Final Girl

This is sort of a tricky one. Scout Taylor-Compton was nowhere near as terrible as I remember her being in the first Halloween, so I believe that her atrocious performance in Halloween II just tainted my memory of her in the first film. As a character, Laurie still isn’t as likable as Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie, so there’s that. Compton gets put through the wringer in this film though, so you’ve got to give her credit. She is a tougher character than Curtis’ Laurie.

That being said, Curtis is the final girl, and Laurie is the character that pretty much invented the term, but I’m not sure how much that can save her in this debate. For instance, Curtis’ Laurie wasn’t completely safe until Dr. Loomis, a man, showed up to rescue her (this is also true in the original Halloween II). At least Compton’s Laurie was resourceful enough to find a gun and shoot Michael in the face after Loomis had been incapacitated.

It pains me to admit this, but Compton’s Laurie may be the better Final Girl. Bear in mind, I’m not judging this category based on the actresses (if that were the case, Curtis would be the clear winner), but rather on the two different versions of the character of Laurie Strode.

Winner: Halloween (2007)

Final Scores

Halloween (1978): 4

Halloween (2007): 2

I tried really hard to find things to like in Rob Zombie’s Halloween, and there are some things that I like. I just can’t bring myself say that it’s a good film. It is one big missed opportunity to me. As I mentioned earlier, the movie clearly has its fans, I’m just not one of them. All of that being said, John Carpenter’s Halloween is, without a doubt, the better film. Which film do you prefer? Or do you like them both equally? Let me know in the comments below or Tweet me! Also, for a different take on the subject, check out episode 51 of our Double Murder podcast with Danny and Tim right here. They’ve even got a debate on Halloween II!