing it. Another thing is the Coup De Grace. If you read the poem and watch this movie you’ll know what I’m talking about.
This movie is perfect.
Easily my favorite Halloween movie OF ALL TIME (sorry John Carpenter!).
The fact that it’s not getting a theatrical release for Halloween is nothing short of one of the biggest blasphemies in the history of horror cinema.
10/10 for the movie
0/10 for fucking Warner not giving it a theatrical release
0/10 for the DVD having no special features- we can’t all afford Blu-Ray/players, don’t make all the goods exclusive to that medium.
For the sake of helping the movie maintain a damn well deserved high score I’ll let the stars speak for the movie itself as opposed to everything involving its release.
Thank you everyone who had anything to do with this movie for allowing me to bask in its perfection! If you even remotely enjoy Halloween buy this movie NOW.
Saw this at Fantastic Fest a couple of weeks ago and was blown away by how awesome Trick ‘r Treat was!
Darkly humorous, occasionally gory, and consistently fun. The way the stories intersect each other is really cool and anyone who grew up on Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt will absolutely fall in love with this (like I did)!
It wasn’t a couple of hours after the screening before I felt the desire to see it again. Picked up my BluRay today and am going to give it another go!
BEST Halloween/Horror film ever MADE, HANDS DOWN.
can’t wait for the sequel to come out (or at least i was led to believe by a loyal horror fan)
’nuff said.
(may contain spoilers)
I am going to get beat down with a stick for this one. I liked the movie, I didn’t love the movie. I will probably never watch it again ever. I thought it had great atmosphere, for that 10/10 for sure. It felt very old-school horror, it was funny, campy, all of the great things about horror, but where it fell apart was logic (as far as filmmaking goes) and direction.
After I settled that the movie was a bunch of stories melded together (which took a bit), I realize it was then time to think in that mode (even though I did enjoy the parts where stories intersected).
What I didn’t really feel like any individual plot was really thought out that much. The little pumpkinhead boy was overly confusing. All I could chalk up at the end was that he was a metaphor for what happens when people don’t follow the rules of Halloween, but it wasn’t even that strong of a device.
The other point I took problem with was the fact that the mentally slow girl (witch) comes out of the old man’s house (we know this because it was the same house with all the pumpkins), and you never know if she was working with the pumpkin boy or what her point of being at that house or doing those things were. The other confusing part was when she just walked by the pumpkin kid and they had an odd stare-off.
I didn’t hate the movie, but I think it is being WAAAY overhyped. I really wanted to like it too because I had heard such good things. I did enjoy the style and atmosphere, but i wish they had worked a little more at making a cohesive film that integrated sub-plots and actually arced to a fully realize arching plot.
Like i said I didn’t hate it, but it was meh.
Night of the Demons by far still the best Halloween-themed horror film of all time.
Gore, giggles n’ girls. I had a blast watching this movie. The tales are interwoven beautifully. The overall look is awesome. The acting was great. Highly recommend.
classic! i can definitely see myself watching this every halloween from now on.
I love this film, Ive already finished it 3 times and i cant get enough. The campfire scene is so dope!
Trick ‘r Treat is pure Halloween horror fun.
If you’re going to watch this film expecting to be scared or expecting lots of gore, go ahead and skip it. This is NOT what this film is about. This film is all about Halloween entertainment which it delivers with flying colors.
If you want a movie you can watch with your friends and family every year on Halloween, this is the number one choice.
Great film. Fun, funny, and at times spooky. I enjoyed this a lot.
Truly worth the wait and for sure an annual Halloween watch. Great fun, great atmosphere and an overall treat for horror fans. 10/10!
Has a creepshow feel to it at times. Nothing ground breaking worth seeing once. Major complaint low on gore.
Has a creepshow feel to it at times. Nothing ground breaking worth seeing once. Major complaint low on gore.
Has a creepshow feel to it at times. Nothing ground breaking worth seeing once. Major complaint low on gore.
great movie
I was underwhelmed. Good movie, but waited too long and read too much hype.
Great ‘Halloween Spirit’ Flick. I liked it a lot. It was good all around. The story are inter-weaved well. No gore overkill. Just scary good. Classic.
WOW…this movie was not gory,not much nudity,…but it still was freaking awesome!!! the interwoven stories is what make’s this movie work for me,the feeling of halloween is really captured in this film.Really great time watching this movie…worth the wait!
This movie is like a horror family film to watch each Halloween,a real damn shame that WB kept this on the shelf for two years.Not one single flaw in this movie.
Trick r Treat was one of the best horror movies I have ever seen!!! Totally blown away
This movie was well worth the wait. I went to 6 stores before I finally found it. This is an amazing Halloween movie to watch over & over again. I would have love to see this in the theatre.
Genius! So I just Watch this amazing movie and I must say I loved it. It had its slow moments, but was very worth it. Trick ‘r Treat was pretty much a flawless horror film. I will warn you that this is not a scary film. It is more like a type of creepshow but with all strories tieing together and centering around the great halloween rituals
1. Wear a costume.
2. Hand out treats.
3. Never blow out a jack-o’-lantern.
4. And always check your candy.
I can’t imagine a single horror fan that won’t fall head over heels in love with it. What the hell took them so long to put this movie out, I will never understand. All the actors in this movie took huge risk and were awesome. Michael Dougherty did a great job and Im looking forward to more movies with type of concept
This movie covered most all the types of horror movies. It had your Serial killer, Vampires, Werewolves, Ghost, Monsters, all tied into one hell of a great ride.
This movie is so freaking incredible!!!
The acting is really good for a horror movie.
Its like watching John Carpenter’s Halloween and mixing it with Creepshow.
WB you really fucked up not releasing this on the big screen
10/10
Fantastic film!
Finally,a horror movie that captures the spirit of Halloween like no other has before.Picked up the blu-ray copy and the film looks fantastic.This is the perfect Halloween movie to watch on Halloween Day.Sorry Michael Myers.Looks like Sam is taking your place this year and the next and the next.
What a fun holiday film released just in time for Halloween! Why it was never given a wide release before video is beyond me. The film does a fabulous job at capturing the holiday. As for the movie itself, it has its funny and creepy moments. The stories are all interwoven well. I loved the ending
GREAT FILM. i really liked it, the cinematography was beautiful and the effects were teriffic. so bummed this wasn’t released in theaters, it’s great!
GREAT FILM. i really liked it, the cinematography was beautiful and the effects were teriffic. so bummed this wasn’t released in theaters, it’s great!
This was everything I was hoping it would be and more. The wait was worth it ( even though I wish I could have seen it on the big screen). This is the PERFECT halloween movie. I just feels like the holiday to me. I would suggest this movie to anyone who loves this genre.
This movie was a fun time. like everyone has said, the halloween spirit is felt in this film like no other i have seen since the original halloween. it just oozes everything halloween and for that alone i love it. the stories were pretty good as was the acting. i also liked how the stories were interwoven together to make it all work. sam was a creepy character and i loved it when he was on the screen. it covers about all you can cover from vampires to werewolves to serial killers.loved the story of sam and the old man and the girls going to the party, what i party it was! hahaha. very good movie with alot to offer, everyone should check it out!
It was a very long wait to see this movie. But it was fantastic!! I loved every aspect of the film from great sets, special effects, some gore, humor, suspense a few scares and the list goes on. The story line was perfect, never giving away too much till it all comes together. In my humble opinion a perfect Halloween movie!!
what a breath of fresh air this movie was, finally something original. I just loved it. Perfect Halloween movie!!! If it would have more gore it would easily be my all time favorite horror movie. Do not miss this one!!!!!
Ok so what is everyone talking about. I was so excited to see this movie and I can finally understand why it wasn’t released. Despite some striking cinematography and creative ideals the movie is crappy and is dire need of a remake so that its potential can be fully realized. It plays out like a TV movie something featured on USA or channel ( possible a Halloween special. It’s not especially gory or effective. And none of the stories or especially scary. The little pumpkin kid which I guess is supposed to be the spirit of Halloween is kinda creepy but pointless. I love Halloween and I love all the mythology behind it. And I would love a film that could really capture that. trick ‘r’ treat has it’s moments especially when Paquin and her friends story concludes. But for the most part it’s just like mostly everything thats coming out. A huge disapoinment…
WOW!What can I say! All the hype was definitely worth it! The movie was absolutely amazing!The stories stood out and everyone of them ended with a shocking bang! Especially the Anna Paquin story!!!WOW the film is just very refreshing.Why the hell this thing didn’t make it to theatres is beyond me! BUY IT NOW!!!!U WANT REGRET IT!
What I loved about Trick R’ Treat was all the little intricasies in the story. You could tell that this was Michael Daugherty’s baby and he really had a grasp on how he wanted it to be. From the Pulp Fiction style anthology tale to all the subtle twists in each of the stories, they blended together so well to give a timeline to the film. As soon as I got it yesterday I watched it, then watched all the special features, the listened to the commentary, then watched it again. It pulled me in immediately which is all I really want a movie to do.
The acting was great. I really love Dylan Baker. Anna Paquin did great with the role she had. The kids were really good. Not really a bad job. Brian Cox was amazing as usual. He is such a great actor he should be in everything. Immediately when I seen him I thought “he kinda reminds me of John Carpenter”, and sure enough in the behind the scenes feature it says he wanted them to make him look like John Carepenter. He even had the homage line to The Thing.
Overall the the movie drew me in, I wanna watch it again to try to pick apart where everyone shows up and what is going in the story at certain times. It seemed like EVERYTHING in the movie had a purpose for being there. That’s what I love is details, and Trick R’ Treat has them. I have another movie to watch every year at Halloween (and throughout the year too). Because this movie feels like Halloween. I find it hard to believe that this just sat on a dusty shelf somewhere for soooo long. But at last it’s here now and it’s AWESOME!
I read on the cover of the movie “The greatest Halloween film of the past 30 years!”, there were also quotes like “The next Creepshow!”. High hopes walking into this horror anthology, high hopes indeed and I wasn’t let down.
The movie doesn’t miss a beat the entire time. The characters are well written and played just as well. The spooks are actually quite different from most films, it’s not the usual “jump horror” we’re fed everyday in the cinema’s.
If you listen carefully you can see that this movie even includes a great soundtrack, with a nice little tribute to the Lost Boys thrown in there. All and all it’s a great film and you won’t be disappointed.
awesome flick. Fun and scary film. Def. a must see!
I can understand people being disappointed since I was too to an extent. But the movie had been so hyped and anticipation was high so there was no realistic way for the movie to live up to my expectations. The atmosphere, visuals, directing and acting were all great. I was a little confused though as to what was going and which characters I’m really supposed to be following due to the way the narrative structure is represented. Which in my opinion is its biggest flaw, but who knows, I may be fine with it after a second viewing.
