Halloween: Resurrection

Director Rick Rosenthal ("Halloween II") seems to have forgotten everything he ever knew about generating suspense, relying on cliched shadows and grainy, handheld images supposedly shot by the increasingly terrified students.

If you only want a sequence of slashings, impalements and head-squishings, you'll get your money's worth. But if you like a little movie with your mayhem, you're out of luck.

Like its parade of predecessors, this Halloween is a gory slash-fest. It can't escape its past, and it doesn't want to.

It's not the worst film in the series -- "Halloween III" will never be unseated -- but there's not nearly enough scares, or humor, to make Halloween: Resurrection worthwhile.

It's not the worst film in the series -- "Halloween III" will never be unseated -- but there's not nearly enough scares, or humor, to make Halloween: Resurrection worthwhile.

There's no evidence of craftsmanship or energy. Everything, from the plot to the execution, is plodding and obligatory.

Cheesy.

There's no evidence of craftsmanship or energy. Everything, from the plot to the execution, is plodding and obligatory.

Spectators will indeed sit open-mouthed before the screen, not screaming but yawning.

Spectators will indeed sit open-mouthed before the screen, not screaming but yawning.