Local shop owner Harry Grimbridge is chased by men wearing suits until he collapses at a service station. Ranting about plot to kill him, and clutching a Halloween mask, he is taken to the hospital for treatment. But while in the hospital one of the strange men catches up with him and kills him, then immolates himself as well.
His doctor, Dr. Dan Challis, and Grimbridge's daughter, Ellie, travel investigate the horrible incident. Their efforts lead them to the Silver Shamrock Novelties Factory in the small town of Santa Mira. There they uncover a monstrous plot to kill untold number of people on Halloween. Can they stop the evil plot in time?
Halloween 3 has the strange distinction of being the only film in the series which does not feature Michael Myers. For that matter, it does not feature any of the recurring characters of the series including Laurie Strode and Dr. Loomis. Instead we have an entirely new and different plot, unrelated to the previous two films that had already been released and the sequels which would follow.
Taken as part of a lengthy franchise of popular slasher films, this movie fails. In fact, it is hardly a slasher film at all. It's themes are more along the mad-scientist bent, and it lacks in the gore, as well as the suspense and dark atmosphere of the other films.
Halloween 3 is more interesting when taken apart from the rest of the series and looked at for what it really is; namely, a fairly poor movie with a more or less noble aim. That is, Halloween 3 is a clear critique of capitalist consumerism and corporate culture.
The unfortunate thing is that any effectiveness that its message may have is largely lost due to the fact that the film itself is quite cheesy, dull, and poorly done all around. John Carpenter's role was relegated only to that of music production. It's possible that this had something to do with the poor outcome as compared with the first two films as well. On the other hand, many of the other sequels also lacked Carpenter's directing, and yet were much better over-all. Politically progressive undertones aside, Halloween 3 misses the mark.
2 out of place sequels out of 5
Rated R: contains violence, sexually suggestive scenes, language.
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