Halloween Ends Moments That Really Upset Fans The Most
Contains spoilers for "Halloween Ends"
"I keep seeing his eyes. Michael's eyes in Corey," Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) nervously claims in "Halloween Ends." If anyone knows the eyes of evil, it's Laurie. Decades ago, Michael's psychiatrist also learned what it meant to look deep into the heart of evil. "I met this 6-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and the blackest eyes ... the devil's eyes," Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) utters in John Carpenter's original 1978 film, "Halloween." Now, "Halloween Ends" posits that this evil can seemingly be spread like a pestilence. The once-good folks of Haddonfield have turned rotten and bitter after their ordeal with the return of a bloodthirsty serial killer in 2018. They now judge others callously and constantly feel the need to root out monsters where there are none, fostering a toxic atmosphere of perennial dread and ultimately betraying one another.
David Gordon Green's turn at the "Halloween" franchise is markedly different from the simple slasher fest we knew of the franchise's past. Sure, Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle) carries out the work of administering death as usual. But now, reactions to Michael's slayings are projected as a form of social commentary. Is it possible that unchecked trauma can create chaos, as seen when a mob relentlessly runs down an innocent man (Ross Bacon) in "Halloween Kills"? Or perhaps, the unforgiving coldness of locals that results from a young boy's (Jaxon Goldberg) accidental death can drive a once-promising teen (Rohan Campbell) to turn into the monster he was always told that he is. There's a lot to dissect with these films. However, fans aren't necessarily pleased with the deviations from the traditional Michael Myers story. With the closure of Green's trilogy marked by "Halloween Ends," let's take a look into some of the moments in the threequel that riled up fans the most.
Very little screen time for Michael Myers
What would the "Halloween" franchise be without The Shape waiting in the dark to strike? This franchise is the house that Michael Myers built, after all. "Halloween Ends" does, indeed, live up to its promise of ending the story that began with Laurie Strode over 40 years ago. But does it do it effectively? Michael and Laurie are two sides of the same coin. They're opposites and most certainly bitter adversaries toward one another. The only way this epic would ever conclude properly is with a showdown between the ultimate queen of scream and the masked slasher clashing in a fight for the ages. Again, this technically does happen as promised by the film's very premise.
However, the lead-up to the film's climax has proven to be rather divisive and, in some cases, completely confounding to audiences. While Michael makes a few brief appearances in the midsection of the film, most of the story is focused on Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell). Corey's life was ruined in 2019, the year after Michael's bloody return to Haddonfield when he became involved in the accidental death of a boy he was babysitting. Attempting to lead a normal life in the years that followed proved to be a struggle thanks to the townsfolk who refuse to forget. He then accidentally comes to embody the monster they make him out to be and finds a sense of almost-supernatural kinship within Michael. Most of the film's bloodiest murders are enacted by Corey, not Michael. Reddit user u/SparklyGlitteryPink states, "anyone wish that Michael got more screen time?" To say that Michael's signature murder spree was lacking is an understatement. Reddit users u/JohnnyExpo and u/Alex120907 agreed, the latter user saying it's like going to see a "John Wick" film and only seeing Keanu Reeves for 10 minutes.
Parading Michael's body through town
Michael Myers wasn't just a scourge for young babysitters. 2018's "Halloween" and "Halloween Kills" also proved that he was a holy terror to the entire town of Haddonfield. It's no longer just Laurie or Lindsey (Kyle Richards) who are living with trauma. The town has been saddled with the fear of a killer coming for the innocent among them. So it stands to reason that the end of Michael Myers would be cause for celebration. It's a moment worthy of the spotlight for all of Haddonfield to see.
