You have to be logged in to comment! If you don't have an account register now for free! Your account allows you to post comments and reviews, upload videos and images, access or our forums, write personal blogs, and maintain your profile.
Overall a really good film, felt a bit like Creepshow as it had lots of small stories in one film but different as they were all linked up. Some of it felt a bit like a young teenager film, but then sucked it to you with some nasty stuff. Loved the little demon kid (thing?). Always good to see Anna Panquin!
OH-EM-GEE, what an awesome movie! The writers were absolutely brilliant casting so many children in various roles--and not at all like they're normally cast in horror films. Anna Paquin was as gorgeous as ever and I seriously considered taking a cold shower after her vignette. I'll be watching this one every year.
Posted By: Horror Chase at 1:59am, November 10, 2009
The new Halloween classic of our time, this movie lived up to the hypre.
Posted By: cheluvshorror at 3:12pm, November 8, 2009
As soon as I saw the trailer for this movie on T.V., I knew this would be the quintessential Halloween film to add to my collection of DVD's.
I was very excited when I received it the mail and I had not rented it first, I just had a "gut" feeling that I was going to enjoy this film. And I certainly did!! Even my husband, who hates the horror genre love it as much I did.
The cast was incredible and the story unique and I will watch this over, over again every Halloween. This anthology reminded me of "The Twilight Zone film that I love too. So go out and rent and buy it! You will regret it or waste your money. This will be a cult classic.
I'll keep it short and sweet. Best horror movie of the year and, aside from John Carpenter's Halloween, possibly the best Halloween horror movie ever made. Absolutely loved it.
Finally, a movie that lives up to, and exceeds the hype. Warner Bros need to hang their heads in shame for not releasing this in cinemas. Everything about this is wonderful. The mood and tone of this film is incredible and every scene drips Halloween. The set and costume designs are perfect. I love that there is a costume and/or jack o lantern in every frame. The 4 stories are creepy and fun and are deftly woven together by Michael Dougherty. It's refreshing that it doesn't rely on excessive gore and violence, but it doesn't need to. Dougherty has done a fine job capturing the true essence of Halloween as the atmosphere is just so vibrant, dark and spooky. The writing is great, with red herrings sprinkled throughout and all the actors do a great job. I hope a sequel gets greenlit for this and that it gets the cinema release it truly deserves. Excellent movie all round and a new classic.
Posted By: ABSINTHEKITTY at 2:26pm, November 6, 2009
Trick 'r Treat is an INSTANT classic
it totally pulled off the whole "CREEPSHOW"
genre of horror film,
it was a fun watch, the lighting and mood of the film are notable and the writing was fantastic,
why it wasnt released in theatres is beyond me but i will definitely say this: anyone whose really into old school horror films will find a great appreciation for this movie.
i rented it and went right back out and bought it.
A great Halloween horror-movie! It's both Fun, Creepy and entertaining! It had some flaws but it is overall a great Halloween movie!
Posted By: Verbal Kint at 9:19pm, November 4, 2009
I loved it. This film really captures the Halloween atmosphere and brings the 80's vibe that i really appreciate. Great movie.
Posted By: bunnyracer420 at 7:24pm, November 3, 2009
Awww, I loved it!! It was bloody, eerie, entertaining, and overall a great movie. Deff. one to add to the collection. Jumped around a lot, but easy to follow. I want one of the killer guys!! he was adorable yet creepy. GO SEE IT!
Posted By: Lyssa284225 at 4:37pm, November 2, 2009
I thought it was a great movie. One that definitely lived up to the hype. It has a really fun spirit to it which is refreshing after watching countless movies that are more grim (or dull more accurately) in tone that try to entertain with gore and fail miserably. But this movie really nails that Creepshow" vibe.
Very entertaining. This is a great Halloween film for young and old. I wish it was more brutal! some of the stories rocked and some others were a little off their mark. but over all a hell of a good time!!!
worth waiting..the best of 2009 release..i liked
black comedy very much and this movie was scary
Posted By: taylord012000 at 8:30pm, October 25, 2009
How is everyone saying great things about this pointless and lame movie? It is way over produced, so clean looking it looks like a bad episode of Tales from the Darkside. The "interwoven" plot lines are absolutely lame. The effects are bland and bad, i.e, the werewolves and Sam(lame name!). This movie can't hold Creepshow's jock. I see 100% why the studio didn't want to release it, it is pure junk!
Posted By: dilodillondil at 8:03pm, October 25, 2009
Best Movie in 5 year's.
This movie is so great
It was kinda like Creap Show
and kinda short but still great.
this movie was fucking amazing i loved how all the stories intertwined. really puts you in the Halloween spirit. easily one of the best halloween movies ever. i didnt even see the ending coming and the ending surprise really did complete the story. great film
OMG! AMAZING!!! YES!! Totally worth the wait and worth the hard searching to get it on DVD!! This film actually IS one of, if not, the best truly Halloween-spirited horror film, or film in general in SO LONG. I haven't felt this spiritually touched from a Halloween film since memories from my childhood that included Nightmare Before Christmas, The Halloween Tree, and TV series like Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark? This film is like an absolute throwback and homage to the enchanting material like the titles I listed thrown together to make a contemporary AWESOME HORROR FILM!
Posted By: Horroraddikt at 2:56am, October 23, 2009
Great movie..totally enjoyable and most importantly original.
I feel a trick r treat 2 coming on..
Posted By: Prattacking at 11:32pm, October 22, 2009
sounds like john carpenters & rob zombies
halloween
Posted By: cjhorrorfan13 at 11:00pm, October 22, 2009
THE Best Halloween Themed Horror Films Or In General One Of The Best Horror Movies EVER!
I Am Completely In Love With This Movie.
I Love All The Actors,The Plots,The Absolutely Amazing Atmosphere, And Sam!
I Dont Know If This Is Enough
I Need A Couple More Sequels ONLY AND I MEAN ONLY Written And Directed By Michael Dougherty
This Movie Deserves More Then 10 Out Of 10!
Loved it. The movie isnt scary but very entertaining and well made. I liked the creativity with the stories and 'trick or treating' SAM was indeed an awesome host. Another classic is born and hope for more to come.
Posted By: BK's Finest at 11:59pm, October 21, 2009
My only complaint is that it was too short....
