Was it the Boogeyman?

Yes. Yes it really really was.

Folks I was lucky enough to see a test screening (work print, temp music and sound, mostly)and damn was it worth the wait.

I have been a fan of the Halloween series since I was a kid. I remember seeing Halloween 4 and waking up with nightmares all night long. (Hey I was like 10!)

I've enjoyed the entire series, yes even the much maligned Halloween Resurrection gave me some enjoyment. It sucked yes, but still a bit of fun to be had. I just love being able to see Michael Myers on the big screen.

I remember not long after seeing Resurrection checking the net for talk of the inevitable Halloween 9. I feared it would go straight to video. It wasn't long before the talk turned to a remake. This was not good news. This was treading on hallowed ground. Remake Halloween? No sir. Do Not Want.

Then we find out who was behind the remake. Rob Zombie. Interesting. I hated House of 1,000 Corpses but loved The Devil's Rejects. Was this good news?

To be honest, I remained worried about this movie until a couple of months ago when the first trailer was released with Grindhouse. My worry began to disappear. This looked damn good.

Now, I can conclusively tell you that it is god damn good. It's not perfect, few movies now a days truly are, but it's as close to perfect as a remake of a classic can get.

The movie begins with Michael as a child eerily played by Daeg Faerch and explores his dysfunctional home life. There are some brutal scenes during this part of the film and its a great glimpse into the beginning of the monster we see later in the film.

We are introduced to Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Loomis during this time after an incident with young Michael. This Dr. Loomis is a bit looser than Donald Pleasence's iconic character. In the original, Loomis was dark and brooding. His knowledge about the truth of Michael weighed on him. The Loomis we get in Halloween 2007 is lighter, he doesn't seem to have as much baggage. Malcolm McDowell was an inspired casting choice and he does great but it is impossible to top Donald Pleasence and McDowell doesn't try. He makes the character his own.

As my religion forbids me from spoiling any details of a movie I will not mention what happens next as I am sure most of you already know anyway. Suffice it to say that it is brutal and unrelenting. The best part of the flashbacks? I will only say "Masks". My hat is off to Rob for this inspired bit of work. From childhood to adulthood: Masks.

Once we get the past out of the way we're treated to Michael's escape and his return home.

Much like the original, this one uses tension to increase fear more so than just random jump scenes. There are a few jump moments but this film mainly relies on the suspense and intensity that ratchets up higher and higher with each kill.

You want to keep telling yourself "I've seen this before. I know what comes next." Well, you don't. Not really. Zombie has taken a classic horror icon and brought him back to form. We have not seen a Michael Myers like this in years. His unbridled fury is unleashed time and time again with brutal force unlike anything we've seen in a Halloween movie before. This is a Michael Myers to be afraid of. Tyler Mane does an exceptional job.

The cast is great. I can't think of any bad performances in the flick. Danielle Harris returns to the series and Halloween fans were pleased. This time around Laurie Strode is played by Scout Taylor-Compton who is pitch perfect in the role. She embodies everything that Laurie Strode is.

If you're a fan of Halloween, I think you will be pleased with what Rob Zombie brought to the table. It is a breath of fresh air into a series that desperately needed it. It is most definitely the resurrection of this series. I will for sure see this again upon release. Zombie filmed more death scenes and I don't think they were included in this version of the movie. The only real change needed would be removal of the scene were Loomis buys his gun. It's not necessary in the least. Who can get a gun on the spot anyway?

Bottom line: Rob Zombie's Halloween is one of the most satisfying horror films in years. In an age of PG-13 horror and torture porn garbage, Halloween delivers an intense nerve racking thrill filled 2 hours.

Check it out. You will not be disappointed.

Halloween
August 31, 2007.