However, what does happen following the killer's demise is rather odd, at least according to fans. At the end of "Halloween Ends," Laurie stabs Michael multiple times, drops a fridge on him, and slits his throat. She then straps him to the roof of her car and parades him through Haddonfield, the townspeople forming a procession with police to follow Laurie to the junkyard. They all gather around solemnly and crowd-surf Michael to the junkyard crusher, where Laurie throws him in, ensuring that all that remains of The Shape is a pile of gory mush and nullifying any chance for a surprise resuscitation. Reddit user u/WolfofWingStreet stated, "parading him through the town with the towns people marching was almost as bad as the last movies 'the town fights Michael together.'" One user, u/TargaryenEnterprise, pointed out that nobody seems to notice the teens previously killed at the junkyard, while another Redditor, u/Fast-Diamond-2698, commented on the absurdity of "the whole procession" occurring "under police escort." Michael's death may be a triumph. But the macabre show is a bit of a strange spectacle that, for some, feels out of place.
Corey's relationship with his mother
Corey has taken a lot of guff and harassment from the people of Haddonfield. If anyone felt he was due for punishment for the accidental death he was involved with, it's safe to say that the agony inflicted by the constant bullying of the local populace is punishing enough. Corey's mental stability clearly suffers from it. Allyson (Andi Matichak), Laurie's granddaughter, becomes the first person in Corey's life since the babysitting incident three years prior who offers him a bit of reprieve. She doesn't judge him and often seeks to console him, recognizing in him the same harassment she's faced because of her family's history with the killer.
But of all people that you'd think would be a constant for Corey, it'd be his mother (Joanne Baron). Corey has a rather weird relationship with his mom, though, somewhere between Norman Bates and Arthur Fleck. It's established that he is 21 years old, yet some view his demanding mother and the full-on mouth kiss she gives him as horrific as Michael himself. Redditor u/whittesc claims that "the relationship with Corey and his mom was scarier than anything else in this movie." Another Redditor, u/ilovetjwatt, asserted, "that kiss disturbed me more than anything Michael did in this trilogy." One individual even noted the weird commanding nature of his mother given that he is a grown man. Jokingly, Redditor u/ev6464 recounted Corey's mother berating him at the dinner table for texting. U/Blind_Spider said, "Didn't know if I was watching Halloween or Psycho." Apparently, it's a bit of an understatement to simply say there's something off about Corey and his home life.
Laurie's odd change in temperament
David Gordon Green's sequel trilogy depicts Laurie growing. When we first see her in 2018's "Halloween," she's paranoid, armed to the teeth, and living in a gated compound. For four decades, Laurie had largely kept to herself with the exception of the few years she spent raising her daughter (Judy Greer). Michael's torment had forever changed Laurie into a hardened survivalist. She actively prepared for the day Michael would return, assuming that he'd somehow break free of his imprisonment. After a long and grueling evening that resulted in Laurie losing her own daughter to Michael's rampage, The Shape disappeared. In the four years that followed, Laurie has renewed her life, choosing to not live in fear and isolation any longer, but instead with her granddaughter, Allyson, in a new home in a residential area.
This trajectory certainly exudes emotional growth for the intrepid hero. However, fans have pointed out, that the sequence of Laurie's transformation occurs backward given how most might behave in reality. One Redditor pointed out the oddity and said, "this trilogy is told backwards." They continue, "Laurie should have been eager to move on in the first movie, denying that there is anything special with Michael." They then posit that the second film, in which he slaughters countless people and survives the unthinkable, would solidify how "inhuman" Michael is. "Halloween Ends" should've then depicted Laurie as the "badass soldier" preparing for a final confrontation with Michael after having lost her daughter. Redditor u/MCPlagueis said, "Laurie held a grudge for 40 years while Michael was in custody, but 4 years after the DEATH of her DAUGHTER and DISAPPEARANCE OF MICHAEL MEYERS has pivoted into [an] author with [an] edgy side. This is the time to be paranoid!" Well, they're not wrong.
Sheriff? What sheriff?
It's 1978 and a mad man is on the loose. Sheriff Brackett (Charles Cyphers) has been briefed on Michael Myers and his potential for unbridled evil by the maniac's psychiatrist, Dr. Loomis. Brackett actively attempts to have the murderer cornered and brought in. Eventually, the police succeed in detaining Michael, as depicted in a flashback sequence in "Halloween Kills." In the present day, Sheriff Barker (Omar Dorsey) is in charge, or is he?
