Halloween II

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Halloween II

R

1981

1h 32m

Holiday

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

33%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

After failing to kill stubborn survivor Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) and taking a bullet or six from former psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence), Michael Myers (Jonathan Prince) has followed Laurie to the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where she's been admitted for Myers' attempt on her life. The institution proves to be particularly suited to serial killers, however, as Myers cuts, stabs and slashes his way through hospital staff to reach his favorite victim.

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Critics Consensus

Halloween II picks up where its predecessor left off - and quickly wanders into a dead end that the franchise would spend decades struggling to find its way out of.

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Aja Romano

Vox

As films go, however, Halloween 2 isn't very good.

Oct 19, 2018

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Rick Rosenthal, who directed this 1981 sequel, doesn't have Carpenter's expansive, affectionate way with stereotypical characters, and without it they're empty shells -- bodies waiting for the slaughter.

Aug 27, 2007

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Mike Emery

Austin Chronicle

A bad sequel to a good movie.

Aug 27, 2007

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Bryce Hanson

Horror Movie Talk

If you are a fan of slashers, this is a must see. It is an archetype of a classic slasher. Thin on story, but thick on kills. It’s an excellent follow up to the original Halloween.

Rated: 5/10

Aug 11, 2025

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Brian Rowe

InSession Film

Curtis and Donald Pleasence reuniting at the end always fills me with joy, as does the explosive final scene that feels so beautifully definitive.

May 3, 2023

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David Gonzalez

The Cinematic Reel

The tagline, “More of the Night He Came Home”, never felt truer than when watching Halloween II.

Rated: 3.5

Jan 31, 2023

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Khaliel P

Halloween II (1981) picks up right after the original, but trades Carpenter’s suspenseful atmosphere for Rick Rosenthal’s more conventional slasher style, filled with gore, quick kills, and an inflated body count. The infamous twist—that Laurie is Michael’s sister—strips the killer of his terrifying randomness and weakens the story, while Michael himself becomes an unstoppable, almost cartoonish force. Despite its flaws and lack of the original’s chilling tone, it still stands as one of the franchise’s better sequels—a sign of just how uneven the series would become.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/20/25

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Patrick M.

I like how it explains more than the first movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/25

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Joshua H.

I really enjoy this sequel….its one of the best in the franchise ..even though I don’t care for the added story of Michael Myers, and Lori being related…Warlock is a great Michael Myers

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/21/25

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Brandon L.

Great sequel just killed Loomis & Michael off even though they comeback later in the other movies

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/19/25

Full Review

Jayjay R

How does a sequel be good but not better than the original is kind of rare. This movie shows that. Why do critics hate this movie, its good. Sure its nowhere near a "good" sequel but is gorier than the original.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/15/25

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Jordan L

Loved it when I first saw it, hasn't held up as well for me over the years.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/09/25

Full Review

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Rick Rosenthal

Director

Jamie Lee Curtis

Laurie Strode

Donald Pleasence

Dr. Sam Loomis

Charles Cyphers

Sheriff Leigh Brackett

Jeffrey Kramer

Graham

Lance Guest

Jimmy

Halloween II: Official Clip - Hot Tub Horror

1:32

Halloween II: Official Clip - The Desperate Crawl

2:13

Halloween II: Official Clip - Why Won't He Die?

2:49

Halloween II: Official Clip - Slippery When Bloody

2:17

Halloween II: Official Clip - Mistaken for a Murderer

2:01

Halloween II: Official Clip - The Burning Death of Michael Myers

3:00

Halloween II: Official Clip - Syringe Stabbings

2:10

Halloween II: Official Clip - Hammer to the Head

2:20

Halloween II: Official Clip - A Sudden Stabbing

2:13

Halloween II: Official Clip - Knifing the Nightshift Nurse

2:18

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Synopsis

After failing to kill stubborn survivor Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis) and taking a bullet or six from former psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence), Michael Myers (Jonathan Prince) has followed Laurie to the Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where she's been admitted for Myers' attempt on her life. The institution proves to be particularly suited to serial killers, however, as Myers cuts, stabs and slashes his way through hospital staff to reach his favorite victim.

Director: Rick Rosenthal
Producer: Debra Hill, John Carpenter
Screenwriter: John Carpenter, Debra Hill
Production Co: Universal Pictures, Dino De Laurentiis Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Holiday, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 19, 2015
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Surround

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