Walking in to this movie all I read was great reviews. I’m not going to say I was not let down at all, but it did give me a breath of fresh air. I love Halloween time and this movie is something that will get you into the mood. Granted, there are some gaps in the storyline and one or two parts that I thought could have been better, but in no way should this film not be watched. Everyone will have their own opinion, but if you watch this movie as a Halloween (the holiday) fan, you will enjoy the holiday even more this year.
A really fun movie and I can see myself watching it every Halloween. I loved the way that all 4 of the stories were connected somehow. All the stories keep your interest (though I thought the last one with the old man was the weakest, it was still pretty solid).
This is probably the most hyped horror movie EVER, as far as I remember. Well Ny Name Is Bruce had a similar hype, but failed horribly! So did Trick r Treat fail too? No!
The movie consists of five or so interconnected stories that are all interesting one way or another. And little by little the plot thickens, which keeps you interested all the way through the movie. This is done by following people from many different angles, in a way similar to what is done in Vantage Point.
The movie is visually stunning, and very atmospheric. Many of the characters are also memorable.
This movie is by no means the best horror movie ever. It is a bit too polished to be that. There isnt any unintentionally funny, scary or crazy situations that puts the movie over the edge. It is a wellcrafted horror movie, that is wellpaced (too slow for some), well acted and well put together.
All in all it is a good movie that is worth more than one watch
This was a fun movie for halloween! It follows a very simply formula and keeps a good pace. All of the stories are great! It definatley invokes the old school spirit of halloween, and what it should be. Sam is adorable! the only draw back is that the movie is a bit “jumpy”, but everything works it’s way through. Oh and the fact that SPFX were used! There was some CGI but what it was used for worked. I’m glad to see that someone wanted a raw look compared to a digitized look.
I really liked this movie. Cool stories and some hot girls. Had to go out and buy this one.
Represents everything I love in a horror film, unpredictability and misdirection, a good eerie music score, great sleezy characters with charisma and entertaining value, funny and hilarious pitch black humor, creepy eerie fun, “saw VI” gets theatrical release and this movie gets shelved for 2 years which is stupid, easily the stupidest decision warner brothers have ever made, this film stands in the front of all other horror films of the last 10 years as the best, a masterpiece of visuals and eerie scenary that runs circles around any of the “halloween” movies aside from the first, this movie deserves a 10 rating from this website but somehow a stupid ass movie like anti christ which in there own review they dont know why they recommend it so much which is idiotic and makes no sense, i want to be entertained in a horror film, if you want to watch pure gore mindless violence than make sure you buy your tickets to saw VI and buy anti christ on dvd when they both come out because that crap is being made more than good solid entertaining and Funny films like Trick R Treat.
the best horror films I love the most also have enough intellegence to create some moments of laughter to remind the viewer that its just a film…but this generation and ones to come dont seem to get that. GOOD horror films are a dying breed and its frustrating and annoying. so I really am thankful to the people who made this film despite obvious changes that would have been required or asked of them from anybody else, they only used CGI here when really necessary and it worked in those moments, I definatly praise them for sticking with real effects for the neccessary moments that required them, any other shit film would have ruined the moments with cgi faces and creatures, but this intellegent film doesnt have to sink to that.
with all that said, along with Midnight Meat Train, there seems to be the growing trend of wonderfully creative inventive horror films getting fucked in the ass by the bastards at their studios who probably have a personal agenda against the good low budget films that make their shitty high budget ones look terrible.
whatever the reason, who cares, Good movies WILL ALWAYS find an audience, word of mouth and the internet will ALWAYS be a good reliable source to check out GOOD films like this one. even if they do get wrongfully trimmed down a couple skulls by sites like this.
10/10
Resembling a graphic novel in sequencing, Michael Dougherty’s “Trick ‘r Treat” is a near great film that begs the question to why it was handled so incompetently. In days where the sorry “Saw” franchise seems to be the most financially successful horror series, Michael Dougherty supplies hungry horror fans with a macabre of a horror anthology that probably could have pushed new blood into a lifeless genre. Just yesterday the trailer to the Platinum Dunes reboot of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” hit the internet, and to say that I’m not the least bit curious would probably be a lie. However, the kind of originality told here goes to show you that there are people out there that love making horror films that set out to do new things. With small missteps aside, mostly dealing with a low budget and short run time, “Trick ‘r Treat” is a film that will make its older audience excited about Halloween all over again.
THIS WAS BY FAR THE BEST HORROR FILM I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!! I found myself laughing one minute and physically shaking the next. Michael Dougherty did an excellent job in writing this film!!!! The acting was awesome, and the way the stories meshed together was perfect!!! The gore, though there was not much, was still very disturbing as well. One scene in particular shall always make me wonder what people put in that Halloween candy nowadays (Principle Wilkins). I loved how it also played off of the legendary Halloween traditions in each story. One thing is for sure that I got my moneys worth with buying this at Best Buy. That is for sure!!! This is one movie that should be shown like a cult classic every Halloween!!! It’s got laughs and scares galore and creates the perfect new horror icon!!!! Pinhead, Freddy, Michael, and Jason can move aside and bow down to the awesomeness of a true boogeyman that is SAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THIS IS A HORROR CLASSIC!!!!! Trick ‘r Treat everyone……….and don’t forget to follow those rules……hahaha…….
Remember when you were a kid, and Halloween was exciting and creepy? Well Trick ‘r Treat brings this back! This film was VERY nolstalgic to me and brings back great Halloween memories. This is no doubt my favorite film of ALL time, seriously. My favorite story had to be the tale of The Halloween Schoolbus Massacre. The flashback of the schoolbus accident was shot beautifully, it was amazing. Michael Dougherty captured Halloween PERFECTLY in this AMAZING Halloween film.
10/10
Best Halloween film by far.
I was waiting for this movie for almost 2 yrs. It was the best Halloween movie ive ever seen and is now in my top 5 greatist horror films ever made. This movie was absolutly flawless in every way. I just wished that it was longer.
All I can say is I seriously fucking loved this movie…not to sound sappy or depressing in a movie review but in 1997 my brother was killed by a drunk driver on Halloween night and ever since then the day had me feeling jaded.This movie took me to a place I hadn’t been in years..it showed me the nostalgic kid like spirit of Halloween. It reminded me of a better time when Halloween was a super fun spooky night and it really lifted my spirits and made me want to celebrate in style this year and i’ll definitely be passing out candy,keeping my jack o lantern lit til midnight and following all the rules..a classic I will watch every October for sure!
Freaking amazing, that’s for sure!!! On my list of favorite Halloween movies for sure!!
One of the best horror flicks I’ve seen in awhile, not scary, but so well scripted and filmed; everything ties together, with well planned stories and a character (Sam) who should become iconic, alas due to the lack of proper release may take time for that to happen. A must see for Halloween lovers and horror fans who like a good old fashioned “boo!” movie.
This is one of the best movies your eyes will ever see. It is an instant classic that captures the beautiful orange glow of Halloween. The writing behind each story was great and the acting was good. The only problem is that it is too short. I didn’t want it to end but it did rather suddenly. I hope we get to see more of Sam. THANK YOU Michael Dougherty!
Brian Cox IS Hannibal Lecter!! I enjoyed this movie immensely. This is now the equivalent to ‘A Christmas Story’ for Halloween. Congrats!
Have been looking forward to this film for almost 2 years now…
I rushed out on my break at work to rent this sucker. Came home, smoked a bowl and popped this sucker in and WOW. What a great movie. The stories were interwoven so beautifully and the movie was amazingly shot and acted. People are saying this wasnt gory enough but I think it had the perfect amount of blood and guts. The film was even suspensful and funny in equal measure. I know everyone has been saying this but such a tradgedy that this movie didn’t get a wide release…mind boggling.
I have been waiting for this movie more than a 10 year old girl anticipates getting her titties. This movie had me crying foul when the shit studio behind it delayed it, only to opt to just dump it on DVD, obviously unaware how big of a potential hit (and franchise) they had on their hands.
The movie was well worth the wait, I have already watched it 20 times and I don’t get sick of it at all! Like John Carpenters Halloween, Trick ‘r Treat stands out to be a holiday staple (minus the titty shots). Though the movie isn’t based around the homicidal antics of one particular serial killer (although Sam is present at each bloodletting, except principal Wilkins’ “pumpkin carving”); it interweaves characters from separate segments throughout an Ohio town on Halloween.
The movie is absolutely brilliant with sharp dialogue, witty character, unexpected plot twists, and the ever memorable Sam. This movie WILL NOT let you down as it perfectly embodies the Halloween traditions and scares the crap out of you simultaneously. Yes, I have major wood for Trick ‘r Treat and if you watch it you will be all wet and gooey like too!
I was not able to rent the movie so after all the hype, and waiting two years for it to hit the shelves, I went out and bought the movie. I love Halloween and all the traditions that follow it, so this movie was something that I knew that I would enjoy. To start off, I want to say that this movie in my own opinion did not lead up to the hype (which movies tend to do now days), but it was still a good movie. Sam was a creepy little fellow, and he was much different than the norm so it was nice to see a fresh character, but whats under his mask was not appealing to me. The other stories were rather entertaing with good twists, but did not seem to give enough background or information. Who was the girl who seemed to be a bit off? Was she in the old mans house, does she have a connection with sam? I did not understand he weird stare off with the little guy, and when she saw him during the school bus scene. Everything connected towards the end which was quite entertaining, but some thing were not coming together as easily as I thought they would. I will watch the movie again tonight and put everything together. This movie was good to say the least, but it was not exactly what I had hoped for.
Cool movie, didn’t quite live up to the hype, but will definitely become part of my Halloween traditions.
2nd best Halloween movie ever. Really fun to watch. Had horror, suspense, gore and comedy. A few twists as well. So glad I could finally see it after reading so much about it here. BTW the original Halloween is still the best, but this one might be the funnest.
Thought it was great. The cinematography is beautiful and the stories are cool. It truly captures the spirit of Halloween. This will become a Halloween classic equivalent to A Christmas Story as a few have said already. Go out and buy it, you won’t be dissapointed.
Finally!
Let’s just say that the movie was worth the wait. I’ve had the chance of catching this one in theater at the Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival (along with the North American premiere of Inglourious Basterds) What an eneving! Absolutely perfect in every way, this is the kind of movie you’ll want to watch every Halloween! The story unfold in parallel flawlessly. Every story is better as it goes on. The (multiple) payoffs works perfectly for each story, even after a second viewing. Even the short running time didn’t bother me. Better short and sweet than long and painful!
Bring on the sequel! (Without the wait and a theatrical screening this time!)
this movie was not as bad as i was expecting. not the best horror halloween film though. it had cool directing. it was funny and took some unexpected turns and they weren’t afraid to kill of children and show you a severed childs head on a plate so that was cool
Loved this Movie! Great Werewolf Scene!
this movie is really good i saw it on bootleg at first and i waited for this movie so long and it was so good i wish it could of been longer! please make a second one but the teacher story didnt make since but anyway i love this movie i going buy it on dvd next month and watch it over and over again the second one should have the pumpkin head kid orgins in it that would rock!
