Has Halloween Ends killed the iconic horror franchise?

Just time for spooky season, the slasher movie Halloween Ends has hit theaters and seemingly brings an end to the era of Michael Myers.

Just time for spooky season, the slasher movie Halloween Ends has hit theaters, and seemingly brings an end to the era of Michael Myers.
Just time for spooky season, the slasher movie Halloween Ends has hit theaters, and seemingly brings an end to the era of Michael Myers.  © IMAGO / Picturelux

Can you kill the boogeyman?

We won't spoil it, but this was somewhat addressed in the conclusion of Danny McBride's Halloween franchise trilogy.

The 13th and most likely last film in the long-standing horror saga reunites scream queen legend Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode and her "boogeyman" Michael Myers for a final, bloody showdown.

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Taylor Swift Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce hit the gym together after lavish vacay

Unfortunately, Halloween Ends fails to bring a proper and fitting conclusion to the iconic film series.

Warning: Some spoilers and spookiness lay ahead!

Halloween Ends: Horror fans sound off

Jamie Lee Curtis returns for her final performance as the survivor of Michael Myers'1978 killing spree in Halloween Ends.
Jamie Lee Curtis returns for her final performance as the survivor of Michael Myers'1978 killing spree in Halloween Ends.  © MICHAEL TRAN / AFP

To say the anticipated slasher flick was completely bad may be a bit harsh. But in full transparency, it wasn't great.

The 2018 Halloween film that kicked off this trilogy offered some promise to rebooting the franchise, but it's sequel Halloween Kills wasn't exactly universally loved by fans.

And while the new Halloween Ends offers a few chills and thrills, it's weak in comparison to its two predecessors.

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Zendaya Zendaya opts for daring chainmail fashion at latest Challengers press stop

Now the latest flick does get a solid A for at least trying to keep things fresh and sticking with the narrative that Myers is the "embodiment" of true evil.

But with a convoluted plot, cheap scares, and limited screen time for Myers and his main victim Laurie, it just didn't feel like a Halloween movie overall.

Delivering some light at the end of the tunnel, the last 40 minutes of the nearly two-hour flick are probably the best part of the whole film.

Curtis is still a delight as the traumatized survivor who is really the only one capable of standing up to the seemingly un-killable Myers. Plus, a plot twist surrounding newcomer Rohan Campbell, who plays Corey Cunningham, is unexpected and entertaining.

Still, if this is the last go-around, Laurie and Michael deserved a better ending than this.

Surprisingly, some reactions to McBride's film have been positive. Legendary horror author Stephen King tweeted that he loved the film despite the many mixed response among fans.

Check out some more reactions from viewers below:

Halloween Ends is now in theaters and streaming on Peacock.

Cover photo: IMAGO / Picturelux

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