From start to finish a great movie
Posted By: maxpower212 at 9:39pm, October 21, 2009
Pretty solid movie. Not too gory, and I got pretty well sucked into what was happening to each of the characters. Nice to see that the Halloween spirit is alive and well, even if it played like an episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" at times. I can recommend this one wholeheartedly, but don't get too hyped about it.
Posted By: Dark_Magician at 6:53pm, October 20, 2009
This is a great film.
I learned about it a few months ago and got really excited. I was worried that it would not live up to its hype, but it lived up to it in spades.
There is gore, but it does not revel in it. And it mixes dark humor and actual scares perfectly. I also love all the stories and how they interconnect in even ways I didn't see.
A great part of the film is the "star" Sam. He is really cool and is a interesting character. And what he looks like under his mask is pure awesome.
The "star" of the film is the day of Halloween itself. Without it, the stories would fall apart. The fallen leaves and the decorations set the mood perfectly and it was a feast for the eyes.
This film is great. All horror fans need to watch this every Halloween.
The best horror film of 2009 (or at least RELEASED in 2009) irritates me. Why would Trick 'R Treat irritate me? Because I really wanted to give "Drag Me to Hell" that honor!
A throwback to the horror movies of the mid-80s (think Creepshow) and welcome respite from the Saw movies and their "gore for shocks" imitators, Trick 'R Treat relies more on tension and dark humor than being a full out assault on your senses.
Don't get me wrong: there's enough blood and gore here to please MOST of the folks who frequent a website called "Bloody Disgusting," it's just a tad more understated--it's the end result and not the purpose of the film. I've never understood complaints about a movies gore quotient. Those who want more gore obviously aren't horrified by it, so how does that improve the quality of the picture?
Give me better writing and production values any day, both of which Trick 'R Treat has going for it. I knew that the movie involved the telling of four stories, and when I saw the short run time of the picture became concerned. I expected that at least one of the stories would have to suffer, but having them all unfold concurrently and tying them together how they were is just a credit to how strong the writing is.
Kudos to everyone involved with this picture...and EXTRA Kudos to Michael Dougherty for not shying away from ideas others might cringe away from (the short bus kids and candy on the porch scene).
I was really excited about this movie because of all the hype and it didnt fulfill the hype for me. The different stories pushed me away a bit because there was only a little about each story which made me feel a little empty. But it is a fun movie to watch and does bring the spirit of halloween like other people have said. Even though I felt like there were alot of missing pieces to the stories they were still very good. I say rent it first and if you really love it then buy it.
Posted By: Metal Melissa at 2:27pm, October 19, 2009
Best.
Halloween Movie.
Evar.
I've not seen a single movie in my entire life that perfectly captures all of the idiosyncrasies of Halloween and instantly puts you in the holiday *spirit.*
Definately not the goriest movie I've ever seen - but MORE THAN made up for it by the beautiful cinematography, fantastic acting, and wonderful storyline. It was a fun ride - they don't make movies like this anymore! It was more 'cute' than 'scary', but the stories were intricately interwoven and I was immediately sucked in to this quaint Ohio town.
I'll definately be buying this one, and making it a Halloween tradition every year from now on.
This movie is excellent!I expected a lot more though,but it still was awesome!I think the only thing missing for this film to be perfect is GORE!I mean, whats the point of watching someone getting killed if you don't see anything!I know most of the victims were kids,but still...Anyways, I'm hoping they will bring gore in a sequel.Oh, and Sam is so freakin cool!
The long wait is finally over! This is probably the best horror anthology ever and one of the perfect movies to get you into the halloween spirit. I can't remember a anthology movie that blends its stories so perfectly and brilliantly together and on top of that it looks like a million bucks, gorgeous filmmaking! It cleverly blends humor with terror and suspense, enchanting as well as twisted, it's sweet and sour and makes a perfect halloween treat! I thought all of the stories and characters were memorable and inspired and has a couple of great twists but I do think it's a tad overrated because it's certainly not the best of the best but it's close to it. What I don't get is why they didn't release this one to theaters, sure a couple of kids die but most were off screen I mean come on there is worse out there than this and it's a shame because it might of had a chance to be a box office hit, missed opportunity. Overall I was expecting a little more out of this than what I've got based on it's praise but it's a very solid halloween gem in the likes of movies like Creepshow crossed with Satan's Little Helper ect. It was just a very fun, entertaining, glorious and thrilling funhouse flick just in time for halloween. Very clever, recommended! More of a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
very different but very good. This is the kind of movie that you would get a bunch of people over and watch it on a big screen tv on halloween night. waited 2 years to see this and was very pleased with what I witnessed. One of the Best Birthday DVDs I have ever recieved.
Don't believe this film would have survived with a theatrical release, but a video release should make it one the best selling DVDs around for the Halloween season. This was a good movie, not great, but good. I enjoyed it and thought the four stories interlacing together melded well. This is one of those films that I will watch every halloween because it is a good setup for the season.
Good film. A nice balance of scares and humor, making the movie a fun, spooky time, just like Halloween should be. I like that the four stories were happening at around the same time and how they overlapped so each one has a beginning and an end that is both interesting and surprising.
In 1978, there was this little film released called Halloween. It was written and directed by a little known director by the name of John Carpenter, and co-written by his partner/girlfriend Debra Hill. It was, for almost thirty years, the reigning champion of the Halloween season, not only because of it's name, but because it was a damned well done, frighteningly suspenseful and tense film.
It's been unseated.
Trick R' Treat somehow manages to wrap all of what is best about the actual holiday called Halloween. It's an anthology film, every single one of them surrounding something having to do with Halloween. It's fun, it's spooky, creepy, sexy, slightly gruesome and incredibly well made. It's beautifully shot, beautifully written, beautifully acted and perfectly paced. By taking a series of interwoven stories, there's just never a dead spot (huh huh). Trick R' Treat manages to put all the things people who love the holiday, think and feel about it together into one film tying the whole thing together with a palpable sense of glee and real capital "F" quality film making. Trick R' Treat manages to capture the feeling of campfire ghost stories and neighborhood myths and legends every town in the country has. It gets the feeling of being a kid and walking up to the local "haunted" house and daring each other to go in. It's fun, creepy and exhilarating from start to finish.