I have waited two long years for this HALLOWEEN film, and I am glad that they finally released it! I loved everything about it; the cool costumes, the sweet HALLOWEEN decorations, all the jack ‘o lanterns, the Marilyn Manson music, the HALLOWEEN parade and much more. The movie tells four stories that occur on this dark HALLOWEEN night. Some things happen out of order, but told again later through the perspective of another character. We meet Principal Wilkins who poisons candy. Have a ‘killer’ party with a beautiful woman named Laurie who will a blood feast with her sisters. Revisit the HALLOWEEN School Bus Massacre as a few kids play a nasty prank on a girl named Rhonda, but it turns out that the dead kids on the bus wanna come out and play. Finally, we meet a pint-sized trick-or-treater with a burlap pumpkin mask named Sam (Samhain) who will kill for a candy bar. If you love anything and everything regarding HALLOWEEN, you’ll love TRICK ‘R TREAT!!!
New Halloween classic. Fun… nostalgic… creepy… gorgeous… excellent.
Sam kicks ass.
while it was fun the movie didn’t serve any real purpose.. yeah it was fun but what was the films direction? the movie had no real ending.. but the film was entertaining and did a few funny moments.. not sure why everyone is going crazy over this.. way hyped
Any movie that leaves you wanting to see more has to be awesome!….i loved it.
A fabulous movie for Halloween I think this film could be a holiday classic if enough people find out about it. The bigest problem in my eyes with this movie is that their is no real flow to it. In my mind their is just a bunch of crazy short stories happening. Although they are all very entertaining their just isnt a set tone to the show. Well its creepy and fun yeah but were is the flow. I mean we got a variety of short stories with kids and adults. One minute I feel like I am watching something for a middleschool audience the next Im watching something for the adults. The show did break the mold though. I like the Pumpkin Head monster. I like the bate and switch werewolf story. I am just saying that this movies flow and tone just didnt add up for me. It is like watching Tales From The Crypt and Goosebumps side by side. Great minimovies to their paticular demigraphics but they dont flow side by side.
In my opinion I can see this movie being a classic movie of our time in the future. I bought it the day it came out. This movie is what Halloween is all about and ends perfectly for sequels to be made…BRING BACK SAM! I want to see more of TRICK ‘r TREAT.
it was very much like Creepshow solid stories And Sam was one mean little fucker looked cool too
Great Movie.
great great movie
good
A-MAZING-FUCKING MOVIE…
It was creepy, messed up, and it felt like an R rated version of goosebumps. Loved every min of this film. The acting was very good and very tales/creep showish. The gore was there when it needed to be, the mask’s were fuckin AWESOME anyone know where I can buy that haybag mask from I need it…
Trick ‘r treat is easily the best film I’ve ever seen. It is phenomenal in every department and is highly captivating. The pacing is definitely superb. Nothing insignificant or tedious is inclusive in this film. Trick ‘r treat is such a unique and refreshing premise, that this is what significantly connects with the film. The cinematography is surely breathtaking and the film is non-stop cinematic fun from the second it starts until the second it ends. There is a plethora of scares, screams, and laughs. If you haven’t seen Trick ‘r treat, you haven’t seen a horror film. Hands down best horror film in the past decades.
A new Halloween classic.
CULT written all over it.
To me, this movie wasn’t great. I’m not a huge fan of the unexplained. And I just disliked the storyline. The movie didn’t disappoint me. I just didn’t like it. And there were quite a few loop holes in the plot.
I think the best word to sum this film up would be WEIRD. It was just… awkwardly weird.
People who don’t get this movie are not true HORROR fans. It is my new favorite movie second to Halloween. Beautiful to look at, there isn’t another movie that depicts the holiday like this one. Sure it may have one or two flaws, but it is hypnotic to watch. It left me wanting more. I only wish Sam’s face hadn’t been revealed.
I hope like hell they make a sequel.
Highly enjoyable film really captures the Atmosphere of Halloween. It’s well directed and has good perfomances, sure there are a few minor issues and it could have been a little more scary but it’s still one of the best films of the year regardless.
After the long wait Trick R Treat finally gets out to the masses.
The blu ray release boasts a fantastic transfer and sound as well as a nice selection of supplements but that is not what this is really about.
The movie itself is something that has been sorely needed for horror and I hope is a shot in the arm as far as creativity goes in a time when gore porn rehashes of Saw and Hostel as well as remake after remake fill the theaters and studios wonder why they do not exactly impress.
Each story is fantastic unto itself and does a great job of crossing threads with the other stories if you look close enough.
The opening sets the stage for the rest and there is not a wasted moment of the film where it gets bogged down.
The cuts made definitely helped this out (the deleted scenes really would have dragged it out or killed some of the charm).
Performances are solid all of the way through, no blatant and forced pop culture references or cgi forced down your throat and no quota filling stereotypes.
This movie deserves to be a classic, and I hope to see Sam again soon.
Definitely buy this film, whether it is on blu ray or dvd.
Do not buy it used, do not download it.
Support the good shit.
Great, Great movie!!! I really enjoyed this film from start to finish. I wish there were more like this out there. I would love another installment, but I know it will never happen.
It has been so long since a really GREAT horror movie has been release that revolves around Halloween! This is what I’ve missed, the days when Halloween was scary and creepy!! Movies like this remind me why Halloween is my favorite time of year! I had to go out and BUY this movie! No horror movie collection is complete without it!!
This movie felt really old school, but the direction and pacing felt off at times.
It’s a fun little Halloween movie but not the great classic it has been hyped up to be in my opinion.
I really enjoyed this movie. It seemed like forever to finally see it but considering I stayed away from spoilers (with the exception of the damn dvd cover)I was able to really enjoy this. This movie definitely feels like pulp fiction on halloween. The stories are some what intertwined and not fully in order but its not hard to follow and once it gets to the end your like ahhhh so thats why and ohh so he did do that and so on. The characters all play their parts really well particularly dylan baker who was really good in his roll. To me this is the type of movie you have to watch on halloween as a tradition. That and well halloween of course. Definitely worth buying and highly reccomended. I still can’t believe this never made it to theaters as it was just a really fun horror movie.
What a shame that this flick didnt see the big screen for the masses to enjoy. everything about this movie was great from start to finish, even if you have watched it after hearing nothing but hype for a few years. it got hyped up for a reason. Sam has to be one of the most original looking characters ive ever seen. amazing movie all around.
Great fun! The best anthology type film in a long time. Probably the best one of our favorite genre. Too bad it was not released in theaters! Paquin rules!
This movie is fantastic and gets better every time you watch it. Absolutely worth the wait, and here’s hoping for a sequel. I’m in love with this movie.
Now, I need to clear up some confusion I’m seeing from other reviews. Rhonda is NOT coming out of Mr. Kreeg’s house. Not only do both houses look completely different, you can clearly see her address (3775) when she comes out of her house and his address (3765) right before the end credits.
Obviously, Rhonda has a strong connection to Halloween, she knows it’s history and mythology and really celebrates the holiday. When Rhonda was in the elevator protecting herself with the jack-o-lanterns, she knew the kids had broken the rules and there was nothing she could do. While she wasn’t really in cahoots with Sam, she knew of him, his rules, and the consequences for breaking them. However, she’s obviously in a state of shock, which explains the blank stare and her wandering out in front of the car driven by the were-women.
I assume that, Rhonda and Mr. Kreeg just being a few houses away, Sam just borrowed Rhonda’s Jack-o-lanterns from her yard to plant in Mr. Kreeg’s for a “good cause”
I would’ve loved to have seen this in theatres! Trick ‘r Treat was such a thrill to watch and I’ve watched it every night since I bought it. Sam is the cutest little thing I’ve seen in forever and I love how he is there to keep all the traditions of Halloween alive in the deadliest ways! This movie made me love Halloween again, it wasn’t too scary either, it was more of a eerie excitement. I love everything about this movie, how vibrant the colors are, how well the acting is, how neat all the enviorments looked, how the stories all fit well into one big continuous flow, and Sam is my new favorite character, AHH! He is so cute! This movie was well worth the wait and I’m happy to say that this movie has full praise from me. Wonderful time watching this.
I instantly fell in love with this movie. Its the best Halloween movie ever! Its a shame this wasn’t a theatrical release. Its nearly perfect, it lives up to the hype, and its entertaining from start to finish.
Whats left to say? Cult classic, returns the true feel of Halloween.
I watched it last night, and can’t wait to get off work today to give it another whirl.
Very entertaining, well worth the bucks you spend.
Absolutely brillant and refreshing. Best Halloween movie besides “Halloween”
classic! movie was great start to finish. all stories in the movie were good i thought, and everything tied in well. i love how it was directed and the different settings were cool looking. Really got me in the Hallooween spirit.
great movie. makes me wish we celebrated halloween full on is australia!
After waiting anxiously for this flick for about two year I finally got my chance to check it out in iTunes because it seems every store in the Bay Area is sold out. If you’re looking for an excellent movie that’s not necessarily scary but rather an perfectly crafted handful of ghost stories for the Halloween season, Trick ‘r Treat is the film for you.
For me, ‘horror movie of the year’ is becoming a tough choice, but it’s definitely between Paranormal Activity and Trick ‘r Treat (and maybe Transformers 2 for being so God awful it was scary). Dougherty deserves props for seamlessly weaving together a memorable group of ghost stories without the story becoming too convoluted. The idea of starting at the end and going backwards was also an excellent touch, and something you don’t actually realize until deep into the movie.
If you’ve seen any advert, movie poster, or know anything of this film you know about Sam, the tiny trick or treater wearing orange footed pajamas and armed with a deadly lollipop. Not only is Sam a warning to follow the rules of Halloween (check your candy, don’t wander alone, etc.) I have no doubt he’ll become a sort of horror icon because of just how awesome he is.
So if you’re looking for a great horror movie that’s never terribly excessive in the gore department, and a flick that doesn’t rely on cheap scares to keep you interested Trick ‘r Treat won’t disappoint. For those willing to check it out you’ll be rewarded with an excellent story, great acting, an immersive atmosphere, and easily one of the best films of the year. Don’t let the fact that it went straight to DVD keep you on the fence, this is an amazing film and one that is sure to become a tradition to watch every Halloween from now on (at least for me).
I liked it.
I mean, I remember hearing about it and searching all over the place for it–but could never find it. So the hype level (desire level) was at peak level for a while.
So, after watching it, I give it an OK. I will admit that I expected something much more (kinda how I felt with Paranormal Activity and Splinter), but all in all, it was a pretty good hour and a half. Now, onward to The Children (T ‘r T and this one seemed to be the 2 flicks to watch)…
This movie was really good on an entertainment basis. My eyes were completely fixated on the screen the whole time I was watching. From a scare factor standpoint, i give it like a 1 out of 10 and on a comedy stand-point I give it like a 2 out of 10, so I don’t know what it was about this movie, I just really liked it alot.
