It's clear that the whole point of this fan film was to tip their hat to John Carpenter's original, and it's beautifully done. Dave McRae, who is a professional voice actor out of Canada, is a long time Halloween fan and known online for his older fan films and Halloween commentary. Halloween The Night He Came Back is a beautifully shot, (slower paced) Halloween fan film that relies on old school mood and atmosphere to tell its interesting and ambiguous story. Even when nothing is happening on screen, you can't help but feel eerie and uncomfortable.
There is no doubt fans who want blood, fast cuts and fast paced scenes will not favor this film. It's pensive, every shot calculated and deliberate, but damn it's beautiful.
It also claims to be the first Halloween fan film to have been shot in part, on location in Pasadena California, using some of the same filming locations as the original Halloween. I smiled when I saw those locations, as they were perfectly executed, not drawing too much attention to them, but just having them there, in the background.
The acting is fine. Not great, but fine. I mean, this is a fan film after all, and some of the actors are better than others. It appears to be a mix of professionals with experience, and some friends who joined the mix. It's not the strong point of the movie, nor is it what you are turning in for.
Michael Myers is fantastic, played by Dave McRae himself. McRae really understands the original movements of Michael Myers and what made him so creepy. And that mask? The BEST I have ever seen in a fan film.
The story is light, not strong, but light. It's clearly left ambiguous and open for a potential sequel. Although I wanted more MEAT to the story, I found myself accepting it's ambiguous nature.
Overall, Halloween The Night He Came Back is a very good fan film, that's clear driving force is to showcase the mood and atmosphere that was missing from Halloween's later sequels. It's beautifully shot, and very creepy at times. Could it have used a less ambiguous story and in favor of a stronger more meatier one? Yes. But it's Certainly one of the best Halloween fan films online. 8/10
