Halloween H20: 20 Years Later Movie Review (2025)

Parents need to know that Halloween H20: 20 Years Later is the seventh movie in the famous horror franchise about a masked killer who terrorizes people on Halloween. It has bloody violence, including stabbings, impalements, and shootings, as well as a vehicle driving dangerously and crashing. Strong language includes "f--k" and "s--t," and characters smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol -- including underage teens. It is implied an adult has a drinking problem, and there's a joke about putting "roofies" in drinks with the intention of date rape. Fans of the franchise will enjoy the usual stalk-and-slash formula with the added appeal of Jamie Lee Curtis' return as original character Laurie Strode, as well as a better-known cast than previous films, including Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

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Violence & Scariness

a lot

Jump scares. Bloody wounds, pools of blood, and a character seen in a body bag. A person is found dead with an ice hockey boot wedged in their face. Another is hung from a light fixture, dripping blood. Characters are hit with objects, have their throat slit, have night terrors, are stabbed with knives and an axe, punched, kicked, shot, have their leg crushed, are impaled in the stomach with a flag pole, fall from a balcony, and one is decapitated. Dangerous driving results in a character flying through the windshield, a vehicle falling down a hill, a character impaled against a tree, and a fire. Joking reference to date rape.

Language

a lot

Language includes "f--k," "f---ing," "s--t," "bulls--t," "crap," "d--k," and exclamations of "Jesus."

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

some

Characters smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol -- one drinks in secret, suggesting they have a reliance on alcohol, and others drink underage. Lots of prescription pills seen in a medicine cabinet. Percodan and methadone mentioned. Teens joke about dropping "roofies" into men's drinks.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

a little

Kisses on lips, neck, and chest. Passing mention of an orgy and "animal sex." Person writes romantic fiction and references "melon breasts."

Positive Messages

some

The past will come back to haunt you. It's important to confront your monsters. Protect those you love as best you can, but also allow them to live. Courage and perseverance are great character strengths.

Positive Role Models

some

Laurie is loving but overprotective toward her son, John, following her own past trauma. She turns to alcohol and a range of prescription pills to cope day-to-day, though she shows courage and perseverance in facing Michael and attempting to end his reign of terror. John is loving toward his mother, but also craves freedom. He lies to her about his whereabouts and unwittingly puts himself and his friends in danger.

Diverse Representations

a little

Lead character is a strong, capable woman who is the dean of a private school. Main family unit is a single mother and her son. They have a loving, if overprotective relationship, though mentions of the absent father lean into damaging stereotypes. The mother describes him as an "abusive, chain-smoking methadone addict." Cast is mostly White. Main Black character is a security guard. However, he is seen to have aspirations of becoming a novelist and reads his romantic fiction to his wife over the phone -- though this is done mostly for laughs. One student mentions financial aid and works in the kitchen on campus. She isn't shown to be treated any differently by the wealthier students around her.

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