Michael Dougherty wrote, drew and animated a short called Season Greetings in 1996. Seasons Greetings gave birth to the character Sam. Dougherty's desire to build a feature length film around Sam turned into Trick R' Treat. The animated short Seasons Greetings is included on the DVD. It's a great short film, and I am really happy Dougherty decided to give Sam a chance at jumping to feature length films. I'm not going to tell you too much about Sam, because you should either go buy or rent this film to find out for yourself, you won't be sorry you did. I can tell you Sam is the character in the poster above, and he's awesome.
I'm betting that having Bryan Singer (director of The Usual Suspects, the first 2 X-Men films and Superman Returns) as a producer helped Dougherty to bring in the cast he had. Though Anna Paquin certainly wasn't unknown when Trick R' Treat was made, but she wasn't the star of a run away hit television show by the name of True Blood at the time either. That came later. Brian Cox doesn't show up in many independent horror films, but he's in this one, and as always, he's awesome. Leslie Bibb, who has certainly not been hurting for work makes an appearance as well. Tamoh Penikett had yet to show up on anyone's radar, except possibly Joss Whedon's since he landed a role in Whedon's latest show Dollhouse following his appearance in Trick R' Treat.
Anna Paquin didn't have True Blood yet (it's second season just finished), and Tamoh Penikett didn't have Dollhouse yet (it's just begun it's second season) when Trick R' Treat was filmed and completed. Trick R' Treats original release date was October of 2007. Warner Bros. bought it after the festival screenings brought such great word of mouth and critical acclaim, then gave no explanation for pulling it from the slate of releases at the time. It doesn't take a genius to understand that no studio has wanted to releases a horror film in October for the last five, going on six, years. Saw. The Saw films have been the Halloween juggernaut for six consecutive years, and Warner Bros. didn't want to set this hard to market independent film they'd bought against such a behemoth. I almost understand that. But I've seen the film. I've also seen the Saw films (though the second one was the last one I paid for, I've seen the rest of cable). Trick R' Treat was also building a great buzz and a great word of mouth all the way back in 2007, but those of us who didn't get to go to one of the festivals it was screened at, got the shaft. Warner Brothers would not have had to do much to turn this into a hit theatrical release. Trick R' Treat could have been a big film. It's just fun enough to grab the young audience, just smart enough to grab the critical community and the film snobs, and fast enough not to lose the knuckle dragger who gets bored with anything that doesn't blow up or bleed every three minutes. It could have been the film to topple Saw and sever the hand gripped around Halloween at the movie theaters. Instead, it's getting dumped to DVD two years later.
The thing about Trick R' Treat is that it's a film that is not only well made enough, but also in a spirit which would have made it able to draw everyone who not only wasn't going to see Saw, but who were going to see Saw just because it was the only horror movie available on Halloween. Is it probable that most of the teenagers out there would have been going to see Saw, if for no other reason than to not be the kid at school who didn't see it. But, Trick R' Treat is a good enough film and had a strong enough word of mouth that the next weekend, they'd have been buying tickets to it, and not Saw. The truth is, Saw would probably have had a better opening weekend than Trick R' Treat, but I'd be willing to bet that the next two or three weeks (as long as there wasn't some other huge even film being released and possibly even if there was) would have belonged to Trick R' Treat because of the critical and audience reaction to it. It would have built on it's first weekend, instead of dying after it's first weekend, and Warner Brothers would have had a big hit on their hands, possibly a new franchise and some characters which would have been profitable in merchandising etc. Warner Bros. shit the bed on this one, a huge stinking pile they rolled around in for a while.
The truth is, Saw may have been a lucrative franchise for the last few years, but it's not going to own Halloween any longer. Trick R' Treat is going to be the Halloween film of choice for people around the country for years to come. You're not going to be seeing midnight showings of Saw on Halloween weekend in five years. You will see Trick R' Treat being shown, though, and you're going to see long, long legs on the DVD/Blu Ray sales for this one too. It will be a slow burn for a long time, and it will be the kind of film kids who are starting to get into horror films are going to be picking up to have in their home collections for a long time. Have no doubt, there is going to be a new king of the Halloween film showings and home marathons, and Trick R' Treat is the one. Thirty years from now, people are going to know about Trick R' Treat, and they're still going to love it. They're also going to roll their eyes at Saw.
This is why we all need to stop going to see bad sequels and remakes. Great original creations are getting shafted, and so are we as the general movie going public. We should have been watching Trick R' Treat in theaters around Halloween, all having a blast together. As for those of you who stumble across this and think you're too good for horror films, because they are often low brow and low on intelligence, go see films like Trick R' Treat or, as is the case now, pick it up on DVD. You don't have to be a horror hound to love this film. It's just that good an exercise in film making. If we support films like Trick R' Treat, we'll start getting more films of this quality, instead of clap trap, retread crap.
Posted By: ELIMANNING at 11:17am, October 15, 2009
very good, best horror anthology since creepshow, with some of the same elements as creepshow The best story was undoubtedly the story involving anna paquin. well worth the $14 i spent on it.
Liked the multiple stories in one film all connecting. Big fan of Halloween traditions and this movie made me ready for this years festivaties. Waited a long time for this one and I'm not disapointed.
This movie was really good on an entertainment basis. My eyes were completely fixated on the screen the whole time I was watching. From a scare factor standpoint, i give it like a 1 out of 10 and on a comedy stand-point I give it like a 2 out of 10, so I don't know what it was about this movie, I just really liked it alot.
I thought the vampire part and the warewolf part were really dumb :/
Posted By: Eastwood28 at 12:31pm, October 14, 2009
I liked it.
I mean, I remember hearing about it and searching all over the place for it--but could never find it. So the hype level (desire level) was at peak level for a while.
So, after watching it, I give it an OK. I will admit that I expected something much more (kinda how I felt with Paranormal Activity and Splinter), but all in all, it was a pretty good hour and a half. Now, onward to The Children (T 'r T and this one seemed to be the 2 flicks to watch)...
After waiting anxiously for this flick for about two year I finally got my chance to check it out in iTunes because it seems every store in the Bay Area is sold out. If you're looking for an excellent movie that's not necessarily scary but rather an perfectly crafted handful of ghost stories for the Halloween season, Trick 'r Treat is the film for you.
