Poison, drowning, claw, or knife. So many ways to take a life.
2007-12-09
$12.0M
82 min
Four interwoven stories that occur on Halloween: an everyday high school principal has a secret life as a serial killer; a college virgin might have just met the one guy for her; a group of teenagers pull a mean prank, and a bitter old recluse receives an uninvited guest.
No tricks here, just a treat.
Trick 'r Treat is written and directed by Michael Dougherty. It stars Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin and Brian Cox. Music is by Douglas Pipes and cinematography by Glen MacPherson. Trick 'r Treat plays out as an anthology of four Halloween related stories. One tiny figure with a burlap sack over its head links the film together.
Warner Brothers kept it on the shelf for two years, a mistake since it happens to be a delightful little frightener that appears to be made with a love of omnibus shockers from back in the day. It's never overtly scary or bloody, but it has a twisted slickness that is rather pleasing in this day and age of poor horror remakes and boorish cash cow sequels. Neatly performed by the cast and with tech credits high from the camera folk, it homages simple horror pleasures as it celebrates Halloween. With a glint in its eye and a macabre smile on the lips, this non linear treat should be perennial viewing for the Halloween hordes. Especially since it rewards still further on repeat viewings. 8/10
I love anthologies. A well told short story is better than a long story arc or a drawn-out character study way more often than not. So, when Trick 'R Treat came along, it proved to me that while it's not something the majority of the population wants to see, there are filmmakers out there who still value the format.
It's too bad then that Trick 'R Treat wasn't more of a treat. It looks great and it has its entertaining moments. I mostly enjoyed the story of an odd girl who gets her revenge from some unlikely assistants and a man who has to deal with a strange trick or treater. Unfortunately, these stories aren't the most original things you'll ever see. They are more a tribute to urban legends and other Halloween clichés. The way that the four stories are intertwined is different. It's not a Creepshow-style format as there is nothing that truly divides the stories. Trick 'R Treat is well done but it's not particularly exciting.
