Halloween II (1981)
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A survivor of a previous massacre must face her past when a masked killer tracks her to a local hospital.
The story
Picking up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of the first film, the story follows survivor Laurie Strode as she is taken to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital. While her psychiatrist, Dr. Sam Loomis, continues his pursuit of the masked killer Michael Myers, the killer makes his way to the hospital. He cuts the phone lines and slashes the tires of all the cars, ensuring no one can escape or call for help. As he wanders the halls in search of Laurie, he begins a violent rampage against the hospital staff, forcing the survivors to navigate a terrifying environment where help is far away.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the events of the first film, Laurie Strode is hospitalized while Dr. Sam Loomis pursues Michael Myers. Michael reaches the hospital, disabling communication and transportation. He begins murdering staff, including security guards and nurses. During the chaos, Laurie dreams of her adoption and remembers visiting Michael at a sanitarium. Loomis discovers that Michael broke into a school and finds a drawing suggesting Laurie is actually Michael's younger sister, a secret kept by the authorities. Loomis forces a US Marshal to drive him back to the hospital. Inside, Michael kills several more people, including Jill Franco. Loomis and a group of authorities manage to temporarily lock Michael out, but he breaks back in. Loomis shoots Michael, but the killer revives and slits the Marshal's throat. In an operating room, Loomis gives Laurie a gun and is stabbed by Michael. Laurie shoots Michael in both eyes, blinding him. As the room fills with flammable gas, Loomis orders Laurie to leave before igniting it, resulting in an explosion that kills both him and Michael. The next morning, a traumatized Laurie is transferred to another hospital while Michael is shown still burning.
- First release year
- 1981
- Runtime (minutes)
- 92
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Rick Rosenthal
- Writers
- John Carpenter · writer; Debra Hill · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jamie Lee Curtis · Laurie Strode; Donald Pleasence · Dr. Sam Loomis; Dick Warlock · Michael Myers; Charles Cyphers · Sheriff Leigh Brackett; Lance Guest · Jimmy; Pamela Susan Shoop · Nurse Karen Bailey; Hunter von Leer · Deputy Gary Hunt; Tawny Moyer · Nurse Jill Franco
- Genres
- slasher; horror; thriller
- Themes
- survival; sibling bond; fear of the unknown
- Tone and mood
- gothic; suspenseful; violent
- Setting
- Haddonfield, Illinois, during the night of October 31, 1978
- Premise and plot tags
- slasher; sequel; hospital setting; sibling reveal
- Franchise connections
- Halloween
- Content notes
- nudity; graphic violence
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office success, grossing $25.5 million domestically. It has since gained a cult following and is often recognized as a better sequel than many of its contemporaries.
- Production trivia
- The film was intended to conclude the story of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode.; The plot twist of Laurie being Michael's sister was initially never planned by Carpenter or Hill.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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