Michael Myers Stalks the Hospital in Halloween II, a Competent Follow-Up

Halloween II arrives 19 months after Laurie Strode survived Michael Myers on Halloween night in Haddonfield, Illinois. The sequel picks up immediately where the first film left off, with Myers stalking the hospital where Laurie has been admitted. This is a lean, mean follow-up that trades the quiet dread of the original for a nonstop chase through a crowded institution.

Trailer, via Shout! Studios.

The Setup

Laurie survives Myers’ attack on Halloween night thanks to Dr. Sam Loomis, who shoots him off a balcony. Myers wanders the streets, killing Alice Martin and stealing a knife from the Elrods. Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital, where Myers follows her.

Loomis and Sheriff Leigh Brackett pursue him. Loomis mistakes teenager Ben Tramer for Myers when Ben wears a similar mask, and Ben is hit by a police car that crashes into a van and catches fire.

The Body Count

The hospital becomes a slaughterhouse. Myers cuts phone lines, slashes tire chains, and kills everyone who gets in his way. The dead include security guard Bernard Garrett, Dr. Frederick Mixter, paramedic Budd Scarlotti, and several nurses.

He also finds Annie Brackett, Lynda Van der Klok, and Bob Simms at the Wallace residence. When Sheriff Brackett learns his daughter Annie was killed by Myers, he abandons the search to inform his wife, leaving Deputy Gary Hunt to take over.

The Sister Twist

The film reveals Laurie is Myers’ younger sister, a plot point that shapes the series for decades to come. Curtis plays Laurie with a long-haired wig, since she had cut her own hair shorter at the time.

Jimmy Lloyd, a paramedic who develops an attraction to Laurie, and nurse Jill Franco grow increasingly worried as staff disappear. They search the hospital for Laurie, who is trying to avoid Myers.

What Works

1. The pace rarely lets up. The film moves from one kill to the next without pause.
2. The hospital setting suits the horror. Narrow corridors and locked doors make escape feel impossible.
3. Dick Warlock’s performance as Myers is solid, even if he replaces Nick Castle.
4. Donald Pleasence remains terrifying as Loomis, a man whose obsession never wavers.

What Doesn’t Work

• The twist about Laurie being Myers’ sister feels rushed rather than earned.
• The film relies too heavily on Myers simply walking through walls or cutting power to create tension.
• Some kills are staged quickly, with victims disappearing from screen before the wound lands.

Final Word

Halloween II is a competent but slight follow-up. It extends the mythos with the sister twist, but it doesn’t build on the dread of the original. The film is better as a thrill ride than a study of fear.

It earns a 6.6 out of 10.

Halloween II · horror movies · John Carpenter · sequels · slasher films