For me, 'horror movie of the year' is becoming a tough choice, but it's definitely between Paranormal Activity and Trick 'r Treat (and maybe Transformers 2 for being so God awful it was scary). Dougherty deserves props for seamlessly weaving together a memorable group of ghost stories without the story becoming too convoluted. The idea of starting at the end and going backwards was also an excellent touch, and something you don't actually realize until deep into the movie.
If you've seen any advert, movie poster, or know anything of this film you know about Sam, the tiny trick or treater wearing orange footed pajamas and armed with a deadly lollipop. Not only is Sam a warning to follow the rules of Halloween (check your candy, don't wander alone, etc.) I have no doubt he'll become a sort of horror icon because of just how awesome he is.
So if you're looking for a great horror movie that's never terribly excessive in the gore department, and a flick that doesn't rely on cheap scares to keep you interested Trick 'r Treat won't disappoint. For those willing to check it out you'll be rewarded with an excellent story, great acting, an immersive atmosphere, and easily one of the best films of the year. Don't let the fact that it went straight to DVD keep you on the fence, this is an amazing film and one that is sure to become a tradition to watch every Halloween from now on (at least for me).
classic! movie was great start to finish. all stories in the movie were good i thought, and everything tied in well. i love how it was directed and the different settings were cool looking. Really got me in the Hallooween spirit.
I instantly fell in love with this movie. Its the best Halloween movie ever! Its a shame this wasn't a theatrical release. Its nearly perfect, it lives up to the hype, and its entertaining from start to finish.
Posted By: xXFacelessXx at 11:48pm, October 12, 2009
I would've loved to have seen this in theatres! Trick 'r Treat was such a thrill to watch and I've watched it every night since I bought it. Sam is the cutest little thing I've seen in forever and I love how he is there to keep all the traditions of Halloween alive in the deadliest ways! This movie made me love Halloween again, it wasn't too scary either, it was more of a eerie excitement. I love everything about this movie, how vibrant the colors are, how well the acting is, how neat all the enviorments looked, how the stories all fit well into one big continuous flow, and Sam is my new favorite character, AHH! He is so cute! This movie was well worth the wait and I'm happy to say that this movie has full praise from me. Wonderful time watching this.
This movie is fantastic and gets better every time you watch it. Absolutely worth the wait, and here's hoping for a sequel. I'm in love with this movie.
Now, I need to clear up some confusion I'm seeing from other reviews. Rhonda is NOT coming out of Mr. Kreeg's house. Not only do both houses look completely different, you can clearly see her address (3775) when she comes out of her house and his address (3765) right before the end credits.
Obviously, Rhonda has a strong connection to Halloween, she knows it's history and mythology and really celebrates the holiday. When Rhonda was in the elevator protecting herself with the jack-o-lanterns, she knew the kids had broken the rules and there was nothing she could do. While she wasn't really in cahoots with Sam, she knew of him, his rules, and the consequences for breaking them. However, she's obviously in a state of shock, which explains the blank stare and her wandering out in front of the car driven by the were-women.
I assume that, Rhonda and Mr. Kreeg just being a few houses away, Sam just borrowed Rhonda's Jack-o-lanterns from her yard to plant in Mr. Kreeg's for a "good cause"
Great fun! The best anthology type film in a long time. Probably the best one of our favorite genre. Too bad it was not released in theaters! Paquin rules!
What a shame that this flick didnt see the big screen for the masses to enjoy. everything about this movie was great from start to finish, even if you have watched it after hearing nothing but hype for a few years. it got hyped up for a reason. Sam has to be one of the most original looking characters ive ever seen. amazing movie all around.
I really enjoyed this movie. It seemed like forever to finally see it but considering I stayed away from spoilers (with the exception of the damn dvd cover)I was able to really enjoy this. This movie definitely feels like pulp fiction on halloween. The stories are some what intertwined and not fully in order but its not hard to follow and once it gets to the end your like ahhhh so thats why and ohh so he did do that and so on. The characters all play their parts really well particularly dylan baker who was really good in his roll. To me this is the type of movie you have to watch on halloween as a tradition. That and well halloween of course. Definitely worth buying and highly reccomended. I still can't believe this never made it to theaters as it was just a really fun horror movie.
This movie felt really old school, but the direction and pacing felt off at times.
It's a fun little Halloween movie but not the great classic it has been hyped up to be in my opinion.
Posted By: WinterRaven at 2:59pm, October 11, 2009
It has been so long since a really GREAT horror movie has been release that revolves around Halloween! This is what I've missed, the days when Halloween was scary and creepy!! Movies like this remind me why Halloween is my favorite time of year! I had to go out and BUY this movie! No horror movie collection is complete without it!!
Great, Great movie!!! I really enjoyed this film from start to finish. I wish there were more like this out there. I would love another installment, but I know it will never happen.
Posted By: ookieSpookie at 1:05pm, October 10, 2009
After the long wait Trick R Treat finally gets out to the masses.
The blu ray release boasts a fantastic transfer and sound as well as a nice selection of supplements but that is not what this is really about.
The movie itself is something that has been sorely needed for horror and I hope is a shot in the arm as far as creativity goes in a time when gore porn rehashes of Saw and Hostel as well as remake after remake fill the theaters and studios wonder why they do not exactly impress.
Each story is fantastic unto itself and does a great job of crossing threads with the other stories if you look close enough.
The opening sets the stage for the rest and there is not a wasted moment of the film where it gets bogged down.
The cuts made definitely helped this out (the deleted scenes really would have dragged it out or killed some of the charm).
Performances are solid all of the way through, no blatant and forced pop culture references or cgi forced down your throat and no quota filling stereotypes.
This movie deserves to be a classic, and I hope to see Sam again soon.
Definitely buy this film, whether it is on blu ray or dvd.
Do not buy it used, do not download it.
Support the good shit.
Highly enjoyable film really captures the Atmosphere of Halloween. It's well directed and has good perfomances, sure there are a few minor issues and it could have been a little more scary but it's still one of the best films of the year regardless.
People who don't get this movie are not true HORROR fans. It is my new favorite movie second to Halloween. Beautiful to look at, there isn't another movie that depicts the holiday like this one. Sure it may have one or two flaws, but it is hypnotic to watch. It left me wanting more. I only wish Sam's face hadn't been revealed.
I hope like hell they make a sequel.
