Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, Halloween III: Season of the Witch follows Tom Atkins’ Dan Challis as he teams up with the daughter (Stacey Nelkin’s Ellie) of a deceased patient to figure out exactly what happened – with the characters’ perilous probe eventually leading them to a wide-ranging conspiracy involving a toy company. It’s an oddball premise that is, at the outset, employed to perfectly watchable and better-than-expected effect by Wallace, as the filmmaker, working from his own screenplay, delivers a deliberate yet stylish opening stretch that benefits substantially from John Carpenter and Alan Howarth’s moody, ominous score and Dean Cundey’s striking visuals. (Atkins and Nelkin’s affable efforts perpetuate the promising vibe, as well.) It’s disappointing to note, then, that Halloween III: Season of the Witch progresses into an increasingly underwhelming midsection focused almost entirely on Dan and Ellie’s less-than-engrossing exploits, with the continuing emphasis on the characters’ tedious investigation slowly-but-surely draining the viewer’s interest and attention – which, in turn, ensures that the revelation-heavy third act is hardly able to pack the exciting, cathartic punch Wallace has surely intended. By the time the impressively grim finale rolls around, Halloween III: Season of the Witch has cemented its place as a hopelessly erratic (and predominantly unsatisfying) endeavor that ranks near the bottom of this hit-and-miss series.

** out of ****

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