"Halloween II" is a shaggily good continuation of a story set in motion by the original masterpiece. It's a film where each of its three acts are defined by a different quality. The first third meanders between perspectives, committing a sin the original never did: it focuses on a large amount of different characters without producing any meaningful result. It's excessive in the worst way and frankly, boring. This is a flaw that carries into the second act, which is slightly better due to some creative death scenes.
But the movie as a whole until the climax lacks the fine-tuned focus of the original. Much of the action and scenes of dialogue are redundant and exist to pad the running-time. Jamie Lee Curtis' performance doesn't even make an impact on the viewer, but then again, she's not afforded much of an opportunity from the screenplay, either.
The last third, by zeroing in on Laurie and Dr. Loomis, allows the story from the original to march forward in a highly acceptable and satisfying way. The blocking and suspense improve from the earlier in the film, and the classic twist of Michael and Laurie being siblings injects needed energy, direction, and purpose into the plot. Overall, perhaps a leaner version of the film would have been more effective as an epilogue to the original rather than it being a standalone movie demanding its own storyline.
But the movie as a whole until the climax lacks the fine-tuned focus of the original. Much of the action and scenes of dialogue are redundant and exist to pad the running-time. Jamie Lee Curtis' performance doesn't even make an impact on the viewer, but then again, she's not afforded much of an opportunity from the screenplay, either.
The last third, by zeroing in on Laurie and Dr. Loomis, allows the story from the original to march forward in a highly acceptable and satisfying way. The blocking and suspense improve from the earlier in the film, and the classic twist of Michael and Laurie being siblings injects needed energy, direction, and purpose into the plot. Overall, perhaps a leaner version of the film would have been more effective as an epilogue to the original rather than it being a standalone movie demanding its own storyline.