I thought the vampire part and the warewolf part were really dumb :/
Liked the multiple stories in one film all connecting. Big fan of Halloween traditions and this movie made me ready for this years festivaties. Waited a long time for this one and I’m not disapointed.
very good, best horror anthology since creepshow, with some of the same elements as creepshow The best story was undoubtedly the story involving anna paquin. well worth the $14 i spent on it.
Very good movie, but not scary at all….
Really enjoyed it thought..
In 1978, there was this little film released called Halloween. It was written and directed by a little known director by the name of John Carpenter, and co-written by his partner/girlfriend Debra Hill. It was, for almost thirty years, the reigning champion of the Halloween season, not only because of it’s name, but because it was a damned well done, frighteningly suspenseful and tense film.
It’s been unseated.
Trick R’ Treat somehow manages to wrap all of what is best about the actual holiday called Halloween. It’s an anthology film, every single one of them surrounding something having to do with Halloween. It’s fun, it’s spooky, creepy, sexy, slightly gruesome and incredibly well made. It’s beautifully shot, beautifully written, beautifully acted and perfectly paced. By taking a series of interwoven stories, there’s just never a dead spot (huh huh). Trick R’ Treat manages to put all the things people who love the holiday, think and feel about it together into one film tying the whole thing together with a palpable sense of glee and real capital “F” quality film making. Trick R’ Treat manages to capture the feeling of campfire ghost stories and neighborhood myths and legends every town in the country has. It gets the feeling of being a kid and walking up to the local “haunted” house and daring each other to go in. It’s fun, creepy and exhilarating from start to finish.
Michael Dougherty wrote, drew and animated a short called Season Greetings in 1996. Seasons Greetings gave birth to the character Sam. Dougherty’s desire to build a feature length film around Sam turned into Trick R’ Treat. The animated short Seasons Greetings is included on the DVD. It’s a great short film, and I am really happy Dougherty decided to give Sam a chance at jumping to feature length films. I’m not going to tell you too much about Sam, because you should either go buy or rent this film to find out for yourself, you won’t be sorry you did. I can tell you Sam is the character in the poster above, and he’s awesome.
I’m betting that having Bryan Singer (director of The Usual Suspects, the first 2 X-Men films and Superman Returns) as a producer helped Dougherty to bring in the cast he had. Though Anna Paquin certainly wasn’t unknown when Trick R’ Treat was made, but she wasn’t the star of a run away hit television show by the name of True Blood at the time either. That came later. Brian Cox doesn’t show up in many independent horror films, but he’s in this one, and as always, he’s awesome. Leslie Bibb, who has certainly not been hurting for work makes an appearance as well. Tamoh Penikett had yet to show up on anyone’s radar, except possibly Joss Whedon’s since he landed a role in Whedon’s latest show Dollhouse following his appearance in Trick R’ Treat.
Anna Paquin didn’t have True Blood yet (it’s second season just finished), and Tamoh Penikett didn’t have Dollhouse yet (it’s just begun it’s second season) when Trick R’ Treat was filmed and completed. Trick R’ Treats original release date was October of 2007. Warner Bros. bought it after the festival screenings brought such great word of mouth and critical acclaim, then gave no explanation for pulling it from the slate of releases at the time. It doesn’t take a genius to understand that no studio has wanted to releases a horror film in October for the last five, going on six, years. Saw. The Saw films have been the Halloween juggernaut for six consecutive years, and Warner Bros. didn’t want to set this hard to market independent film they’d bought against such a behemoth. I almost understand that. But I’ve seen the film. I’ve also seen the Saw films (though the second one was the last one I paid for, I’ve seen the rest of cable). Trick R’ Treat was also building a great buzz and a great word of mouth all the way back in 2007, but those of us who didn’t get to go to one of the festivals it was screened at, got the shaft. Warner Brothers would not have had to do much to turn this into a hit theatrical release. Trick R’ Treat could have been a big film. It’s just fun enough to grab the young audience, just smart enough to grab the critical community and the film snobs, and fast enough not to lose the knuckle dragger who gets bored with anything that doesn’t blow up or bleed every three minutes. It could have been the film to topple Saw and sever the hand gripped around Halloween at the movie theaters. Instead, it’s getting dumped to DVD two years later.
The thing about Trick R’ Treat is that it’s a film that is not only well made enough, but also in a spirit which would have made it able to draw everyone who not only wasn’t going to see Saw, but who were going to see Saw just because it was the only horror movie available on Halloween. Is it probable that most of the teenagers out there would have been going to see Saw, if for no other reason than to not be the kid at school who didn’t see it. But, Trick R’ Treat is a good enough film and had a strong enough word of mouth that the next weekend, they’d have been buying tickets to it, and not Saw. The truth is, Saw would probably have had a better opening weekend than Trick R’ Treat, but I’d be willing to bet that the next two or three weeks (as long as there wasn’t some other huge even film being released and possibly even if there was) would have belonged to Trick R’ Treat because of the critical and audience reaction to it. It would have built on it’s first weekend, instead of dying after it’s first weekend, and Warner Brothers would have had a big hit on their hands, possibly a new franchise and some characters which would have been profitable in merchandising etc. Warner Bros. shit the bed on this one, a huge stinking pile they rolled around in for a while.
The truth is, Saw may have been a lucrative franchise for the last few years, but it’s not going to own Halloween any longer. Trick R’ Treat is going to be the Halloween film of choice for people around the country for years to come. You’re not going to be seeing midnight showings of Saw on Halloween weekend in five years. You will see Trick R’ Treat being shown, though, and you’re going to see long, long legs on the DVD/Blu Ray sales for this one too. It will be a slow burn for a long time, and it will be the kind of film kids who are starting to get into horror films are going to be picking up to have in their home collections for a long time. Have no doubt, there is going to be a new king of the Halloween film showings and home marathons, and Trick R’ Treat is the one. Thirty years from now, people are going to know about Trick R’ Treat, and they’re still going to love it. They’re also going to roll their eyes at Saw.
This is why we all need to stop going to see bad sequels and remakes. Great original creations are getting shafted, and so are we as the general movie going public. We should have been watching Trick R’ Treat in theaters around Halloween, all having a blast together. As for those of you who stumble across this and think you’re too good for horror films, because they are often low brow and low on intelligence, go see films like Trick R’ Treat or, as is the case now, pick it up on DVD. You don’t have to be a horror hound to love this film. It’s just that good an exercise in film making. If we support films like Trick R’ Treat, we’ll start getting more films of this quality, instead of clap trap, retread crap.
I loved this movie. Great stories, effects and acting. Like nothing I had ever seen before. Can’t wait for his follow-up.
movie is overrated, the only cool part is sam the pumpkinhead kid. The other stories in this movie were retarded.
Save it for a rent, not worth a buy.
Good film. A nice balance of scares and humor, making the movie a fun, spooky time, just like Halloween should be. I like that the four stories were happening at around the same time and how they overlapped so each one has a beginning and an end that is both interesting and surprising.
“Tamoh Penikett didn’t have Dollhouse yet.”
Yeah, he was only on a little show called “Battlestar Galactica” as a Viper/Raptor Pilot named Helo married to a hot a$$ Cylon.
Trick ‘r Treat was good, but not theatrical release good.
Don’t believe this film would have survived with a theatrical release, but a video release should make it one the best selling DVDs around for the Halloween season. This was a good movie, not great, but good. I enjoyed it and thought the four stories interlacing together melded well. This is one of those films that I will watch every halloween because it is a good setup for the season.
not as good as I was thinking…expecting a whole lot more..ver dissapointed
very different but very good. This is the kind of movie that you would get a bunch of people over and watch it on a big screen tv on halloween night. waited 2 years to see this and was very pleased with what I witnessed. One of the Best Birthday DVDs I have ever recieved.
The long wait is finally over! This is probably the best horror anthology ever and one of the perfect movies to get you into the halloween spirit. I can’t remember a anthology movie that blends its stories so perfectly and brilliantly together and on top of that it looks like a million bucks, gorgeous filmmaking! It cleverly blends humor with terror and suspense, enchanting as well as twisted, it’s sweet and sour and makes a perfect halloween treat! I thought all of the stories and characters were memorable and inspired and has a couple of great twists but I do think it’s a tad overrated because it’s certainly not the best of the best but it’s close to it. What I don’t get is why they didn’t release this one to theaters, sure a couple of kids die but most were off screen I mean come on there is worse out there than this and it’s a shame because it might of had a chance to be a box office hit, missed opportunity. Overall I was expecting a little more out of this than what I’ve got based on it’s praise but it’s a very solid halloween gem in the likes of movies like Creepshow crossed with Satan’s Little Helper ect. It was just a very fun, entertaining, glorious and thrilling funhouse flick just in time for halloween. Very clever, recommended! More of a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
This movie is excellent!I expected a lot more though,but it still was awesome!I think the only thing missing for this film to be perfect is GORE!I mean, whats the point of watching someone getting killed if you don’t see anything!I know most of the victims were kids,but still…Anyways, I’m hoping they will bring gore in a sequel.Oh, and Sam is so freakin cool!
Best.
Halloween Movie.
Evar.
I’ve not seen a single movie in my entire life that perfectly captures all of the idiosyncrasies of Halloween and instantly puts you in the holiday *spirit.*
Definately not the goriest movie I’ve ever seen – but MORE THAN made up for it by the beautiful cinematography, fantastic acting, and wonderful storyline. It was a fun ride – they don’t make movies like this anymore! It was more ‘cute’ than ‘scary’, but the stories were intricately interwoven and I was immediately sucked in to this quaint Ohio town.
I’ll definately be buying this one, and making it a Halloween tradition every year from now on.
**Don’t let your jack-o-lantern burn out!!**
I was really excited about this movie because of all the hype and it didnt fulfill the hype for me. The different stories pushed me away a bit because there was only a little about each story which made me feel a little empty. But it is a fun movie to watch and does bring the spirit of halloween like other people have said. Even though I felt like there were alot of missing pieces to the stories they were still very good. I say rent it first and if you really love it then buy it.
The best horror film of 2009 (or at least RELEASED in 2009) irritates me. Why would Trick ‘R Treat irritate me? Because I really wanted to give “Drag Me to Hell” that honor!
A throwback to the horror movies of the mid-80s (think Creepshow) and welcome respite from the Saw movies and their “gore for shocks” imitators, Trick ‘R Treat relies more on tension and dark humor than being a full out assault on your senses.
Don’t get me wrong: there’s enough blood and gore here to please MOST of the folks who frequent a website called “Bloody Disgusting,” it’s just a tad more understated–it’s the end result and not the purpose of the film. I’ve never understood complaints about a movies gore quotient. Those who want more gore obviously aren’t horrified by it, so how does that improve the quality of the picture?
