Halloween H20 (1998)
60%RT Audience Score: 49%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 12 nominations
Halloween: H2O is the best of the many sequels, yet still pales in comparison to the original Halloween
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” is a mixed bag of reviews, but let’s be real, it’s a classic slasher flick that’s perfect for a spooky movie night. Sure, some critics may say it’s cluttered or full of plot holes, but who cares when you have Jamie Lee Curtis back in action as the ultimate scream queen? The second half of the movie is where the real fun begins, with all the classic stalk and slash thrills you could want. So grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and get ready to scream your head off with Michael Myers on the loose.
Production Company(ies)
Channel 4 News Channel 4 Frontline
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
La Puente, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for terror violence/gore and language
Year of Release
1998
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 25m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 2, 2007
Genre(s)
Holiday/Horror
Keyword(s)
Halloween H20, Jamie Lee Curtis, Adam Arkin, Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, Adam Hann-Byrd, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Steve Miner, Paul Freeman, Debra Hill, John Carpenter, Robert Zappia, Matt Greenberg, holiday, horror, R, Miramax Films, $55.0M, SDDS, DTS, Surround, Dolby Digital, 35mm, Scope (2.35:1), Michael Myers, Laurie Strode, private school, California, knife-wielder, massacre, Northern California, headmistress, assumed name, Halloween, dread, critic reviews, character-driven, economy, skilful use of empty space, cluttered feel, orchestral music, distracting plot holes, original moments, fun deaths, reunion, product of its time, influenced heavily by other slasher films, final chapter, franchise, sequel, reboot, sequel to the reboot, Halloween film, all-star cast, kill sequences, intense, well-shot
Worldwide gross: $55,041,738
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $101,009,350
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,016
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 11,015,196
US/Canada gross: $55,041,738
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $101,009,350
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 747
US/Canada opening weekend: $16,187,724
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $29,706,756
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 467
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $17,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $31,197,397
Production budget ranking: 1,133
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $16,799,798
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $53,012,155
ROI to date (est.): 110%
ROI ranking: 902
Adam Arkin – Will Brennan
Josh Hartnett – John Tate
Michelle Williams – Molly Cartwell
Adam Hann-Byrd – Charles “Charlie” Deveraux
Jodi Lyn O’Keefe – Sarah Wainthrope
Director(s)
Steve Miner
Writer(s)
Debra Hill, John Carpenter, Robert Zappia, Matt Greenberg
Producer(s)
Paul Freeman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 12 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (62) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (30)
H20 is far more character-driven than any of its predecessors.
October 19, 2018
Aja Romano
Vox
TOP CRITIC
While Carpenter’s film was all about economy and a skilful use of empty space, Miner’s busy compositions have a cluttered feel that is echoed by superfluous orchestral music.
August 16, 2007
Derek Adams
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
I’m currently stuck watching the revival of a movie form that appalled me the first time around, then disappeared from view after a torrent of thoughtless re-workings that resembled bloody tape loops.
November 15, 2002 | Rating: 2/5
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
…Steve Miner is no Carpenter.
April 12, 2002 | Rating: 1/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
Halloween: H20 is as stylish and scary as it is ultra-violent. It brings back a stunning Jamie Lee Curtis in the role that made her a star and it’s a work of superior craftsmanship in all aspects.
February 21, 2001 | Rating: 4/5
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
…the throwaway jokes are few and far between, and after a pre-title sequence reintroduces Michael and shows just how far up suspense and thrills can be ratcheted, Halloween H20 declines into the routine.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/5
Lawrence Van Gelder
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
In the wake of everything that came after Carpenter’s version, H20 feels like another in the franchise’s many attempts to bank on the iconic original instead of using it as a launchpad for something creatively distinct.
February 12, 2022 | Rating: 1.5/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
“Halloween H20” is the worst film in the series, and for one reason… its distracting plot holes.
December 5, 2020 | Rating: 2/4
Matthew Rozsa
matthewrozsa.com
This one got it what made the original film so special, and it reckons with history in a way that remains a series highlight, even if it’s no longer official canon.
June 3, 2019
Mattie Lucas
From the Front Row
While sensibly brief and utterly classy compared to its horrid predecessors, H20 rarely rises above generic slasher fare outside of Curtis’ entertaining performance.
October 21, 2018 | Rating: 2.5/5
Shaun Munro
Flickering Myth
The pay-off comes in the second half, a tight, driving rollercoaster of classic stalk and slash thrills.
December 16, 2017
Sean Axmaker
Stream on Demand
Too bad it’s only a smidgen better than the series’ first first sequel, 1981’s gory Halloween II.
February 2, 2014 | Rating: 1.5/5
Steve Newton
Georgia Straight…
Plot
Twenty years after Michael Myers’ massacre in Haddonfield, Laurie Strode faked her own death, traveled to California, and took on the identity Keri Tate. Michael discovers Laurie’s new identity and travels to California to kill his sister. Laurie must now take on her brother with her son’s life at stake.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film in the Fresh Kernels database.
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