David Gordon Green’s Halloween trilogy spent years carefully unraveling and constructing one of the most brutal beefs in all of entertainment history, between Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end — even infamous, part-supernatural, merciless murderers like The Shape. I mean, congrats to Laurie and the folks in Haddonfield for finally ending their nightmare and all, but what about me?! How are fans supposed to go on without the ultimate Final Girl versus the insatiable slasher?
Alas, Halloween Ends — as promised — brings an end to their story...but not without the surprising addition of Corey Cunningham, a new antagonist to complicate the plot and viewers' expectations.
I’ll admit, I felt a twinge of sympathy watching the big, bad Michael Myers struggle throughout the movie, feebly completing his kills while attempting to uphold his reputation as Haddonfield's boogeyman. My sympathy, however, had more to do with his newfound connection with babysitter-turned-slasher Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell).
Yet the franchise finale's bold move may have gone too far, as Michael Myers in Halloween Ends felt more like a parody version than the horrific, ravenous monster we've known, with kill sequences to die for. It felt almost illegal to sit in the audience and watch the infamous killer go out as an empathetic mentor/father figure.
Does the death of Michael Myers mean the end of Halloween?
With Michael’s body slashed, stabbed, twisted, and disintegrated by a metal shredder, the likelihood of his return is pretty low (luckily for the survivors of Haddonfield). But slasher lovers may find a silver lining in the death of Michael Myers with the possibility of a continued legacy led by mentee Corey (Boogeyman Jr.?). So: Is Halloween Ends truly the end-all-be-all for Michael's iron grip on the slasher world? Or is this the start of a new chapter?
This might be the time to extend my humblest apologies to the residents in Haddonfield; now may be the perfect time to get familiar with the housing market outside of Illinois.
Corey Cunningham’s introduction to the Halloween franchise begins with a "bang" (sorry, couldn’t help myself) as his innocent babysitter gig turns into a manslaughter case the town won’t forget. His emotional boil over leads to young Roger’s accidental drop of doom over the tall, winding staircase banister, ending all chances of Corey’s promising future as a college-bound aspiring engineer. With his dreams dashed and no chance at assimilating back into Haddonfield's social scene, the town's pariah is pointed toward the darkest hole that exists, and it leads to the hands of Michael Myers.
Could Corey Cunningham be the new Michael Myers?
Unconscious and in reach of The Shape's secret subterranean lair, Corey should have been another easy slaughter for the iconic slasher. Yet he was set free with all of his hairs still in place, a shocking surprise from the violent murderer who finds joy in torturing the innocent. Instead of praise-dancing in light of receiving a new and statistically improbable chance at life, Corey finds himself intrigued by Myers’ choice. So, willingly, he goes back to learn more.
Along with the odd pairing of the town's two most shunned, Corey finds solace in Laurie’s company, getting close to her granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak). As if the lives of the two women weren’t hard enough, Corey makes it his mission to terrorize and play mind games with them, steadily driving them apart. Meanwhile, he begins his own Haddonfield reign of terror right under their noses, drawing Michael closer and closer to the object of his desires.
While Halloween Ends reveals Michael Myers as more dedicated to hiding than homicide, Corey as Boogeyman Jr. is ready and eager to pick up the old man’s slack. Along with the utterly mesmerizing shots and optimistic tone of the Halloween costume party dance sequence, this particular scene foreshadows the awakening of Corey’s true nature. As Corey loses himself to the music, dancing alongside the equally amused Allyson, he throws caution to the wind and unmasks himself from his literal costume mask of a scarecrow — and theoretically from the mask that kept himself posing as an unobtrusive introvert instead of the killer he desires to be. His transformation turns the scene from a gorgeous sequence of youthful fun to a foreboding warning that leaves audiences in a frightened hush.
How could the franchise continue beyond Halloween Ends?
In the highly anticipated and exciting finale, Laurie and her granddaughter finally take down Boogeyman and Boogeyman Jr., leaving audiences relieved and rejoicing.
Corey’s first stab at killing Laurie ends when she gains the upper hand. With a desperate attempt to regain a notion of power, he stabs himself in the throat. But while this almost killed the bond between Laurie and Alyson for good, it didn't kill Corey. Shortly thereafter, his murderous mentor deals the final blow, breaking his neck to end his suffering.
The vague open-endedness of Corey's "disposal" felt eerily familiar to Michael and his number of near-death scenes. It raises the question of whether Corey is really dead at all, especially noting the possibility of supernatural elements that lie within the diseased evil. If Michael has risen from the dead before, and from far worse than a neck snap, can we expect a similar resurrection from Corey?
Boogeyman Jr.'s tilt at Myers-level infamy may have seemed short-lived. But it could simply be a new beginning. If the movie’s insinuation of Michael Myers’ evil as a contagious disease reigns true, viewers could anticipate the possibility of a newer and even more horrific slasher to pick up the mask. If not Corey, another might rise who is just as susceptible to the infectious evil perpetuated by Michael Myers. Could Michael's demise lead to the birth of evil-contaminated slashers awaiting to take his place? Or a town filled with multiple supernatural murderers?
A word of advice if I may: David Gordon Green should start looking into support group options for Haddonfield's citizens sooner rather than later!
Halloween Ends is now in theaters and streaming on Peacock.
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