Posted By: iNSANEmoments at 10:15pm, October 9, 2009
To me, this movie wasn't great. I'm not a huge fan of the unexplained. And I just disliked the storyline. The movie didn't disappoint me. I just didn't like it. And there were quite a few loop holes in the plot.
I think the best word to sum this film up would be WEIRD. It was just... awkwardly weird.
Posted By: horrorbuff28 at 8:42pm, October 9, 2009
A new Halloween classic.
CULT written all over it.
Trick 'r treat is easily the best film I've ever seen. It is phenomenal in every department and is highly captivating. The pacing is definitely superb. Nothing insignificant or tedious is inclusive in this film. Trick 'r treat is such a unique and refreshing premise, that this is what significantly connects with the film. The cinematography is surely breathtaking and the film is non-stop cinematic fun from the second it starts until the second it ends. There is a plethora of scares, screams, and laughs. If you haven't seen Trick 'r treat, you haven't seen a horror film. Hands down best horror film in the past decades.
It was creepy, messed up, and it felt like an R rated version of goosebumps. Loved every min of this film. The acting was very good and very tales/creep showish. The gore was there when it needed to be, the mask's were fuckin AWESOME anyone know where I can buy that haybag mask from I need it...
In my opinion I can see this movie being a classic movie of our time in the future. I bought it the day it came out. This movie is what Halloween is all about and ends perfectly for sequels to be made...BRING BACK SAM! I want to see more of TRICK 'r TREAT.
A fabulous movie for Halloween I think this film could be a holiday classic if enough people find out about it. The bigest problem in my eyes with this movie is that their is no real flow to it. In my mind their is just a bunch of crazy short stories happening. Although they are all very entertaining their just isnt a set tone to the show. Well its creepy and fun yeah but were is the flow. I mean we got a variety of short stories with kids and adults. One minute I feel like I am watching something for a middleschool audience the next Im watching something for the adults. The show did break the mold though. I like the Pumpkin Head monster. I like the bate and switch werewolf story. I am just saying that this movies flow and tone just didnt add up for me. It is like watching Tales From The Crypt and Goosebumps side by side. Great minimovies to their paticular demigraphics but they dont flow side by side.
while it was fun the movie didn't serve any real purpose.. yeah it was fun but what was the films direction? the movie had no real ending.. but the film was entertaining and did a few funny moments.. not sure why everyone is going crazy over this.. way hyped
New Halloween classic. Fun... nostalgic... creepy... gorgeous... excellent.
Sam kicks ass.
Posted By: zombiefan09 at 10:04pm, October 8, 2009
I have waited two long years for this HALLOWEEN film, and I am glad that they finally released it! I loved everything about it; the cool costumes, the sweet HALLOWEEN decorations, all the jack 'o lanterns, the Marilyn Manson music, the HALLOWEEN parade and much more. The movie tells four stories that occur on this dark HALLOWEEN night. Some things happen out of order, but told again later through the perspective of another character. We meet Principal Wilkins who poisons candy. Have a 'killer' party with a beautiful woman named Laurie who will a blood feast with her sisters. Revisit the HALLOWEEN School Bus Massacre as a few kids play a nasty prank on a girl named Rhonda, but it turns out that the dead kids on the bus wanna come out and play. Finally, we meet a pint-sized trick-or-treater with a burlap pumpkin mask named Sam (Samhain) who will kill for a candy bar. If you love anything and everything regarding HALLOWEEN, you'll love TRICK 'R TREAT!!!
this movie is really good i saw it on bootleg at first and i waited for this movie so long and it was so good i wish it could of been longer! please make a second one but the teacher story didnt make since but anyway i love this movie i going buy it on dvd next month and watch it over and over again the second one should have the pumpkin head kid orgins in it that would rock!
Posted By: KingOfHorror at 6:38pm, October 8, 2009
this movie was not as bad as i was expecting. not the best horror halloween film though. it had cool directing. it was funny and took some unexpected turns and they weren't afraid to kill of children and show you a severed childs head on a plate so that was cool
Let's just say that the movie was worth the wait. I've had the chance of catching this one in theater at the Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival (along with the North American premiere of Inglourious Basterds) What an eneving! Absolutely perfect in every way, this is the kind of movie you'll want to watch every Halloween! The story unfold in parallel flawlessly. Every story is better as it goes on. The (multiple) payoffs works perfectly for each story, even after a second viewing. Even the short running time didn't bother me. Better short and sweet than long and painful!
Bring on the sequel! (Without the wait and a theatrical screening this time!)
Thought it was great. The cinematography is beautiful and the stories are cool. It truly captures the spirit of Halloween. This will become a Halloween classic equivalent to A Christmas Story as a few have said already. Go out and buy it, you won't be dissapointed.
2nd best Halloween movie ever. Really fun to watch. Had horror, suspense, gore and comedy. A few twists as well. So glad I could finally see it after reading so much about it here. BTW the original Halloween is still the best, but this one might be the funnest.
I was not able to rent the movie so after all the hype, and waiting two years for it to hit the shelves, I went out and bought the movie. I love Halloween and all the traditions that follow it, so this movie was something that I knew that I would enjoy. To start off, I want to say that this movie in my own opinion did not lead up to the hype (which movies tend to do now days), but it was still a good movie. Sam was a creepy little fellow, and he was much different than the norm so it was nice to see a fresh character, but whats under his mask was not appealing to me. The other stories were rather entertaing with good twists, but did not seem to give enough background or information. Who was the girl who seemed to be a bit off? Was she in the old mans house, does she have a connection with sam? I did not understand he weird stare off with the little guy, and when she saw him during the school bus scene. Everything connected towards the end which was quite entertaining, but some thing were not coming together as easily as I thought they would. I will watch the movie again tonight and put everything together. This movie was good to say the least, but it was not exactly what I had hoped for.
I have been waiting for this movie more than a 10 year old girl anticipates getting her titties. This movie had me crying foul when the shit studio behind it delayed it, only to opt to just dump it on DVD, obviously unaware how big of a potential hit (and franchise) they had on their hands.
The movie was well worth the wait, I have already watched it 20 times and I don't get sick of it at all! Like John Carpenters Halloween, Trick 'r Treat stands out to be a holiday staple (minus the titty shots). Though the movie isn't based around the homicidal antics of one particular serial killer (although Sam is present at each bloodletting, except principal Wilkins' "pumpkin carving"); it interweaves characters from separate segments throughout an Ohio town on Halloween.