Give me better writing and production values any day, both of which Trick ‘R Treat has going for it. I knew that the movie involved the telling of four stories, and when I saw the short run time of the picture became concerned. I expected that at least one of the stories would have to suffer, but having them all unfold concurrently and tying them together how they were is just a credit to how strong the writing is.
Kudos to everyone involved with this picture…and EXTRA Kudos to Michael Dougherty for not shying away from ideas others might cringe away from (the short bus kids and candy on the porch scene).
This is a great film.
I learned about it a few months ago and got really excited. I was worried that it would not live up to its hype, but it lived up to it in spades.
There is gore, but it does not revel in it. And it mixes dark humor and actual scares perfectly. I also love all the stories and how they interconnect in even ways I didn’t see.
A great part of the film is the “star” Sam. He is really cool and is a interesting character. And what he looks like under his mask is pure awesome.
The “star” of the film is the day of Halloween itself. Without it, the stories would fall apart. The fallen leaves and the decorations set the mood perfectly and it was a feast for the eyes.
This film is great. All horror fans need to watch this every Halloween.
Pretty solid movie. Not too gory, and I got pretty well sucked into what was happening to each of the characters. Nice to see that the Halloween spirit is alive and well, even if it played like an episode of “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” at times. I can recommend this one wholeheartedly, but don’t get too hyped about it.
My only complaint is that it was too short….
From start to finish a great movie
Loved it. The movie isnt scary but very entertaining and well made. I liked the creativity with the stories and ‘trick or treating’ SAM was indeed an awesome host. Another classic is born and hope for more to come.
THE Best Halloween Themed Horror Films Or In General One Of The Best Horror Movies EVER!
I Am Completely In Love With This Movie.
I Love All The Actors,The Plots,The Absolutely Amazing Atmosphere, And Sam!
I Dont Know If This Is Enough
I Need A Couple More Sequels ONLY AND I MEAN ONLY Written And Directed By Michael Dougherty
This Movie Deserves More Then 10 Out Of 10!
sounds like john carpenters & rob zombies
halloween
Great movie..totally enjoyable and most importantly original.
I feel a trick r treat 2 coming on..
OMG! AMAZING!!! YES!! Totally worth the wait and worth the hard searching to get it on DVD!! This film actually IS one of, if not, the best truly Halloween-spirited horror film, or film in general in SO LONG. I haven’t felt this spiritually touched from a Halloween film since memories from my childhood that included Nightmare Before Christmas, The Halloween Tree, and TV series like Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark? This film is like an absolute throwback and homage to the enchanting material like the titles I listed thrown together to make a contemporary AWESOME HORROR FILM!
this movie was fucking amazing i loved how all the stories intertwined. really puts you in the Halloween spirit. easily one of the best halloween movies ever. i didnt even see the ending coming and the ending surprise really did complete the story. great film
why this rate? the movie is awful. just terrible…
I loved this movie! It was original and I love intertwining story lines. It’s fun and captures the mood of Halloween nicely.
Best Movie in 5 year’s.
This movie is so great
It was kinda like Creap Show
and kinda short but still great.
How is everyone saying great things about this pointless and lame movie? It is way over produced, so clean looking it looks like a bad episode of Tales from the Darkside. The “interwoven” plot lines are absolutely lame. The effects are bland and bad, i.e, the werewolves and Sam(lame name!). This movie can’t hold Creepshow’s jock. I see 100% why the studio didn’t want to release it, it is pure junk!
worth waiting..the best of 2009 release..i liked
black comedy very much and this movie was scary
this was pretty good cant really say much but ok
just got through watching it. awsome movie. really reminds me of Creepshow. I loved Sam(hain). I am definetly handing out candy after seeing this.
Very entertaining. This is a great Halloween film for young and old. I wish it was more brutal! some of the stories rocked and some others were a little off their mark. but over all a hell of a good time!!!
I thought it was a great movie. One that definitely lived up to the hype. It has a really fun spirit to it which is refreshing after watching countless movies that are more grim (or dull more accurately) in tone that try to entertain with gore and fail miserably. But this movie really nails that Creepshow” vibe.
One of the best movies I ever saw and anyone who is a true fan of horror who doesn’t, shame on them.
I L-O-V-E-D it
Awww, I loved it!! It was bloody, eerie, entertaining, and overall a great movie. Deff. one to add to the collection. Jumped around a lot, but easy to follow. I want one of the killer guys!! he was adorable yet creepy. GO SEE IT!
I loved it. This film really captures the Halloween atmosphere and brings the 80′s vibe that i really appreciate. Great movie.
A great Halloween horror-movie! It’s both Fun, Creepy and entertaining! It had some flaws but it is overall a great Halloween movie!
Visually stunning incredible story, movie kind of reminded felt like the bastard child of Pulp Fiction and Halloween
Trick ‘r Treat is an INSTANT classic
it totally pulled off the whole “CREEPSHOW”
genre of horror film,
it was a fun watch, the lighting and mood of the film are notable and the writing was fantastic,
why it wasnt released in theatres is beyond me but i will definitely say this: anyone whose really into old school horror films will find a great appreciation for this movie.
i rented it and went right back out and bought it.
Finally, a movie that lives up to, and exceeds the hype. Warner Bros need to hang their heads in shame for not releasing this in cinemas. Everything about this is wonderful. The mood and tone of this film is incredible and every scene drips Halloween. The set and costume designs are perfect. I love that there is a costume and/or jack o lantern in every frame. The 4 stories are creepy and fun and are deftly woven together by Michael Dougherty. It’s refreshing that it doesn’t rely on excessive gore and violence, but it doesn’t need to. Dougherty has done a fine job capturing the true essence of Halloween as the atmosphere is just so vibrant, dark and spooky. The writing is great, with red herrings sprinkled throughout and all the actors do a great job. I hope a sequel gets greenlit for this and that it gets the cinema release it truly deserves. Excellent movie all round and a new classic.
I’ll keep it short and sweet. Best horror movie of the year and, aside from John Carpenter’s Halloween, possibly the best Halloween horror movie ever made. Absolutely loved it.
As soon as I saw the trailer for this movie on T.V., I knew this would be the quintessential Halloween film to add to my collection of DVD’s.
I was very excited when I received it the mail and I had not rented it first, I just had a “gut” feeling that I was going to enjoy this film. And I certainly did!! Even my husband, who hates the horror genre love it as much I did.
The cast was incredible and the story unique and I will watch this over, over again every Halloween. This anthology reminded me of “The Twilight Zone film that I love too. So go out and rent and buy it! You will regret it or waste your money. This will be a cult classic.
The new Halloween classic of our time, this movie lived up to the hypre.
good
Trick ‘r treat is a new Halloween classic
I had so much fun watching this movie! It was a blast!
OH-EM-GEE, what an awesome movie! The writers were absolutely brilliant casting so many children in various roles–and not at all like they’re normally cast in horror films. Anna Paquin was as gorgeous as ever and I seriously considered taking a cold shower after her vignette. I’ll be watching this one every year.
Overall a really good film, felt a bit like Creepshow as it had lots of small stories in one film but different as they were all linked up. Some of it felt a bit like a young teenager film, but then sucked it to you with some nasty stuff. Loved the little demon kid (thing?). Always good to see Anna Panquin!
Classic movie that will be watched every Halloween and more.
What an awkwardly enjoyable movie. There is nothing to it really. Just a bunch of small sequences thrown together and tied in with one another. There’s no thinking or though provocation, which is actually a breath of fresh air. This is a movie you just sit back and watch to take for what it is. What a damn fun and awesome film.
Very enjoyable Movie!
It
great movie…two thumbs up while standing up!!! the best horro story to come out of America in years!!!
Very well-made. Good plot. The Party Girl plot was just “Eh.” But overall the stories were really interesting and tied into one another at the end. Very creative and fun. Not to mention, there’s a cute little bugger running around clad in burlap who is out for blood, wielding what might be the cutest weapon ever: A bitten, shiny pumpkin lollipop covered in fresh blood. What could possibly be more precious??!
This movie was decent,but not as good as I had hoped for.Its got nothing on “Creepshow”,but its still worth checking out.
I think it’s a real shame this movie didn’t get the release it deserved.
awesome love the whole twist great for halloween!!!!!! im stoked for a sequel hope it happens and its good.
I love how it stuck to the comic. I look forward to buying it.
Good lord this movie was AWESOME it had everything you could ever imagine or want in a
Halloween film. This was a GREAT TREAT, I loved
the dog’s costume that was waaaay SICK!
Only reason this movie even deserved a skull was for the look and feel of the film. It was nicely shot and edited.
On the other hand, the movie went no where. Three stories and only one had a slight ending. The pumpkin kid, the main man here…had no story. Where did he come from? I understood what he represented but overall it just doesn’t make any sense.
It seems as if the werewolves were an added so they would be some sexy flesh seen in the film.
Trick ‘r Treat is definitely not on my top 10, or hell even my top 50!
Wow. One of the best horror movies of the decade.
So after over a year of anticipation, sold out shows, and empty DVD shelves, I finally got myself a copy of “Trick R Treat”, and I have to say, I’m a bit disappointed.
OK, so perhaps it was a bit over-hyped, and perhaps my expectations were a bit high, and I’m not giving the film the benefit of the doubt. I will agree that it looks slick as hell, and Dougherty has a knack for style, but the script is poor at best. Featuring a cast of underdeveloped characters, hackneyed storylines, and not a one satisfying resolution amongst them.
Just to be clear, I love horror anthologies! “Creepshow 1 & 2″, “Tales From The Crypt” , “Tales From The Darkside”, I hold them all close, and I can overlook their flaws, because at their hearts, they deliver the goods, despite low production value. “Trick R Treat” is the exact opposite. It looks like a big budget flick, and has name actors to back it up, but the 4 stories barely work on the most basic levels, and some don’t even achieve that.
There are tons of glowing reviews on this site raving about the film’s highlights, but I thought I’d point out some of it’s less-then-minor flaws…
First off, what ever happened to character development? “Trick R Treat” is populated by characters who seem to have no real motivations other then to facilitate the structure of an anthology film. There’s a serial killer, with no M.O., a mysterious boy in a sack hood who’s only motivation seems to be punishing those who don’t like Halloween, and a bus load of zombie kids who just lumber around and kill off-screen.
It’s hailed as “four interconnecting stories”, but since when does dropping a character from one thread into the background of another constitute as connecting?
The most realized story is the fourth featuring Brian Cox as a grumpy old man who is visited by a mischievous trick r treater dressed in a burlap costume. Only problem is, I’ve seen and read several incarnations of this exact story before. If you don’t believe me, check out an episode of “Tales From The Darkside” from 1984, titled… you guessed it, “Trick Or Treat.”
