Halloween Kills picks up where 2018’s Halloween ends, with three generations of Strode women leaving a hard-fought battle, battered and exhausted. Of course, the fight isn’t over; firefighters unwittingly let loose the boogeyman in their attempts to put out the blazing fire at the Strode household. Michael Myers resumes his rampage across Haddonfield, now angrier than ever before. Halloween Kills emphasizes the “kills,” resulting in a bloodthirsty sequel from both its killer and Haddonfield’s residents. The callbacks and the body count take precedence in this uneven bridge between films.

Working from a script he co-wrote with Scott Teems and Danny McBride, Director David Gordon Green recreates that fateful 1978 Halloween night to expand Haddonfield’s collective trauma from Michael Myers’ initial bloodbath. That means the callbacks, references, and homages to John Carpenter’s masterwork are on overdrive here, matching Michael Myers in zealous energy. Sitting at the forefront of this entry is a now grown Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) and Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards), who’ve long befriended Dr. Loomis’s former assistance Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens). Tommy’s even made amends with childhood bully Lonnie Elam (Robert Longstreet). This group picks up the mantle left behind by an injured and hospitalized Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis).

(from left) Cameron Elam (Dylan Arnold), Marion (Nancy Stephens, background), Allyson (Andi Matichak) and Lonnie Elam (Robert Longstreet) in Halloween Kills, directed by David Gordon Green.

Those hoping for the midway point in the trilogy to drive the Strode saga forward in a meaningful way will likely come away disappointed. Laurie is forced to take a passive role here, with Curtis not given much to do. Granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) demonstrates she’s far more like her grandmother here, seeking revenge for her father. At the same time, mom Karen (Judy Greer) becomes the sole voice of reason in the increasing insanity.

Green ups the ante on the kill count and the grisly nature of the kills. It’s clear that he and special makeup effects designer Christopher Nelson had a blast coming up with creative and gnarly deaths for many of its characters, and Halloween Kills might be Michael Myers at his most brutal yet. Green leaves no stone unturned in franchise fanservice, too, both new and old alike. Whether through painstaking measures in tying Halloween Kills to the original timeline or even tying up loose ends from 2018’s Halloween, this sequel tackles it all.

Halloween Kills is so caught up in the past and ripping open old wounds, though, that it forgets to move the narrative forward. Character arcs remain stagnant; the sole objective is to kill or be killed. As the penultimate entry before what’s intended to be this trilogy’s finale, Gordon Green doesn’t do much to create momentum outside of Myers’ higher aggression. Save for, that is, one final bold swing guaranteed to polarize.

From purely a slasher standpoint, Halloween Kills delivers numerous satisfying moments. The deaths hurt in more ways than one; the upside to knowing Haddonfield’s residents is that it’s easy to invest in these characters. There’s no motivation or method to Michael Myers, making for a somewhat unpredictable warpath as he rampages across the town to kill and kill and kill again. It’s fun to watch, even though it often forces the Strodes to take a backseat.

It’s complete chaos in Haddonfield across the board, making for a wild ride that brings no shortage of memorable moments of suspense and visceral carnage. As part of an overarching narrative, Halloween Kills makes for a sloppy and uneven entry without much to say. Even still, the cast fully commits to this lean, mean, and downright savage entry, carving up an effective and engaging old-school slasher.

Halloween Kills releases in theaters and on Peacock on October 15, 2021.