The movie is absolutely brilliant with sharp dialogue, witty character, unexpected plot twists, and the ever memorable Sam. This movie WILL NOT let you down as it perfectly embodies the Halloween traditions and scares the crap out of you simultaneously. Yes, I have major wood for Trick 'r Treat and if you watch it you will be all wet and gooey like too!
Posted By: unkordinated at 2:43am, October 8, 2009
Have been looking forward to this film for almost 2 years now...
I rushed out on my break at work to rent this sucker. Came home, smoked a bowl and popped this sucker in and WOW. What a great movie. The stories were interwoven so beautifully and the movie was amazingly shot and acted. People are saying this wasnt gory enough but I think it had the perfect amount of blood and guts. The film was even suspensful and funny in equal measure. I know everyone has been saying this but such a tradgedy that this movie didn't get a wide release...mind boggling.
This is one of the best movies your eyes will ever see. It is an instant classic that captures the beautiful orange glow of Halloween. The writing behind each story was great and the acting was good. The only problem is that it is too short. I didn't want it to end but it did rather suddenly. I hope we get to see more of Sam. THANK YOU Michael Dougherty!
Posted By: TheOutcast05 at 9:21pm, October 7, 2009
One of the best horror flicks I've seen in awhile, not scary, but so well scripted and filmed; everything ties together, with well planned stories and a character (Sam) who should become iconic, alas due to the lack of proper release may take time for that to happen. A must see for Halloween lovers and horror fans who like a good old fashioned "boo!" movie.
All I can say is I seriously fucking loved this movie...not to sound sappy or depressing in a movie review but in 1997 my brother was killed by a drunk driver on Halloween night and ever since then the day had me feeling jaded.This movie took me to a place I hadn't been in years..it showed me the nostalgic kid like spirit of Halloween. It reminded me of a better time when Halloween was a super fun spooky night and it really lifted my spirits and made me want to celebrate in style this year and i'll definitely be passing out candy,keeping my jack o lantern lit til midnight and following all the rules..a classic I will watch every October for sure!
I was waiting for this movie for almost 2 yrs. It was the best Halloween movie ive ever seen and is now in my top 5 greatist horror films ever made. This movie was absolutly flawless in every way. I just wished that it was longer.
Remember when you were a kid, and Halloween was exciting and creepy? Well Trick 'r Treat brings this back! This film was VERY nolstalgic to me and brings back great Halloween memories. This is no doubt my favorite film of ALL time, seriously. My favorite story had to be the tale of The Halloween Schoolbus Massacre. The flashback of the schoolbus accident was shot beautifully, it was amazing. Michael Dougherty captured Halloween PERFECTLY in this AMAZING Halloween film.
THIS WAS BY FAR THE BEST HORROR FILM I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!! I found myself laughing one minute and physically shaking the next. Michael Dougherty did an excellent job in writing this film!!!! The acting was awesome, and the way the stories meshed together was perfect!!! The gore, though there was not much, was still very disturbing as well. One scene in particular shall always make me wonder what people put in that Halloween candy nowadays (Principle Wilkins). I loved how it also played off of the legendary Halloween traditions in each story. One thing is for sure that I got my moneys worth with buying this at Best Buy. That is for sure!!! This is one movie that should be shown like a cult classic every Halloween!!! It's got laughs and scares galore and creates the perfect new horror icon!!!! Pinhead, Freddy, Michael, and Jason can move aside and bow down to the awesomeness of a true boogeyman that is SAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THIS IS A HORROR CLASSIC!!!!! Trick 'r Treat everyone..........and don't forget to follow those rules......hahaha.......
Resembling a graphic novel in sequencing, Michael Dougherty's "Trick 'r Treat" is a near great film that begs the question to why it was handled so incompetently. In days where the sorry "Saw" franchise seems to be the most financially successful horror series, Michael Dougherty supplies hungry horror fans with a macabre of a horror anthology that probably could have pushed new blood into a lifeless genre. Just yesterday the trailer to the Platinum Dunes reboot of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" hit the internet, and to say that I'm not the least bit curious would probably be a lie. However, the kind of originality told here goes to show you that there are people out there that love making horror films that set out to do new things. With small missteps aside, mostly dealing with a low budget and short run time, "Trick 'r Treat" is a film that will make its older audience excited about Halloween all over again.
Represents everything I love in a horror film, unpredictability and misdirection, a good eerie music score, great sleezy characters with charisma and entertaining value, funny and hilarious pitch black humor, creepy eerie fun, "saw VI" gets theatrical release and this movie gets shelved for 2 years which is stupid, easily the stupidest decision warner brothers have ever made, this film stands in the front of all other horror films of the last 10 years as the best, a masterpiece of visuals and eerie scenary that runs circles around any of the "halloween" movies aside from the first, this movie deserves a 10 rating from this website but somehow a stupid ass movie like anti christ which in there own review they dont know why they recommend it so much which is idiotic and makes no sense, i want to be entertained in a horror film, if you want to watch pure gore mindless violence than make sure you buy your tickets to saw VI and buy anti christ on dvd when they both come out because that crap is being made more than good solid entertaining and Funny films like Trick R Treat.
the best horror films I love the most also have enough intellegence to create some moments of laughter to remind the viewer that its just a film...but this generation and ones to come dont seem to get that. GOOD horror films are a dying breed and its frustrating and annoying. so I really am thankful to the people who made this film despite obvious changes that would have been required or asked of them from anybody else, they only used CGI here when really necessary and it worked in those moments, I definatly praise them for sticking with real effects for the neccessary moments that required them, any other shit film would have ruined the moments with cgi faces and creatures, but this intellegent film doesnt have to sink to that.
with all that said, along with Midnight Meat Train, there seems to be the growing trend of wonderfully creative inventive horror films getting fucked in the ass by the bastards at their studios who probably have a personal agenda against the good low budget films that make their shitty high budget ones look terrible.
whatever the reason, who cares, Good movies WILL ALWAYS find an audience, word of mouth and the internet will ALWAYS be a good reliable source to check out GOOD films like this one. even if they do get wrongfully trimmed down a couple skulls by sites like this.
