Halloween: Why The Curse Of Michael Myers Is The Franchise’s Weakest Movie

Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers is the weakest movie in the Halloween franchise. The movie—the sixth installment of the franchise—was released in 1995, directed by Joe Chappelle, and written by Daniel Farrands. The Curse Of Michael Myers stars Donald Pleasence in his final film appearance, along with Marianne Hagan and Paul Rudd in his film debut. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers takes place six years after the events of Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, and centers on cousins of Laurie Strode — the last surviving relatives of Michael Myers. The big draw of this Halloween installment is that it addresses Michael’s “curse”, attempting to explain why he never dies and his yearly murderous rampages.

The producer’s cut of Halloween 6 was released after the theatrical cut’s home media release. This cut contains 45 minutes of different footage, with an alternate ending that has gained a cult following over the years; many have dubbed the producer’s cut as the definitive Halloween 6. Halloween H20, which followed The Curse of Michael Myers, retconned everything that took place after Halloween 2. Ultimately, this was the right decision, as the plot of Halloween 6 is lacking in nearly every aspect. Because of this, it ends up being the weakest movie in the entire franchise, even though some say other installments deserve that description.

Most Halloween fans cite 2002’s Resurrection as the worst movie in the franchise. Resurrection famously retconned Michael’s death in the previous movie, and killed off Laurie Strode in the very beginning. After her death, Resurrection focuses on a group of teens who are using the old Myers house in Haddonfield, Illinois as the setting of a live internet horror show. Resurrection is unarguably campy, featuring corny lines spoken by Busta Rhymes as he karate kicks Michael Myers. It’s also predictable, with lazy attempts at jump scares. Still, because the movie is aware of its corniness, it’s fun to watch. Halloween: Resurrection embraces its early-2000s style and goes all-in with tacky lines and over-the-top fight scenes. Plus, Resurrection boasts a plot that’s easy to follow. All of this makes it much better than The Curse of Michael Myers, which features an often hard-to-follow storyline and underdeveloped characters.

The beginning of Halloween 6 starts off with a flashback, six years prior, where Michael Myers and Jamie Lloyd were abducted by a cult. In the present, Jamie has a baby and—after she tries to escape with the infant—is killed by Michael. All of this happens extremely quickly, leaving viewers confused about both the cult and the baby, as well as who exactly got Jamie pregnant. Then the movie switches gears to focus on Tommy Doyle (Rudd)—the character whom Laurie Strode babysat in the original 1978 movie.

In Halloween 6, Tommy seems creepy. He’s obsessed with Michael, and the trauma he endured years ago is clearly still with him. Eventually, Tommy happens to come across Jamie’s baby. In the meantime, the movie introduces Laurie Strode’s relatives. This familial connection seems forced; Laurie’s extended family was never mentioned before. The movie then brings Tommy to the aid of the Strodes as they try to escape Michael, but the connection between the actors feels off, with their varying ages making for awkward chemistry.

Later in the movie, the cult from the beginning comes to Haddonfield. They drug Tommy and Dr. Loomis, then kidnap the Strodes. Suddenly, the location changes; Kara Strode is locked in a maximum security ward, and her brother and son are held hostage in an operating room. The sudden shift in pace and setting is bumpy; the movie seems to be rushing toward an ending rather than properly explaining what’s happening. Tommy’s theory that Michael was inflicted with a curse as a child is confirmed — this is why Michael kills on Halloween and why he can’t die. The Curse of Thorn has become one of the most-hated plots in the Halloween franchise.

This unbelievable information, which could be called a deus ex machina moment, doesn’t fit in with the rest of the Halloween franchise. The other movies mostly try to abide by reality, always offering factual reasons for Michael’s reappearances, even though some of them are definitely far-fetched. The supernatural elements of Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers as well as the strained plot, easy scares, bumpy pace, and the poor chemistry between the actors make it the weakest movie in the franchise.

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