Throughout all three of Green's films, we are shown brief glimpses of the sheriff, but he never really seems to do anything. As far as the police force is concerned, we only witness the officers with boots on the ground, including Frank Hawkins (Will Patton). The sheriff is never depicted actually doing much of anything useful. He couldn't control the mob in "Kills," and he never really thrust himself headfirst into the search for Michael Myers. Cheekily, Redditor u/ilovetjwatt said, "Congrats to the sheriff and his hat for surviving the trilogy." Redditor u/TimecopVsPredator adds, "he survived by pretty much just staying away this whole time. I was so excited for that character when he first showed up, but he never really did anything." Another user, u/TurboPGT, said the sheriff is actually "the smartest guy in the whole trilogy. Knew what was up from the get go, stayed [...] out of the way. Survived."
Corey and Allison's contrived relationship
While teen angst and sexual escapades are often the anchors of slasher horror films like "Friday the 13th" and even the original "Halloween," the succeeding entries in Michael Myers' franchise have often focused more squarely on his murderous nature than the promiscuity of young love. While "Halloween" and "Kills" both give Allyson a love interest (Dylan Arnold), who meets a grisly end in "Kills," "Halloween Ends" commits to showing a burgeoning romance as Allyson befriends Corey. The troubled young man has clearly seen better days and is in desperate need of a friend. However, the two turn into something more than friends rather quickly. Perhaps they connect over their shared traumas, but their whirlwind romance has some fans questioning the quality of the film's writing.
Corey is a completely new addition to this film. As such, Allyson and Corey aren't afforded much screen time between murder sprees to really flesh out their relationship. Therefore, it left many feeling like their love affair was a bit rushed. Redditor u/CadillacFromTitane shared, "I could not buy Corey and Allyson's relationship one bit. She was all over him to an insane extent." Reddit user u/bostoncrabsandwich replied, "it is utterly bizarre how instantaneously Allyson is falling over herself to throw herself at Corey. Literally the second she sees him walk into the clinic. The look she gives him is so strange that I initially thought it was implying that the two characters already knew each other, or had some big history together, or were old flames." To be fair, the filmmakers crammed a lot within the span of one film, including the introduction of an entirely new main character. So there isn't any wonder as to why this element felt rushed.
Why add a new main character?
"Halloween Ends" is the fourth and final film within its chronological series (since it branches off of John Carpenter's original film). We've seen legacy characters from the original "Halloween" reprise their roles throughout David Gordon Green's trilogy. Haddonfield becomes a thoroughly fleshed-out character all on its own. On top of returning legacy characters, the 2018 film introduced us to a new final girl in the making — Laurie's granddaughter Allyson. However, the fourth and final film still manages to add an entirely new leading character to the narrative, a move that left many scratching their heads. Why force another character into the mix when this finale might more satisfyingly focus on Laurie and Michael's struggle coming to an end?
Fans weren't happy about Corey's inclusion in the latest installment. "Let's make the 'last' Halloween movie about some dude that wasn't in any other movie. That'll be great," user u/Wizdumber quipped. "And lets give him more screentime than any other character INCLUDING the main villain of the movie series!!!" Redditor u/mikeweasy replied. There's a lot of vitriol and sarcasm among the social threads over this particular choice for the film.
On Twitter, Polygon editor Matt Patches (who likes "Halloween Ends") joked, "As someone who's been asking 'Where's Corey?' since 1978, Halloween Ends delivers." Another Twitter user, @lmmj38124, said the film's focus on Corey takes attention away from Michael. Users @SilentDawnLB and @capybaroness equally ridiculed the character of Corey, with the latter sarcastically saying, "So glad that Halloween Ends is finally engaging with the franchise's most iconic and beloved character: Corey." Some did, however, find the addition of Corey intriguing — in a tweet, Film School Rejects noted that his inclusion basically turns "Ends" into a remake of "Christine." Corey's inclusion is easily the most divisive aspect of "Halloween Ends."
