There are a few rules one should know when celebrating All Hallows’ Eve: never blow out a Jack O’ Lantern, always check your candy and most of all do not disrespect the holiday. In “Trick ‘r Treat” — a film anthology of stories that take place on Halloween — a few groups of people learn the importance of these rules.
The film features five interwoven stories: a holiday-loving husband and his wife who doesn’t quite feel the same way, a neighborly single father who’s secretly a serial killer, a group of kids who pull a prank and get more than they bargained for, a group of girls who try to set up one of their own with the perfect guy, and an old recluse who despises the holiday.
This film was supposed to be released in 2007, but unfortunately there were production issues and it took two years just to get it out on DVD. It’s too bad that the film didn’t have a theatrical release because it is better than most genre films we’ve seen recently. Instead of relying on gore, this went so much further. It played more on jump scares and well-done suspense, which is so much more satisfying. Of course, the film did have its share of gore, but it never went overboard.
The anthology setting of this film is another thing that really sets it apart. The stories were woven together in such a way that everything was placed exactly where it should be and, more importantly, it was very unpredictable.
The direction by Michael Dougherty was excellent. If he continues with the horror genre, he could really become a master of it. His way with suspense and the way he strikes fear into viewers was incredible, especially since it was effective even when a viewer thinks they know what is coming. Plus, the stories were told with a touch of “Heroes”-esque, comic book-style and that was an interesting angle that worked well.
Another thing to note were a few of the characters, whether they were original or not, were fascinating. The character that probably stands out the most was Sam (newcomer Quinn Lord), the spirit of Halloween in a sort of human form. That character was a perfect addition to the movie, and it was great to see how he played a part in every one of the stories. When it comes down to it, the way the stories fit together was classic, and the stories themselves encompassed everything that Halloween truly is.
The acting overall was pretty good. Notable performances that really succeeded were Brian Cox’s (“Red”) portrayal of Mr. Kreeg, the recluse who hates Halloween, and Dylan Baker’s (“Revolutionary Road”) very convincing portrayal of closet serial killer Steven.
There were only two things that brought the movie down a bit. One was the length of the film. In just under 90 minutes, it’s difficult to establish everything the audience wants to know about each of the five story lines, especially the married couple that got very little screen time. The other small issue was a few of the special effects, primarily the shot of Sam’s pumpkin head. Although it’s only seen for about 10 seconds, it kind of ruined the character. Perhaps he should have kept his burlap sack on his head and it would have been more effective. Luckily, the overall special effects were great. Since these two aspects were only issues in small parts of the film, they didn’t bring it down entirely, and it succeeds beyond any recent films in the genre.
In the end, this is a film that can become a Halloween favorite for fans of the genre or at least a cult classic. Again, it must be said that it was very unfortunate the film did not receive a theatrical release, because it’s definitely good enough to be in a theater instead of heading straight to DVD. The only advice that can be offered is to make sure you check out “Trick ‘r Treat” if you are a fan of horror films or just like to get scared every once in a while. It is sure to put you in the spirit of Halloween.
4 stars out of 5.
