Trick ‘r Treat is a 2007 American anthology horror film written and directed by Michael Dougherty, and produced by Bryan Singer. The film stars Dylan Baker, Brian Cox, and Anna Paquin. It centers on four Halloween-related horror stories, that take place in the fictional town of Warren Valley, Ohio.
The first story, “Luna”, revolves around a school principal, who is killed by a group of children, after he tries to cancel Halloween. The second story, “The Witching Hour”, is about a group of teens, who take a shortcut through the woods, and are terrorized by a witch. The third story, “The Great Pumpkin”, is about a man, who is visited by the spirit of the pumpkin, after he accidentally kills a child, while carving a pumpkin. The fourth story, “This Means War”, is about two warring gangs of children, who are fighting for the control of a neighborhood.
Honestly I’d say Trick ‘r Treat is one of the best Halloween movies that I’ve seen in a long time. The way in which the different stories are woven together is very impressive and something that is usually not seen in horror movies. It was reminiscent of Pulp Fiction, I really can’t think of another movie to compare it to in this regard. The 4 tales could theoretically have been stretched to make full blown titles in and off themselves but the story tellers has opted to bring them in a more shortened and focused way and it works brilliantly.
The cast is superb, Brian Cox’s portrayal of the miserable old cunt Mr Kreeg is amazing and many of the other cast members deliver a very solid and believable performance of their respective characters. The special effects are decent enough, there aren’t that many over the top effects to be seen in the movie but what is there is done well. The werewolf transformation scene sticks out in my mind the most I guess, along with the ghosts sequence. Great stuff.
As far as shocks are concerned, Trick r’ Treat isn’t really that scary a movie to be honest. It’s more of a family popcorn movie than a gory ‘hostel’ esque experience, that doesn’t diminish the movie in any regard as it has many other qualities which help to bring it up to par. I guess the ‘thing’ that makes it stand out is it’s pacing and the pervasive atmosphere that the movie creates. It’s a fun movie and no, it’s not serious in any way, it’s meant to be laughed at at times and anyone with a suitably dark sense of humor will ‘get it’.
In the end i thoroughly recommend Trick ‘r Treat. Is it the kind of movie you could show to kids? Maybe, but beware there are a couple of gory-ish scenes although nothing amazingly bad by modern horror standards. This is a must see for horror fans however and even non horror fans might enjoy it, stranger things have been known to happen.
All of the stories are connected, and the film ends with a twist, that ties them all together.
Trick ‘r Treat is a fun, scary, and ultimately, heartwarming film, that is perfect for Halloween. The four stories are all well-written and entertaining, and the film’s ending is both surprising and satisfying. The cast is excellent, and the film’s overall atmosphere is perfect for the holiday. If you’re looking for a fun, scary, and ultimately, feel-good film to watch this Halloween, then look no further than Trick ‘r Treat.
Synopsis
The movie Trick ‘r Treat is set on Halloween night in the small town of Warren Valley, Ohio. Five interwoven stories unfold on this fateful evening: a high school principal who is revealed to be a serial killer, a group of teens who pull a cruel prank that goes too far, a young virgin who is desperate to lose her virginity, a group of party-goers who encounter a terrifying creature in the woods, and a cantankerous old man who battles a mischievous trick-or-treating imp. As the night progresses, the stories become increasingly dark and bloody, culminating in a shocking finale.
In the first story, high school principal Mr. Kreeg is revealed to be a serial killer who preys on teenage girls. On Halloween night, he lures a group of teenage girls into his office, where he kills them one by one. As the girls are being murdered, their screams attract the attention of a group of teenage boys who are out trick-or-treating. The boys investigate the screams and discover the gruesome scene in the principal’s office. They are then attacked by Mr. Kreeg, who chased them into the woods. The boys are able to kill Mr. Kreeg, but not before he brutally murders one of them.
In the second story, a group of teenage boys play a cruel prank on a nerdish classmate, Mike. They trick him into thinking he is going to a party at a haunted house, when in reality they are taking him to an abandoned house in the woods. Mike is terrified when he realizes he is alone in the house, and his terror turns to outright terror when he is attacked by a creature that lives in the basement. The boys return to find Mike horribly mutilated, and they are then attacked by the creature. The boys manage to kill the creature, but not before it kills one of them.
In the third story, a young virgin named Laurie is desperate to lose her virginity. She goes to a party at a remote farmhouse, where she is the only person not drinking or doing drugs. She is instead terrorized by a group of teenagers who play cruel games with her. Laurie is able to fight back and escape, but not before the leader of the group, a boy named Jimmy, rapes her. Laurie makes her way back to the party, where she finds Jimmy and kills him.
In the fourth story, a group of party-goers encounter a terrifying creature in the woods. The creature, which is actually a deformed and deformed human, attacks the group, killing several of them. The survivors are able to kill the creature, but not before it kills one of them.
In the fifth and final story, a cantankerous old man named Harold is bothered by a mischievous trick-or-treating imp. The imp, which is actually a small child, vandalizes Harold’s house and terrorizes him. Harold is finally able to catch the imp and kill it.
As the night comes to an end, the five stories converge into one final, shocking conclusion.
Movie Details
Director: Michael Dougherty
Writer: Michael Dougherty
Actors: Brian Cox, Anna Paquin, Quinn Lord, Tahmoh Penikett
Release Year: 2008