Trick ‘r Treat is still the best Halloween film

With Halloween right around the corner, now is the perfect time to sit down on the couch with all the lights off, grab some popcorn, and watch some horror movies. And what better way to celebrate the season than watching Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat?

The film tells four different stories with a similar component set in the fictional town of Warren Valley in Ohio on Halloween night. These stories include a teacher with murderous intentions, a woman who wishes to lose her virginity, a group of kids playing a prank near a lake where children were drowned, and an old man encountering a demon in the comfort of his home.

In the midst of it all, a childlike trick-or-treater with a creepy burlap sack covering his head named Sam (the aforementioned demon) stalks the characters while watching every move they make. Anyone who dares break the Halloween tradition will soon meet with fate in his hands or be killed by other horrific entities lurking about the town.

Not only is it an excellent Halloween-themed cult classic filled with decent scares and gruesome imagery, it’s a film that consists of different stories filled with twists and scenes that overlap with one another, creating some of the most unique pacing I’ve rarely seen from other horror flicks.

Trick ‘r Treat still holds up to this day as simply one of the best scary movies during the Halloween season, and hell, even just about any time of the year.

An atmospheric Halloween tale done right

The first thing that crosses my mind are John Carpenter’s classic Halloween films. The remakes are also suitable choices, but Trick ‘r Treat does a superior job in capturing the essence and spirit of Halloween with the addition of supernatural elements and themes related to the spookiest season of all time. Michael Myers is scary as hell, no doubt about it. But Trick ‘r Treat is everything I want in a Halloween-centered film; werewolves and zombies, urban legends, and characters facing consequences for breaking the Halloween tradition.

I like to describe the movie as something akin to those horror-themed children shows like Goosebumps or Are You Afraid of the Dark? Trick ‘r Treat is essentially those previously mentioned shows seasoned with adult-centered humor and some mild gore that’ll still make your body cringe at the sight of it. Luckily, the film’s horror elements stand firmly even with all the dark humor (some jokes don’t exactly land well in the current times) that helps lighten up the movie a bit. Not to mention, actors such as Dylan Baker, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox displayed some stunning performances.

Trick ‘r Treat simply takes an enjoyable festivity and transforms it into frightening scenarios where rules of Halloween are applied. Such rules include handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, never blowing out a Jack O’Lantern before the clock strikes 12, and always checking your candy. Fail to abide by these rules and you’ll face some dire consequences. Whatever lurking in the dark might spring out to come and get you. It reminds me of when parents would make up stories of monsters preying on children if they misbehave and Trick ‘r Treat manages to turn this into a reality.

What elevates this movie even higher is the whimsical and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack composed by Douglas Pipes. He might not be on the same level as recognition as opposed to composers like Hans Zimmer and John Williams, but his work on Trick ‘r Treat and Krampus (which is another season-themed horror film directed by Dougherty himself) is enough to prove he has all it takes to ensemble music that perfectly encapsulates the general theme of these films. Still to this day, I can remember the iconic spooky theme that starts with the intense strumming of violins alongside a beautiful choir segment that sounds like angels singing in hell.

A unique plot and a visual treat

Anthology horror stories have been a favorite of mine whether it’s the Creepshow and V/H/S franchises. Lesser-known Asian horror films originating from Thailand to South Korea with such franchises including the Phobia and Horror Stories series also come to mind. Similarly, there are other anthology stories set during Halloween like Tales of Halloween. However, Trick ‘r Treat wins in the memorability aspect.

I can hardly remember a single scene that took place in Tales of Halloween whereas in Trick ‘r Treat, it’s easy to pick up details and significant parts of the movie so vividly. What truly helps with Trick ‘r Treat being so relevant until now is the nonlinear narrative. Hence, the movie does exceptionally well with how scenes interconnect any time characters cross paths with each other. This results in horrifying twists where characters from one story impact other characters from a different one. The revelation of it all alongside the consequences each of them face makes the payoff so much more satisfying.

Paying attention to the visual department of the film, a lot of it is practical. From the werewolf designs with the human fleshes peeling off their skins as they transformed, Sam’s true identity emerging out of his iconic mask, and the blood splattering, Trick ‘r Treat does everything to make an immersive Halloween film come to life. Alongside all of that includes the set designs of the Halloween festival, the lake where kids have drowned, and the house of the old man. Everything is built together to create a visually appealing Halloween movie.

The cinematography crafted by Glen MacPherson is done wonderfully well especially with the looming shots of Warren Valley and the creepy abandoned sunken bus that was once filled with murdered children as well as the POV shots of Sam stalking the characters. Some scenes are repeated but from a different angle and perspective that ties things up together more satisfyingly. One beautiful shot involves a split second close-up of a falling leaf that transitions into another leaf leading into a flashback scene. A small tidbit, but it’s worth the mention.

Overall thoughts

Trick ‘r Treat is without a doubt, the best Halloween movie in existence. Revisiting the movie just never gets old. In addition to the immersive atmosphere and surroundings that capture the mood of Halloween perfectly, the interconnected plot and twists alongside spectacular visuals is enough for this movie to maintain its relevance in the horror movie genre.

There’s even a comic book series that people should check out to get a different glimpse of the story. According to Bloody Disgusting, Michael Dougherty assured that some of the screenplay drafts for the sequel were completed last year. Whether or not a sequel will be showcased in theaters or film festivals, the first movie will always be around for horror movie fanatics to feast their eyes on to stay true to the Halloween spirit.