Helloween (2025) – Film Review

Director: Phil Clayton
Cast: Michael Paré, Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, Ronan Summers
Certificate: 15

By Roger Crow

If you stay to the end credits of writer/director Phil Claydon’s new movie, there’s the legend ‘No clowns were harmed in the making of this film.’. That gives you some idea of how seriously Phil is taking the project. Both very seriously… and with tongue firmly placed in cheek.

Helloween wears its influences on its blood-spattered sleeve, from the John Carpenter’s Halloween-inspired opening, involving a young antagonist (I dubbed him Halfpennywise), a terrifying crime, and the inevitable fast forward to now-ish.

The whole thing ticks over at a fair pace, the dialogue is witty, and the lighting is spot on. Yes, there are scenes in darkness, but also a comic book feel in the first act that is very welcome.

“Fine turn”

The horror market has long been saturated with scary clown movies, and with the runaway success of the Terrifier movies, there’s little sign of that trend being reversed any time soon. And while there are nods to Stephen King’s It, and the Saw movies as well, Helloween is fresh and likeable enough to stand on its own feet.

Hands down it’s Shogun’s best film in years, and with plenty on their slate in the coming months, it bodes well for those who love slickly made, dark offerings crafted by filmmakers who love the genre as much as their target audience.

The ever-watchable Michael Paré (so good in 1984’s Streets of Fire) delivers a fine turn as American hero John Parker, as does fellow Renegades veteran Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott as Dr Ellen Marks. These are arguably better roles than their last movie, but two very different genres. (I have a very soft spot for Renegades, even if my role as ‘Bar Patron 1’ was left on the cutting room floor).

“Deliciously evil”

Shogun’s two key genres are horror and gangster thrillers, but I reckon they’re missing a trick, and a treat, not combining the two for an original comic book movie-inspired thriller. Helloween could very easily have taken place in an alt-Batman universe, but without the copyright infringement. (Psycho clowns are easier IPs to address than troubled caped crusaders).

The run time, at a little over 80 minutes is spot on for the material. No danger of the movie outstaying its welcome, and kudos to all the cast, especially Ronan Summers as the deliciously evil bad guy, Carl Cane. Dare I say it, the look and performance is worthy of iconic status.

If this offering succeeds, and I hope it does, I imagine a sequel won’t be far behind. For now, say hello(ween) to your new favourite horror – in glorious Technicoulrophobia.

Roger Crow( Writer )

Adopted Yorkshireman Roger Crow developed a passion for film and TV in the 1970s and 1980s. He has been a published film and TV reviewer since the 1990s; a world travel and restaurant critic since the noughties, and for the past decade has assessed the pros and cons of live gigs and theatre productions around the UK. His ideal day would involve reviewing a performance of Bat Out of Hell, followed by a Pad Thai while being serenaded by Texas on a cruise around Europe.
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