Halloween Kills Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs
3. The (Mostly) Satisfying Fan Service
Far more so than Halloween 2018, this sequel is immersed in fan service and delivering a slew of franchise references to please the long-time fanbase, if be largely lost on newer initiates.
For starters, some shrewdly-deployed flashbacks help flesh out the events of the original film in some gratifying ways, there are numerous cameos from legacy characters - even one or two audiences may not be expecting - and, amusingly, nods to some who have effectively been wiped from the timeline.
Not every returning character gets a ton to do here - especially Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards) - but their presence should nevertheless prove valuable to fans.
Green also ensures to fleetingly follow up the less-significant events of the previous film, most notably including a brief appearance from fan favourite character Julian (Jibrail Nantambu).
If you've got the time, it's worth watching Kills back-to-back with the 2018 film, because watched this way you'll be able to catch the many nods, references, and small slivers of subtle continuity between the two.