Trick ‘r Treat (2008)
Trick ‘r Treat has an interesting release date. The film was actually ready to go much earlier than that but never got any real wide releases on the big screen or DVD until 2009. Somehow though it retains a 2008 release so we’re going to have to go with that instead of the 2009 one which would make more sense. The film is the creation of Michael Dougherty and he put in his own blood, sweat, and tears to get this film out and everyone who sees it can instantly agree it was worth it. This was his first movie fully directed (aside from the 1996 animated short Season’s Greetings which it is based off of) though he did write X-Men 2, Urban Legends: Bloody Mary, and part of Superman Returns prior. Don’t let that Superman reference throw you (with how many hated that movie I can see why it may be difficult to do) as Trick ‘r Treat is a homage to horror and anthology based fully upon Halloween – the only holiday that can be claimed by the horror community and has never had a movie to truly stand behind that celebrates it.
What we see within Trick ‘r Treat is an entity known as “Sam” who is both watching and participating in the Halloween festivals. There are traditions that are followed on Halloween but what we are shown is that many of these traditions are in fact rituals that need to be followed for if they are broken on this night it can mean certain death. The story is told during the course of a single night on Halloween and is being held in a small town that is meant to reflect any number of towns from around the world giving a “it could happen anywhere” vibe.
Sam links four stories that occur within the town and each one is more entertaining than the last. I really can’t give you a summary in order as multiple of these stories are partially spread out throughout the entire film. We open with a short of Sam being very unhappy with a woman who is anti-Halloween and takes down her decorations a little early. Following this we are told a tale that involves a principal (Dylan Baker) who starts his scene by teaching someone who is not following the “rules” of Halloween by giving him a taste of his own medicine and is shown to be teaching his son valuable lessons as well. We are let in to follow a group of young women who are getting ready for a Halloween party and see one of them (Anna Paquin pre-True Blood) being stalked. There are a group of kids who are stealing pumpkins as a way to terrify someone they aren’t close friends with but what happens when the urban legend they are using turns out to be partially real? Finally we end with an old man (Brian Cox) who is taught a lesson about both Halloween and not being able to run from his past.
I could honestly write for pages on various reasons on why this film is a must own. Trick ‘r Treat is the decisive Halloween treat for any Horror fan out there so all I will say is that if you haven’t picked this one up you are doing yourself a disservice.
