Trick 'r Treat [7.4/10]

Year : 2007 | Genre : Horror, Thriller
Director : Michael Dougherty | Writer : Michael Dougherty
With: Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker



Since Halloween is right around the corner, I figured it would be most appropriate if I reviewed a Halloween-themed horror movie, so here it is : one of the most anticipated horror films of 2007, “Trick 'r Treat”, starring Anna Paquin (Sookie from “True Blood”), Brian Cox and Dylan Baker.

But even if every horror fan was probably having wet dreams waiting for this film to come out, many hated it. And for the wrong reasons.
This is a horror movie that is not meant to scare you. So, if the only reason you enjoy horror flicks is because of the gore/shock-value/scare-factor, I would not recommend this to you, because it lacks these elements almost entirely. This movie doesn’t even try to scare you, but instead, it captures the essence of Halloween perfectly : it is exciting and fun.

Just when you thought that the genre is dead, “Trick 'r Treat “unfolds as a horror anthology, which interweaves five stories that take place on a Halloween night. With a “Tales from the Crypt” vibe to them, the stories are both creepy and humorous, but unlike the classic anthology film, they all take place at the same time, in a mix of plots which gradually reveal how the characters are connected to each other.

The setting looks almost familiar, as everything takes place in a neighborhood *just like yours*, that happens to get all supernatural on Halloween. As the tales progress, we are introduced to interesting and well crafted characters, though a more appropriate term would be “victims”. Among them, a couple who is about to learn the hard way what happens when you fail to respect tradition, an ill-behaved bully who should know better than to trust strangers, a group of teens who will regret taking a prank just a bit too far, a high school principle with a very disturbing hobby, a wannabe vampire who might have picked the wrong target, a cranky hermit who receives a very *special* visitor and a college virgin (Anna Paquin) who gets initiated in a way you would not expect.

The stories are unpredictable, with unexpected twists that will provide great fun in trying to guess what’s gonna happen next and where are these characters going to end up.

The film is beautifully shot, with great cinematography skills and amazing attention to details, and the well-chosen music adds up to the overall creepy atmosphere. All the performances are flawless, the dialogues seem realistic, and I particularly appreciated the dark comedy aspect, which never goes down the parody path.

Overall I think this is one of the best Halloween movies I’ve seen, in a wonderfully different way than John Carpenter’s “Halloween” is. I had so much fun watching it and I would definitely recommend it to any horror fan who is not just “torture-porn oriented”. And, as a matter of fact, to anyone who enjoys this holiday.

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My overall rating : 7.4 / 10

Rating per categories, 10 being maximum of points and 1 being minimum :

Directing : 7.5
Script : 7
Plot and Storyline : 8
Cinematography and visuals: 7
Characters and acting : 7.5