10/10
Posted By: genevaraider at 2:39pm, October 7, 2009
I really liked this movie. Cool stories and some hot girls. Had to go out and buy this one.
This was a fun movie for halloween! It follows a very simply formula and keeps a good pace. All of the stories are great! It definatley invokes the old school spirit of halloween, and what it should be. Sam is adorable! the only draw back is that the movie is a bit "jumpy", but everything works it's way through. Oh and the fact that SPFX were used! There was some CGI but what it was used for worked. I'm glad to see that someone wanted a raw look compared to a digitized look.
This is probably the most hyped horror movie EVER, as far as I remember. Well Ny Name Is Bruce had a similar hype, but failed horribly! So did Trick r Treat fail too? No!
The movie consists of five or so interconnected stories that are all interesting one way or another. And little by little the plot thickens, which keeps you interested all the way through the movie. This is done by following people from many different angles, in a way similar to what is done in Vantage Point.
The movie is visually stunning, and very atmospheric. Many of the characters are also memorable.
This movie is by no means the best horror movie ever. It is a bit too polished to be that. There isnt any unintentionally funny, scary or crazy situations that puts the movie over the edge. It is a wellcrafted horror movie, that is wellpaced (too slow for some), well acted and well put together.
All in all it is a good movie that is worth more than one watch :-)
A really fun movie and I can see myself watching it every Halloween. I loved the way that all 4 of the stories were connected somehow. All the stories keep your interest (though I thought the last one with the old man was the weakest, it was still pretty solid).
Walking in to this movie all I read was great reviews. I'm not going to say I was not let down at all, but it did give me a breath of fresh air. I love Halloween time and this movie is something that will get you into the mood. Granted, there are some gaps in the storyline and one or two parts that I thought could have been better, but in no way should this film not be watched. Everyone will have their own opinion, but if you watch this movie as a Halloween (the holiday) fan, you will enjoy the holiday even more this year.
Posted By: deadgoon697 at 12:10pm, October 7, 2009
I can understand people being disappointed since I was too to an extent. But the movie had been so hyped and anticipation was high so there was no realistic way for the movie to live up to my expectations. The atmosphere, visuals, directing and acting were all great. I was a little confused though as to what was going and which characters I'm really supposed to be following due to the way the narrative structure is represented. Which in my opinion is its biggest flaw, but who knows, I may be fine with it after a second viewing.
I read on the cover of the movie "The greatest Halloween film of the past 30 years!", there were also quotes like "The next Creepshow!". High hopes walking into this horror anthology, high hopes indeed and I wasn't let down.
The movie doesn't miss a beat the entire time. The characters are well written and played just as well. The spooks are actually quite different from most films, it's not the usual "jump horror" we're fed everyday in the cinema's.
If you listen carefully you can see that this movie even includes a great soundtrack, with a nice little tribute to the Lost Boys thrown in there. All and all it's a great film and you won't be disappointed.
Posted By: fathermalachi at 10:29am, October 7, 2009
What I loved about Trick R' Treat was all the little intricasies in the story. You could tell that this was Michael Daugherty's baby and he really had a grasp on how he wanted it to be. From the Pulp Fiction style anthology tale to all the subtle twists in each of the stories, they blended together so well to give a timeline to the film. As soon as I got it yesterday I watched it, then watched all the special features, the listened to the commentary, then watched it again. It pulled me in immediately which is all I really want a movie to do.
The acting was great. I really love Dylan Baker. Anna Paquin did great with the role she had. The kids were really good. Not really a bad job. Brian Cox was amazing as usual. He is such a great actor he should be in everything. Immediately when I seen him I thought "he kinda reminds me of John Carpenter", and sure enough in the behind the scenes feature it says he wanted them to make him look like John Carepenter. He even had the homage line to The Thing.
Overall the the movie drew me in, I wanna watch it again to try to pick apart where everyone shows up and what is going in the story at certain times. It seemed like EVERYTHING in the movie had a purpose for being there. That's what I love is details, and Trick R' Treat has them. I have another movie to watch every year at Halloween (and throughout the year too). Because this movie feels like Halloween. I find it hard to believe that this just sat on a dusty shelf somewhere for soooo long. But at last it's here now and it's AWESOME!
WOW!What can I say! All the hype was definitely worth it! The movie was absolutely amazing!The stories stood out and everyone of them ended with a shocking bang! Especially the Anna Paquin story!!!WOW the film is just very refreshing.Why the hell this thing didn't make it to theatres is beyond me! BUY IT NOW!!!!U WANT REGRET IT!
Ok so what is everyone talking about. I was so excited to see this movie and I can finally understand why it wasn't released. Despite some striking cinematography and creative ideals the movie is crappy and is dire need of a remake so that its potential can be fully realized. It plays out like a TV movie something featured on USA or channel ( possible a Halloween special. It's not especially gory or effective. And none of the stories or especially scary. The little pumpkin kid which I guess is supposed to be the spirit of Halloween is kinda creepy but pointless. I love Halloween and I love all the mythology behind it. And I would love a film that could really capture that. trick 'r' treat has it's moments especially when Paquin and her friends story concludes. But for the most part it's just like mostly everything thats coming out. A huge disapoinment...
what a breath of fresh air this movie was, finally something original. I just loved it. Perfect Halloween movie!!! If it would have more gore it would easily be my all time favorite horror movie. Do not miss this one!!!!!
It was a very long wait to see this movie. But it was fantastic!! I loved every aspect of the film from great sets, special effects, some gore, humor, suspense a few scares and the list goes on. The story line was perfect, never giving away too much till it all comes together. In my humble opinion a perfect Halloween movie!!
This movie was a fun time. like everyone has said, the halloween spirit is felt in this film like no other i have seen since the original halloween. it just oozes everything halloween and for that alone i love it. the stories were pretty good as was the acting. i also liked how the stories were interwoven together to make it all work. sam was a creepy character and i loved it when he was on the screen. it covers about all you can cover from vampires to werewolves to serial killers.loved the story of sam and the old man and the girls going to the party, what i party it was! hahaha. very good movie with alot to offer, everyone should check it out!
This was everything I was hoping it would be and more. The wait was worth it ( even though I wish I could have seen it on the big screen). This is the PERFECT halloween movie. I just feels like the holiday to me. I would suggest this movie to anyone who loves this genre.
