A relic

Rating: 1/10 (21 May 2013)

"Halloween" may be interesting as a historical piece, and it may even be entertaining if you scare extremely, extremely easily.
Otherwise, this film has nothing special to offer. The story never even tries to be thought-provoking or inspiring. The plot is paper-thin, as a murderer comes to town and kills 3 random teens for no reason. The film is very overt that there is absolutely no reason; the killer is nothing but a vehicle for overwrought "suspense."
There truly is a lack of suspense here. Most of the movie features the average main characters going about their boring lives and occasionally noticing Michael Myers appearing on a street corner, then disappearing. This could be an evocative and tantalizing effect, but each of Michael's "surprise" appearances are extremely predictable and usually accompanied by a melodramatic, campy musical cue.
The murder scenes are quaint, with no thrill or shock; at best they give a glimpse into '70s filmmaking style.
The worst aspect, though, was in most of the character interactions. Audiences want an exciting thriller from Halloween, but a ridiculous amount of the movie consists of bland, mildly annoying teenagers chatting mindlessly. I suppose this material is an attempt at realism, but when it contributes nothing to plot, meaning or character arcs, it's just an insulting waste of the audience's time.
As for good points, the film is competently executed (with no glaring faults but also no outstanding cinematography), and the character of Dr. Loomis had the potential to be interesting or entertaining. Unfortunately these aspects are nowhere near enough to complete the movie.
If you want to check out a real museum piece, take a look at Halloween. If you want a film that will excite and thrill you, or a film that will make you think, you'll be wise to look elsewhere.