Last but certainly not least, no gore. Seriously, the film is rated R, but there is almost no gore!
“Trick R Treat” is not a bad film, and if your looking for stylized thoughtless fun for the holiday, this might be just the ticket. Just don’t be fooled by all the hype. Horror fans are so use to seeing low-quality garbage, they will salivate over anything that stands apart.
This is one of the most overhyped films of the decade, this and Drag Me to Hell. This film was terribly boring in my opinion. The characters were uninteresting, underdeveloped and fairly uncreative. I remember asking myself, “is this almost over” about half way through. These “stories” were all tame and moderately unoriginal. I appreciated how it attempted to capture the spirit of Halloween, but I don’t think it achieved anything great. The movie had zero suspense and terror. I found the sets to be quite nice and interesting, but that wasn’t nearly enough to save this bust of a film. The werewolf girls was one of the worst scenes I can remember in film in a long time, with Marilyn Manson playing, I found that to be ridiculous. I good go on and on about why this movie was as awful as it was, but i’ll just end by saying it was and still is OVERRATED.
this film was pretty good,just finished watching it so good to see fresh ideas out of hollywood, something a little different,nice creppy feel to it,loved the school bus kids,didnt drag out was kept simple an anna is as beautiful as ever
Very good movie I wouldn’t mind watching every halloween. It’s fun to see how all the little stories intertwine. Some were better than others. My favorite was the one with the old man fighting the little pumpkin head guy. Least favorite was the one about the group of girls. But overall, all the different stories were good which is a feat in itself to have multiple stories actually been good since most movies can’t even make 1 good story.
This film is overrated, don’t get me wrong, I liked it, it was good but no better than other good films. It wasn’t amazing it was just good. It was clever how all the stories interwined and it was fun to watch. Don’t expect something of a masterpiece.
this movie just rocks!! is so entertaining n
Finally a new age original, well thought out horror film! What a breath of fresh air, this film had everything that makes a horror movie great. A great plot that keeps the viewers attention, some humorous comedy, a beautifully executed lead killer, good acting and casting, and just enough gore to make it a complete horror film. The film did a great job of substituting cheap scares using loud noises with non-predictable twists and turns. The biggest shock in this film is how well thought out and made it is and how important it will become in the Halloween/Horror genre of movies. I only hope they don’t ruin it with 10 brain dead sequels (Halloween 3-8). HIGHLY HIGHLY recommended to any patiently waiting horror fan.
Wow! I have been wanting to see this movie since the release…DAMn.. THIS MOVIE SHOULD OF BEEN IN THE THEATERS.. FULL WIDE RELEASE…
I had my mouth hanging open for alot of it.. The thing is.. This movie takes itself seriously..not campy..it is HORROR.. it is ORIGINAL..
I LOVED IT… TRICK ‘R TREAT 2 bring it on… they so need to do it..
Thing had me utterly blown away. It contained the creative and imaginative horror stories that got me into horror. Rarely do I see stuff that I want, but it really did have it all humour, violence and what storylines, each one had me as shocked as the next. It simply has to be one of my favourite horrors about top 5s
So rarely do movies with such hype and build-up pull through. When Trick ‘r Treat came out on DVD, and I purchased it at my local film store, I remember I was in line with about three other guys along with a young couple, and all of us had a copy of this film in our hands. We’d all been waiting so long for the damn thing to come out, and I for one was half-trembling with excitement.
Halloween it my time. I have taken ownership of it. Every remember, I mark down the days, from November 1 for October 31. I don’t believe any film I’ve ever seen has so captured the spirit of the holiday like Trick ‘r Treat. As schoktillyoudrop.com said, it is “the quintessential Halloween film.” I have been waiting for this flick, without truly even knowing it, for years, long before Michael Dougherty thought up the idea for Sam and this four-part masterpiece.
You (should) know the synopsis, so I’ll just say this: at the end of Trick ‘r Treat, I was feeling the same way I had when the credits for Pulp Fiction began to roll. I was utterly blown away by this film. It is a true horror masterpiece, and extremely smart and funny besides. It is absolutely the best piece of macabre filmmaking in the last five years.
This is the halloween / horror themed Pulp Fiction.
Not very gory or anything like that so dont expect that.
I just thought everything in this film was really well done and i’d rather not give anything away so just watch it… NOW!!!
I really enjoyed watching it. sadly it is a bit short.
The movie as a whole was alright i guess, but it was fairly disappointing.
I loved it! It truly made me feel like it was Halloween! My favorite halloween movie ever! It’s a shame it never came out in theaters.
Trick “r” Treat’s production values had good intentions, however I found the movie extremely boring and wanted it to finish half way through. By the end I thought WTF and felt extremely pissed that I was never gonna retrieve the 75 mins I just lost. What a pointless waste of time and money. I just did not get this movie at all!!
This movie was fun, cheesy, and a huge throw back to 80′s horror. The collage of stories reminded me of the old Tales from the Crypt or Stephen Kind shorts I loved as a kid. There needs to be more of these stories. I also thought the story with Anna Paquin was a nice twist.
After seeing preview for this movie many times I finally got to see it. I have to admit I was hooked from the beginning. It was quite entertaining and suspenseful from the start. Reminded me of one of my faves from childhood “creepshow”. I also loved how all the stories and characters were linked together and the feeling of horror and suspense in each and every shot. Great movie.
One of the dumbest movies ever, second only to Van Helsing. Zombies, assassins, aliens, werewolves, wannabe vampires all mixed up without any explanation or plot. The only cool thing, the scarecrow/pumpkinhead kid, it’s ruined when he shows his face and it turns out that he is a kind of alien-like creature. I found myself laughing during more than half of the presumedly-scary scenes. Anyway, acting and direction weren’t that bad, but they fail to freak out the viewer because the whole film is just to stupid.
One of the dumbest movies ever, second only to Van Helsing. Zombies, assassins, aliens, werewolves, wannabe vampires all mixed up without any explanation or plot. The only cool thing, the scarecrow/pumpkinhead kid, it’s ruined when he shows his face and it turns out that he is a kind of alien-like creature. I found myself laughing during more than half of the presumedly-scary scenes. Anyway, acting and direction weren’t that bad, but they fail to freak out the viewer because the whole film is just too stupid.
This tries hard to be the Creepshow-style staple for this generation, but I think it falls short because each of the intertwining spook stories is rather bland and unoriginal. The only one that perks some interest is the last story involving Brian Cox, but even that started with a bedroom scene that was straight out of Pet Sematary. Fairly entertaining, and will keep it to watch it again sometime…but definitely not as good or as fun as I thought it would be (or as it could have been).
very good
This has got to be one of the best horror movies I have ever seen. Mostly because of the big twist it takes at the end. The school bus scene was pretty sweet two (and from the way the kids were screaming, it sounded gory). But the best thing was the werewolf scene. Marilyn Manson YAY!
Very late with this review, but I gotta say this is one of the best horror movies of this past decade. Perhaps the best. Great writing and great stories. Had me entertained all the way through. One of the best Halloween movies since The original Halloween. Must see film for a horror fan. I’d seriously call it a classic.
I really wanted to like this movie more than I did. There was soo much hype surrounding it that made me think it would be the best horror film in a long time but sadly, it isn’t. Some of it was interesting and cool but a lot of it was boring. The effects were really good and it was unique but I really don’t get all the praise. It’s a decent movie, not great. Of course, this is only my opinion. It is definitely worth at least one watch.
This movie was really good. It wasn’t a masterpiece of the decade or anything, but I enjoyed it enough to actually purchase a copy. It’s fun to watch with someone who hasn’t seen it. The hype is overrated but overall an entertaining movie; believable acting, interesting twists, and definitely scary at times. It was nice to see a recent horror movie that didn’t disappoint with plot and over gorify like most have lately.
I bought this movie either the day it was released or within a few days–either way I’m glad I did. Simply put it’s awesome. I’m probably going to watch it every Halloween with friends. Yeah, it’s pretty much that awesome. The scenes with Dylan Baker and Anna Paquin are my favorite. The 31st can’t come soon enough, dammit!
Funny fun!
Ok, Let’s just say this. I am not your “normal” movie critic you usually read on here. I have on occasion reviewed some movies I really LOVE ( Mother’s Day, Basket Case, Etc). This movie peaked my interest, but for some reason it did not satisfy me. I guess I’m just an “old school” horror buff. This movie did NOT scare me and I never did feel any tension as to “what scene next is going to freighten me?” It does win for “horror movie with the most jack-o-lanters!”
Still, it was fun, and the characters were believeable.
It is an absolute fucking disgrace this was not released to cinemas throughout the world. Especially with the severely shit excuses for horror films that are released nowadays. This film, even compared to genre classics, will be remembered in time. Not only tremendously funny (the most underrated actor in the world, Dylan Baker is a joy), it holds its own in the gore stakes and creepiness. Each intertwining story is enjoyable and allusions to fairytales and folklore are turned on its head. It is simply excellent. great fun.
A new Halloween classic. Awesome. Not necessarily scary and if you’re looking for gory chills look elsewhere but it NAILS the mood of Halloween and I loved the atmosphere of it. Love the intertwining of the stories. And it’s remarkable this didn’t see a wide release. WTF? This blows many films – including Halloween 2 – away.
Well done.
Cult classic anybody?
Epic…loved it.
ALTHOUGH D STORY N CHARACTERS R PRETTY INTERESTIN …..D MOVIE IN ITSELF DOESNT SCARE OR FASCINATE……..IT LEAVES U EMPTY HOPING 4 A BETTER OR RATHER SCARIER PREMISE……
great movie, cool effects and scares, i love how the storys all intertwine, it was worth the wait
A perfect film for the “spooky campfire story” crowd. Not hardcore, but a lot of fun, and a definite throwback to the style of the old Tales From The Crypt comics. Nice to know that some filmmakers still remember that horror films can be fun.
Trick ‘r Treat is a cult classic and demands multiple viewings. Its the perfect Halloween style movie. Offers plenty of scares. You will find yourself watching this movie over and over again. This is one of the greatest horror movies ever made.
This film is in the big leagues of horror, right alongside Psycho, The Exorcist and Halloween. A purely original and unpredictible delight, this film is well worth multiple viewings. An automatic classic. The writing is intelligent, the directing is superb, the cinematography is beautiful and creepy, and the acting is a powerhouse of talent, including the unbeatable Brian Cox in an unsual role that he pulls of brilliantly. Don’t hesitate, watch this film. NOW!
awesome movie:) good ending, good acting, good story , and really funny kills:)
this movie turned out to be pretty cool and interesting considering there were four plots to get your head around (not that they were incredibly complicated but still).
it didnt scare me at all but i don’t think that was the whole aim of the movie; to be incredibly scary. its very ‘tongue-in-cheek.’ i did find the story with the school children very creepy though! definately the best one. Anna Paquin is always good to watch, she has a cool aura to her.
i agree with some of the reviewers about the person in the sack mask (but i won’t spoil ;D) but I actually thought the movie was pretty gory in some parts.
definately should have been put into cinemas to get a wider audience. really good movie!