What a fun holiday film released just in time for Halloween! Why it was never given a wide release before video is beyond me. The film does a fabulous job at capturing the holiday. As for the movie itself, it has its funny and creepy moments. The stories are all interwoven well. I loved the ending :-)
Finally,a horror movie that captures the spirit of Halloween like no other has before.Picked up the blu-ray copy and the film looks fantastic.This is the perfect Halloween movie to watch on Halloween Day.Sorry Michael Myers.Looks like Sam is taking your place this year and the next and the next.
Posted By: raiderkid67 at 11:08pm, October 6, 2009
This movie is so freaking incredible!!!
The acting is really good for a horror movie.
Its like watching John Carpenter's Halloween and mixing it with Creepshow.
WB you really fucked up not releasing this on the big screen
10/10
Genius! So I just Watch this amazing movie and I must say I loved it. It had its slow moments, but was very worth it. Trick 'r Treat was pretty much a flawless horror film. I will warn you that this is not a scary film. It is more like a type of creepshow but with all strories tieing together and centering around the great halloween rituals
1. Wear a costume.
2. Hand out treats.
3. Never blow out a jack-o'-lantern.
4. And always check your candy.
I can't imagine a single horror fan that won't fall head over heels in love with it. What the hell took them so long to put this movie out, I will never understand. All the actors in this movie took huge risk and were awesome. Michael Dougherty did a great job and Im looking forward to more movies with type of concept
This movie covered most all the types of horror movies. It had your Serial killer, Vampires, Werewolves, Ghost, Monsters, all tied into one hell of a great ride.
This movie was well worth the wait. I went to 6 stores before I finally found it. This is an amazing Halloween movie to watch over & over again. I would have love to see this in the theatre.
This movie is like a horror family film to watch each Halloween,a real damn shame that WB kept this on the shelf for two years.Not one single flaw in this movie.
WOW...this movie was not gory,not much nudity,...but it still was freaking awesome!!! the interwoven stories is what make's this movie work for me,the feeling of halloween is really captured in this film.Really great time watching this movie...worth the wait!
If you're going to watch this film expecting to be scared or expecting lots of gore, go ahead and skip it. This is NOT what this film is about. This film is all about Halloween entertainment which it delivers with flying colors.
If you want a movie you can watch with your friends and family every year on Halloween, this is the number one choice.
Gore, giggles n' girls. I had a blast watching this movie. The tales are interwoven beautifully. The overall look is awesome. The acting was great. Highly recommend.
(may contain spoilers)
I am going to get beat down with a stick for this one. I liked the movie, I didn't love the movie. I will probably never watch it again ever. I thought it had great atmosphere, for that 10/10 for sure. It felt very old-school horror, it was funny, campy, all of the great things about horror, but where it fell apart was logic (as far as filmmaking goes) and direction.
After I settled that the movie was a bunch of stories melded together (which took a bit), I realize it was then time to think in that mode (even though I did enjoy the parts where stories intersected).
What I didn't really feel like any individual plot was really thought out that much. The little pumpkinhead boy was overly confusing. All I could chalk up at the end was that he was a metaphor for what happens when people don't follow the rules of Halloween, but it wasn't even that strong of a device.
The other point I took problem with was the fact that the mentally slow girl (witch) comes out of the old man's house (we know this because it was the same house with all the pumpkins), and you never know if she was working with the pumpkin boy or what her point of being at that house or doing those things were. The other confusing part was when she just walked by the pumpkin kid and they had an odd stare-off.
I didn't hate the movie, but I think it is being WAAAY overhyped. I really wanted to like it too because I had heard such good things. I did enjoy the style and atmosphere, but i wish they had worked a little more at making a cohesive film that integrated sub-plots and actually arced to a fully realize arching plot.
Like i said I didn't hate it, but it was meh.
Night of the Demons by far still the best Halloween-themed horror film of all time.
can't wait for the sequel to come out (or at least i was led to believe by a loyal horror fan)
'nuff said.
Posted By: Blood-Sicles at 2:36pm, October 6, 2009
Saw this at Fantastic Fest a couple of weeks ago and was blown away by how awesome Trick 'r Treat was!
Darkly humorous, occasionally gory, and consistently fun. The way the stories intersect each other is really cool and anyone who grew up on Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt will absolutely fall in love with this (like I did)!
It wasn't a couple of hours after the screening before I felt the desire to see it again. Picked up my BluRay today and am going to give it another go!
Posted By: lgoasklucyl at 12:26pm, October 6, 2009
This movie is perfect.
Easily my favorite Halloween movie OF ALL TIME (sorry John Carpenter!).
The fact that it's not getting a theatrical release for Halloween is nothing short of one of the biggest blasphemies in the history of horror cinema.
10/10 for the movie
0/10 for fucking Warner not giving it a theatrical release
0/10 for the DVD having no special features- we can't all afford Blu-Ray/players, don't make all the goods exclusive to that medium.
For the sake of helping the movie maintain a damn well deserved high score I'll let the stars speak for the movie itself as opposed to everything involving its release.
Thank you everyone who had anything to do with this movie for allowing me to bask in its perfection! If you even remotely enjoy Halloween buy this movie NOW.
This movie is absolutely amazing. I heard a nice bit of hype and was very excited to pick it up. I was not let down one bit. There's a lot going on in this movie and it all works and comes together so perfectly. An absolute must see. Two things I really liked were the two actresses from Dead Like Me, which was one of my favorite shows. Whether or not they got two of them by accident or on purpose is beyond me but I enjoyed seeing it. Another thing is the Coup De Grace. If you read the poem and watch this movie you'll know what I'm talking about.
Best Halloween Movie since Hocus Pocus. I say that because there really aren't any Halloween movies out anymore. It captures the imagination and fears of every child going out Trick or Treating but it puts a big horror twist on it all. What's Halloween without blood, guts, gore, and a couple hot chicks. It is visually one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. A+
Posted By: russthorne at 11:05am, November 10, 2008
This movie was goddamn incredible. If you are a Halloween fan, you will not let you down. This movie is brilliant both visually and conceptually. WB should be ashamed for keeping this gem from theatrical release.
-JKilla, NYC
THE HORROR HYPE METER Excited to see this movie? Rate it here!
