James Jude Courtney stars as Michael Myers in a scene from the movie "Halloween Kills." The Catholic News Service classification is O -- morally offensive. (CNS/Ryan Green, Universal Pictures)

By Catholic News Service

Together with his script collaborators, Scott Teems and Danny McBride, director and co-writer David Gordon Green makes a ponderous effort to dignify this slaughterfest with a message about mass hysteria, the danger of mobs and vigilantism. As a result, the follow-up to his 2018 reboot of a 40-year-old horror series alternates between revolting violence and inept attempts at social resonance. So the battle again joined between unstoppable killer Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney) and the sole survivor of his long-ago first rampage (Jamie Lee Curtis), backed up by her daughter (Judy Greer), granddaughter (Andi Matichak) and a veteran local deputy (Will Patton) who’s been chasing the murderer since he was a rookie (Thomas Mann) registers as a defeat on multiple fronts.

Hideous gory violence, gruesome images, drug use, several instances each of profanity and milder swearing, frequent rough and crude language, a naked corpse, an obscene gesture. The Catholic News Service classification is O — morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

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