I really enjoyed this film alot. Great acting storyline was flawless what more could you ask for.
Highly entertaining film that has it’s ups and downs, all the while reminding you of the nostalgia of films like Creepshow and Tals From The Darkside. More details here:
http://thewolfmancometh.com/2010/03/21/trick-r-treat-2008/
The movie had a somewhat made for TV feel at times but still managed to be effective. I loved how the movie has different story lines and then brings it all together throughout the film. The main killer in this movie (The kid on the cover) was pretty scary. His costume was well thought up and his little showing of emotion kept you on edge. This movie if nothing else, makes for a good watch on Halloween night.
Sam has easily become the mascot of Halloween. This was a great film and it was a lot of fun to watch! I loved everything about it.
This is a new classic. It’s episodic like “Creepshow”, but waaaay better. Don’t miss this one.
Great movie. I loved everything about it. It really captures the fun of halloween. This should be on evreyones list on october 31st.
After hearing about this movie for the first time about three years ago, i was incredibly excited to see it. Then i got the news that the release date was pushed back a year, and then it was pushed back another year. However the story stuck with me so i never really forgot about it. When it did finally come out i had HUGE expectations, and let me tell you…… it did not dissapoint!!
This movie is crazy good, totally original (which was much appreciated considering the enormous amounts of sequels/remakes that have come out as of late) I love how all the story lines somehow fit together in a really smart way. All the characters were well acted, and quite interesting to watch. It did have the creeepy element to it, but it wasnt really scary, but that didnt matter because it never lost my interest. Definetly very similar to creepshow, only thing missing is a stephen king cameo, which would have made this film even better in my eyes. Overall amazing film, definetly up there on my list of fav horror’s. DONT MISS THIS ONE!
words cannot describe this perfection.
THIS IS A SAFE HALLOWEEN MOVIE FOR VIEWERS OF ALL AGES. Besides the 2 seconds of a porno being watched in this movie, nothing is “too much”: not too much gore, too much violence, too much torture. The characters are cute and clever: I love the little boy and his principal father, and the pack of werewolves were quite funny. This movie intertwines a few different stories which all have slight twists at the end.
Yes, there were a few holes in this story (how did the principal bite the first girl like a vampire?! where did the little girl witch come from?! why was she at the old guys house?!) but, overall, this movie is fun and really cute. Not scary at all, but a great Halloween movie nonetheless.
the best halloween related film since John Carpenter’s Halloween
all four tales except from being strongly connected with halloween(as a holiday)they also combine the supernatural phenomena with violence and the best part is that every story has something to do with the others so the people who watch are always surprised
congratulations to the actors,the director and the script-writer
One of the best fckn Halloween movies ever made,as soon as it was over i had to watch it again right that minute.It was a blast from start to finish
`Trick’r Treat’ is a 2009 American dark comedy/horror movie (that is a pure highly anticipated Movie), written and directed by Michael Dougherty and based on his short film Season’s Greetings. Originally slated for an October 5, 2007 release, it was announced in September 2007 that the film had been pushed back. Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures released the film direct to DVD on October 6, 2009 in North America, October 26 in the UK and October 28 in Australia (sadly no Theatrical release), The film features four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween, an everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer, a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her, a group of teenagers pull a mean prank and a woman who loathes the night has to contend with her holiday-obsessed husband.(The film is an anthology of four Halloween-related scary stories. One thing that ties the stories together is the presence of Sam (Quinn Lord), a mysterious pint-sized trick-or-treater wearing shabby orange pajamas with a burlap sack over his head. He makes an appearance in all the stories as a ‘friendly-reminder’ to those who break Halloween traditions).
The Movie was is without a doubt a Cult Classic for the ages, generation & it’s decade of the best Halloween themed Movies since the original Halloween in 1978, it also take the seeing though the villains eyes like Black Christmas, Halloween & Friday the 13th, watched this on 31st October 2010 on Halloween which was a great decisions as it was scary, had its funny/dark humour moments & had it fair share of shock that were most surprising for me, deftly crafted tribute to Halloween legends and it rules for Halloween & hits all the genre marks with gusto and old fashioned suspense that dose build up in the movie towards the end (also with the element of tense), The Movie dose bring perfect blend of Horror & dark humour, it’s creepy yet darkly comic & a interesting premise of a Halloween based four stories part movie is great, that little puppet doll/Pumpkin headed demoded is really good old fashion scare & is a brilliant new scary villain in the line of Horror legend. The Halloween theme side of American is a amazing portrayal & with its four tales of tears is soo cool & is placed together very well, it’s scary & has fanatics amount of gore & brilliant scare, eerie deaths, excellent spooky effects & visual effects with great gruesome sounds and a great blends on the storyline/plot which is clever for a back to back story (four times, which must be hard).
Michael Dougherty reminds that the old-fashioned spook-house approach can still provide simple fun and thrills the old-fashioned way, it’s a Halloween movie that makes its mark of the decade & are generations of a respectful new kind of Halloween Movie, I Like that one critic said on the DVD Cover that I’ve saying “The Best Halloween Film of the last 30 years” which is very true (in my eyes) & also I have you notice that around about the same time since the original Halloween!, the movie is not as scary as I thought it would be but has it bloody moments & is a very freighting themed Halloween Movie that I consider for myself to be a favourite Halloween Horror Movie but Halloween (The Original 1978, will always be my favourite top one).
The acting was brilliantly taken from all the actor into their character, which are by Quinn Lord as Sam, Dylan Baker as Steven Wilkins, Rochelle Aytes as Maria, Anna Paquin as Laurie, Brian Cox as Mr. Kreeg, Leslie Bibb as Emma, Britt McKillip as Macy, Lauren Lee Smith as Danielle, Isabelle Deluce as Sara, Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Schrader, Alberto Ghisi as Chip, Samm Todd as Rhonda, Moneca Delain as Janet, Tahmoh Penikett as Henry, Brett Kelly as Charlie, Connor Christopher Levins as Billy Wilkins, Christine Willes as Mrs. Henderson, Patrick Gilmore as Bud and C. Ernst Harth as Giant Baby, the director Michael Dougherty gave us the element & looks of the Halloween themed features that he made with soul for the Halloween time & I love the way he capture the whole of the four stories put them all together from the beginning to the end was a lovely & fanatics surprise of a movie & now the ending I Loved very much so as it complete from the beginning to the end , it’s a brilliant unique Halloween movie that I really do Love & will be watching again & again also like the comic book themed style towards its charming & wit styled materials and am soo glad I waited three years for this movie as it will different be a Cult Classic for fans of Halloween.
What hasn’t been said of this superb horror tale!?! Go watch this right now!!!
love this film a halloween classic that i will watch every year.
Trick `r Treat
*May contain Peanuts & Spoilers*
When John Carpenter’s milestone horror film “Halloween” came out in 1978, it changed movies forever. Now every holiday has at least one horror movie made in its honor, from “Mother’s Day”, “Thanks Killing”, and numerous Santa Slashers. Usually these movies were pretty bad, but Michael Dougherty’s 2007 film “Trick `r Treat” is a fun, scary, and enjoyable movie that is rarely made anymore. It’s actually quite amazing that it was even released at all. It was shelved by Warner Brothers for over two years because of “questionable content” and other studio related politics. The way that it is made and in the context of the material it is a crime that it took so long to come out. It just became available on DVD and Blu-Ray last October.
Trick `r Treat is like an old comic book as displayed in the opening credits. It weaves together five scary stories on your average Halloween night. Each story focuses on how people of different ages experience the holiday. A great cast was assembled to bring these stories to life. Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker & Leslie Bibb all have fun roles and give great performances. Also appearing throughout the movie is “Sam” a seemingly little kid dressed up as a pumpkin who symbolize the terror and frightfulness of Halloween. Almost like a grim reaper, he makes sure all of holiday rituals are followed and punishes those who don’t play along.
Some of the reasons this movie took so long to be released is the number of kids that are offed. A bus load of special needs kids is purposely driven of a cliff and an elementary school principal moonlights as a serial killer. All of the Halloween stories and myths about the holiday really seem to ring true. Like “A Christmas Story” this is a movie that you can watch over and over every year. It’s well written, well made and just a heck of a lot of fun.
Great little halloween film.
Outstanding movie. extremely clever, funny, scary little movie. a true labour of love from the director. the release was handled in poor fashion. otherwise, it would have been a bigger success than it ended up being.
I Loved This Movie!
Scary-3
Gore-2
Strangness-5
Action-4
Drama-2
way better than creepshow
This was Awesome!A brilliant Horror film.In the style of Creepshow but done way better.The way the stories cross paths through out the film was genius.Your first viewing will be the best just for all the twists.Highly recommend to own this gem of a movie.Bring on a sequel please!
just watched this movie recently and i really did love this movie i’m gonna look for it next time i go to the store. it was brilliantly executed reminded me of creepshow (as many people have mentioned)but better i like how all the stories cross path.
amazing story, creepy as al hell. A MUST SEE!!!!!
Possibly one of the best horror films of all time, if not that then one of the best halloween movies. It has four different stories that intertwine almost like Pulp Fiction did. Each story has a good twist,2 had great twists, so all in all, it was a great movie, and any horror movie fan will love it.
A fun little Halloween treat to savor. I’d watch this one annually to celebrate the season. The little goblin ensures that a select group of transgressors gets their just desserts.
AWESOME. Probably my favorite Halloween flick ever. I recommend it to everyone.
Hobo Approved(TM)
This movie embodies the spirit of the Halloween holiday. It’s a straight up FUN horror film, with it’s share of laughs, scares and great storytelling. This is a mandatory watch every year at Halloween.
I’m gonna go so far to say this is a better Halloween movie than Halloween. The stories in this movie are downright gripping, and creepy. The one with the school bus was the creepiest, I loved it!
And who can forget the tribute to John Carpenter’s “The Thing”? See if you can spot it!
Like a christmas story is the quintessential x-mas movie I can’t help but think of trick r treat as the movie your gonna wanna watch every year during halloween.
Halloween movies are Halloween movies because they care about the popular holiday and choose to often exploit the horrors that we celebrate annually at the end of each October, and without noticing it. You’ve got your classic holiday flicks such as “Halloween”; then you’ve got your “classics-in-the-making”, and oh, there are plenty of them. “Trick ‘r Treat” is but one such film; a hilarious, bold, charmingly grotesque little horror flick that unfortunately met a fate not quite suited for it; the dreaded “direct-to-video” release. For some reason, this masterpiece didn’t make it to theaters, and after seeing it a few times – as I have – I can certainly see why. Perhaps it wasn’t the film’s morbid sense of humor that turned off the audiences that first screened it; but rather the underlying themes. “Trick ‘r Treat” is not a film that hates the holiday that it’s about, but it is somewhat daring, and chooses to explore a side of it that few films care to. It crosses a line, but stays within enough boundaries so that it doesn’t come off as offensive. Personally, I loved the film, and for Halloween’s sake, I always will. I’ll watch it every year, on that very day. There’s truly no better way to celebrate a good holiday then with a good movie; and this one’s a sure keeper.
