This really does get better each time I see it, and I can no longer give it less than 5 stars (yes, that means I’m rating it higher than the original). Stuff comes together in this movie in the most amazing ways and so often, it’s incredible that it’s barely over 80 minutes long. And hey, not to mention it features two of the great J’s – Josh and Joseph In fact I guess I should say three J’s there, ‘cos John Ottman’s score is like 60% of the movie for me. He does things with Carpenter’s themes, in addition to adding his own stuff – I mean people went nuts about his Superman score in which he did exactly the same wonderful thing with John Williams’ old cues, but this was one of the first things Ottman did, and it’s incredible.

I just realised I said all that in the older review lol, as well as the thing about Laurie’s breathing that I was about to mention. Oh well. In short, I love this movie. It’s all about that “Michael!” moment … I must have watched this more than once a year on average since its release and that moment not only still gets me every time, it gets me more every time, it’s just such a stunning invitation to a showdown, and I know I said about this also in the last review, but it really bears repeating.

July 6th, 2006:

Oooh, another movie that definitely needs a review here ‘cos I probably watch it once or twice a year without fail. This is a great horror movie in itself, and a great entry in a typically declining horror series. Obviously this is largely due to the return of Jamie Lee Curtis, from whose character springs many of the movie’s best moments – her first coming face to face with Michael Myers; her sending “the kids” (Josh Hartnett and Michelle Williams) down the street, directly referencing the first movie, her brandishing the axe and screaming, “Michael!” as John Ottman’s rehash of John Carpenter’s score strikes up; and my favourite, which nobody ever seems to mention, her final moments, breathing heavily over Michael’s dead body, again to the Halloween theme, echoing exactly the end of the first movie.

I already mentioned John Ottman’s score, but I want to mention it again. If you buy this score on CD, it’s called “Portrait of Terror”, which includes some music from other movies but is basically this movie’s soundtrack. It’s such an appropriate title for the work, because that’s what it is, it’s a real work of art, a portrait, incorporating John Carpenter’s themes and celebrating perhaps the greatest use of music in horror movies ever. Once I start listening to Ottman’s version of the theme, I usually have to listen to it about 10 times over again before I can pull myself away. I hear he did as good a job with John Williams’ themes for the new Superman movie … I hope so.

One thing that surprised me this time – waiting for Josh Hartnett’s name in the opening credits … he’s the last name to come up … “introducing Josh Hartnett”. I guess this movie is older than I think. Soon enough it’ll be “H20¹⁰: 10 Years Later” lol. Hartnett is fantastic considering this was his first movie, and the rest of the cast is great too – Joseph Gordon Levitt pre-credits, Janet Leigh as headmistress, Adam Arkin, LL Cool J and Michelle Williams ably but quietly supporting, and Nancy Stephens reprising her original role as Nurse Marion. You can’t waste 80 minutes much better than this.

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