Corey taking Michael's mask
For a while, it almost felt like Corey was being primed to become Michael Myers' successor. After running into The Shape hiding out within the sewers of Haddonfield, Corey isn't killed by Michael — which is odd. A quick montage implies a supernatural union between the characters, as though Michael understands Corey has burgeoning darkness within him, much like Michael himself. The pair actually begin killing together as Corey seeks vindication from those who wronged either himself or Allyson. But on Halloween night, Corey returns to the sewer and fights Michael for his mask. As the film shows that Michael still doesn't have his full strength, Corey is able to best the murderer and leave with the mask.
Many find the moment rather absurd, though, given that Michael survived a beatdown from a mob four years ago and then massacred all of them and has survived a housefire, six shots from a revolver, and many worse injuries throughout the series. Given the rules that the films have set about Michael and his haunting perseverance in the name of bloodshed, it's strange that some young buck could now all of the sudden best Michael in a physical confrontation — especially when we see the serial killer tossing Laurie around the kitchen in the final act of the film. Redditor u/radio_jake states, "So Michael Myers who survived multiple gunshot wounds, stab wounds, and being burned alive gets his mask taken from him by a kid that got beaten up by the marching band geeks?" Another user said, "It still blows my mind how corey literally bullied micheal and took his mask." The film never spells out exactly what Michael's deal is, so it's fair to say that the scene of Corey wrestling Michael in the sewers might irritate some audiences.
Corey's strange motivation
"Halloween Ends" tells a tale of how evil can corrupt those around us. Michael might be the walking embodiment of evil, but the very notion that it can be spread through hatred and vitriol toward one another is a fact of life, sadly. Corey's murderous motivations are clear — let's get that out of the way now. After enduring years of being shunned and tormented by the townsfolk of Haddonfield, his idea of "burning it to the ground" means taking his turn as The Shape. We don't condone it, but we get it. What is a bit confusing is his reasoning for taking his own life.
As Laurie stands over Corey, she explains that his time is over. His brush with the devil was futile. But most importantly, she tells Corey that he can never have Allyson. Corey hears a car pulling up to the house outside. He then begins laughing and tells Laurie, "If I can't have her ..." before plunging the knife into his own neck. Obviously, Corey sought to imply that Laurie killed him, forcing her to lose Allyson, also and mirroring the opening of the film. His infatuation with Allyson and willingness to take his own life are all a bit ill-conceived. Redditor u/jimmyeppley said, "this guy went from meeting a girl to a day later killing himself if he couldn't have her." Redditor u/Hour-Definition189 replies, "And he said that if he can't have her, no one can. So, why would he kill himself and not her? Now she is free to date anyone, and he is too dead to do anything about it." Corey's motivations for killing himself probably didn't have much to do with having a future with Allyson, given that he'd been grievously injured by that point and was facing life in prison if he survived. But the film's refusal to explain his final act leaves us with questions.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
One year later, it's all forgotten
"Halloween Ends" ultimately shows that Haddonfield has been damaged by Michael Myers' evil rampage. The townsfolk are stressed and bankrupt of any lasting happiness or joy. While this reaction to such a devastating mass murder is logical, that makes the introduction to this film all the more confusing. The film begins in 2019, only one year after Michael Myers' return to Haddonfield. He has since vanished after leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. It's Halloween night once again, and here we are introduced to Corey as he babysits a youngster who's just asking for trouble.
Corey and his babysitting gig aren't what's strange about this scenario. What is odd is that Halloween festivities are proceeding as normal. Redditor u/JC-Ice points out the obvious: "So, in 2018 there was a riot at the hospital, and about 30 murders in Haddonfield, victims including kids, multiple cops, and the entire fire department. The killer is still at large. In 2019, it's business as usual, with Trick or Treating and adults going out to Halloween parties?!" And yet by the time we see Laurie, she's even celebrating Halloween again. It's a total wonder that anyone in town would want to celebrate the holiday ever again after what they've endured — especially with Michael still on the loose.