So it’s Halloween. Everyone is roaming the streets in some fairly complex and admirably spooky costumes. Excitement, anticipation, and late-night lust are in the air. As long as the story takes a turn for the paranormal and the supernatural at some point, then it’s clear that just about anything can happen. Most times, it will. There are four short stories told here; along with an opening and a concluding chapter, making “Trick ‘r Treat” an anthology film. Each story shares a common theme, in a sense, and each one also has the film’s mascot, Sam, making an appearance. He shows up in some strange, random, and unpleasant places; but for a guy so ominous, he’s actually pretty cute. Look up a picture of him sometime. You’ll see what I mean.
The first story: The Principal. We follow Steven Wilkins (Dylan Baker), a man with dark secrets and shadowy urges. He is the principal of the town in which he lives, meaning that just about every trick-or-treater will know his house and who lives within it when they arrive on his doorstep, bags open. But he doesn’t care. This night is about fulfilling his deepest desires; beginning with the murder of a young boy (that blonde kid from “Bad Santa”). There are some good chuckles to be found when Mr. Wilkins is attempting to bury the corpse in his yard as his own little boy constantly yells at him from the window, and his grouchy neighbor complains about a peculiar “stench” that comes from over the fence. We think Wilkins a cruel, sadistic man; but by the end, we learn just how much of a loving father he is. Yet still, his night is far from over.
The second story: The School Bus Massacre Revisited. This is probably the part that upset people the most. It centers on a group of kids who are collecting jack-o-lanterns for what they refer to as a “charitable cause”, but we soon learn otherwise. They grab the “freak” of their age-group, who has carved a mass number of pumpkins herself, and they head to an abandoned rock quarry, where a terrible thing happened some years ago. A girl in the group tells the story as it is; a bus driver intentionally took a bus full of mentally deficient children to the quarry to do something unspeakable, but his plans were soon foiled when one of the kids got loose and drove the vehicle straight off the cliff and into the water. Both the kids and the driver were never heard from again. So we think. Knowing this, the kids decide to pull a prank on the “freak” character that they have dragged along with them, although all goes wrong, and it ends in a bloody mess. I can’t tell you much more than that.
Now this is a good one: The “Surprise Party”. A woman, her sister, and their two friends head to a Halloween party deep in the forest, eventually parting ways so that the single woman can find herself a date. She walks, and walks, and walks; never quite finding the right guy, but certainly pondering it. She eventually decides to call it quits and head to the party alone, but she is stopped and put in a dangerous situation, which eventually works out for her benefit, and reveals the true nature of this “party”.
The final story is called Meet Sam. Sam, as I said, is the film’s mascot. If you ever wondered what the “Spirit of Halloween” looked like, well, then look no further, because Sam is certainly what I would think to be such a being. His sights are set on many people throughout the film, and he seems to act as a reminder to those who break Halloween traditions and such. He doesn’t take the mistreating of his favorite holiday very well; not very well at all. So when he becomes fixated on Principle Wilkin’s grouchy neighbor (Brian Cox), things get messy and violent quickly. He invades the poor old man’s house and teaches him a lesson about respecting Halloween…the hard way.
Here’s a film that one could watch over-and-over again and never get bored. It does the right thing, thus never trying to get scares, but more-so campy and satirical laughs. And as far as that goes, it got a pretty good amount out of me. I suppose you have to connect with the film’s dark – very dark – sense of humor in order to elicit the sort of response that it’s trying to get out of the audience, but let me tell you: you’re no better than that grumpy old man if you don’t find scenes including death-by-lollipop or people literally made of pumpkins to be at least mildly amusing. And you don’t want to be him, now do you?
WOW BEST Halloween Themed Movie Ever I Am In Love With This Movie Can’t Wait For The Sequel That Will Most Likely Come Out 2012
Perfect Halloween movie.
This movie is good year round, but transcends to a whole new level on Halloween night. The way the story jigsaws together is very cool, and the lighting is just wow. Really makes it feel like the holiday.
Jesus tap-dancing Christ. Why does this movie get so much praise? It fucking sucked.
I love this Halloween treat! Sam is such an adorable little fella but I would’nt want to get on his bad side.
This movie is a perfect example of what Halloween based films should consist of. This was a wonderful story inter weaved with more stories that all lead back to… well everything. Everything was cohesive and i loved the town X) This movie is brilliant and perfect for any horror or non horror movie fan but who equally love Halloween.
Sort of an homage to Bloody Disgusting’s favorite holiday and the classic horror films of the 80′s, Trick ‘r Treat is colorful, inventive, surprising… and yet, overall, somewhat tame.
On Halloween night in a small town kids roam the streets in costume, trick or treating from house to house; four hot girls show up in a van, looking for boys; a group of youngsters collect jack o’lanterns on the way to an abandoned rock quarry, the site of a tragic school bus accident, to pay their respects to the dead; a respectable single dad teaches his son the art of mayhem; a young wife with a randy husband just wants the holiday to end, the sooner the better; and an old recluse and his dog “Spite” have an unexpected visitor… small but deadly!
Not that scary, but stylish and good-natured. The stories are all nicely interwoven, timelines are jumbled, characters intersect, and somehow it all works.
After the long awaited bullshit that saw this film take around 2 years to see the light of day and all the hype that surrounded it, I must say… It hits the mark and runs with it! Not meant to be a gore fest or even frightening in the least, it does pay the ultimate homage to the greatest holiday of the year… and there’s a sequel coming, we’ll see how long that one takes to be released to the masses.
I remember how it took forever for this film to come out, at some point I honestly didn’t think it was. But all in all it was worth the wait and has become one of my favorites. There was horror, gore, eeriness, and even some comical parts that made me laugh. There was no waiting an hour for the show to kick off, things got interesting right from the beginning. Each tale was captivating and played out perfectly to all tie together. So many horror shows these days are predictable, but this one has surprises around each corner. I loved the strong Halloween atmosphere all throughout the show, it really got me in the mood for my favorite holiday.
An awesome and faithful comic book anthology. What Creepshow 3 should have been and so much more…
Aside from having the most adorable mascot ever, this is a fun, clever anthology. It had a good mix of comeuppance moments (I mean thats what you get for hating Halloween), twists and twisted tales. Certainly not scary, but I can see myself revisiting this come October.
This was a great Halloween movie. If you haven’t seen it, you should check it out.
I really liked this movie, it was very amusing.
That this movie wasn’t in the theater is a crime! This movie is INCREDIBLE! It has an amazing script, and amazing actors, and amazing music. My favorite story involved the werewolfs. But each story is scary, disturbing, and excellently written. Its a truly terrifying film. The best halloween movie EVER! Every year on Oct 31st I’m going to honor my love of halloween and horror movies by watching this ASTONISHING film! DONT MISS THIS ONE!
What makes a good Halloween movie? Pumpkins, ghosts, house parties, urban legends, costumes, candy, fake blood and popcorn balls are all images that come to mind when thinking about the holiday, but a horror movie doesn’t necessarily need any or all of these things to be a great Halloween flick (Friday the 13th, REC). Over the last month, I’ve made dozens of posts suggesting and reviewing pieces to be watched during this season of spook. Several of these films occur in big, creaking houses where vengeful spirits and lost souls pray upon those who enter; some of these films circle around an ensemble cast of diverse teenagers who are all being stalked by the same lurking villain; one of these films is a TV episode; a handful of these films are from Japan and South Korea; a few of these films have NC-17 levels of gore, while others have no gore at all, and almost all of these films are pieces that I consider to be pretty low in quality and not worth watching during any other time of year. In fact, one of the basic tenants of Halloween is its lack of class and quality; a great Halloween movie doesn’t need to be a “good movie” at all. With this disparity in definition and diversity of choice, the question must be asked: Is there a secret, some sort of formula or invisible connective thread running between the classics, that sets great Halloween films apart from other scary movies? If so, what is it?
Trick ‘R Treat, the 2007 horror anthology produced by Bryan Singer, appears to have figured out the answer. An 82-minute tale featuring murder, werewolves and a school bus massacre, this Legendary Pictures production may be the greatest Halloween movie of all time. Adapted from Director Michael Dougherty’s 1996 animated short film “Seasons Greetings,” the film follows the happenings of a small, suburban neighborhood in Ohio on Halloween Night. Divided into four vignettes, each story features a separate cast of characters as they battle the spooky and the supernatural, all under the distant watching of a mysterious, costumed trick-or-treater named Sam. Sam’s job is to monitor and police the living residents of his town and ensure that they aren’t violating any Halloween rituals. Enjoy posing as a vampire and attacking young women in the street? Feel like smashing a pumpkin or blowing out its votive before the night ends? Have a wild hair up your ass to summon the spirits of dead children at a rock quarry? If so, Sam has a treat (trick?) for you.
The first vignette is called “The Principal” and features Dylan Baker as Principal Wilkins, a deranged school administrator who kills children with poisoned candy, then decapitates their corpses and turns the severed heads into Jack-O-Lanters. The moment when Wilkins is sitting on his stoop lecturing the kid (who I can only recognize as the pudgy one from Bad Santa), just before the poor little dude starts projectile vomiting chocolatey blood, was when I realized that I was going to be watching a perfect movie. The weaving of dark humor and gross-out practical effects into the otherwise sinister plots of Trick ‘R Treat is flawless. Halloween is supposed to be anything but tasteful; this film embraces that notion and delivers winks, nods and ribside elbow jabs toward the best of the holiday’s legend, tradition and pop culture. The third vignette, “Surprise Party (starring Anna Paquin!),” is easily the most tongue-in-cheek sequence I’ve seen in a studio film in the last 5 years.
And then there’s Sam, the cute little burlap sack wearing night sprite who, while present in every previous sequence, isn’t featured as a real character until the film’s final vignette. Every revelation that occurs in that last battle, from why Sam’s lollipop has a bite taken out of it to the removal of his mask, is so thoughtfully and hilariously executed. When Sam is stabbed, only to reveal that his guts are made of pumpkin seeds and pulp, I damned near died laughing. Just like the holiday itself, this film’s success relies entirely on its ability to balance being festive, terrifying and hilarious at the same time. This masterpiece of holiday horror takes the things that both kids and adults love about Halloween and amplifies them to an awesomely hyperbolic level of ridiculousness. Fun, scary and a little bit tasteless, Trick ‘R Treat is the movie I plan to be watching every year at Halloween.