Trick R Treat Review

Written by: alex1176   

"Trick R Treat" is bascially a Halloween-themed "Creepshow". Produced by Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects", "X-Men"), the movie was originally scheduled for an October theatrical release. Back in 2007! After several delays, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures finally decided to release it on video. That was an unfortunate decision due to the fact that the movie isn't half bad. In fact, it's quite good. Scary, not really. Retro fun? Yes. Like "Grindhouse", "Trick R Treat" was made for fans of old-school horror flicks.

Where "Grindhouse" spoofed drive in-theater exploitation flicks, "Trick R Treat" is a throwback to the horror anthology. I can only guess Warner Bros. was not pleased with Singer's "Superman Returns" box office performance, so they decided not to take another risk. They probably felt it was cheaper to release "Trick" on video. Maybe. Anyhow, the movie ties four creepy tales together with a "sackboy" costumed little boy acting as the "guide". He's present in all four episodes in some manner. And while the movie is less than an hour and a half long, it's a real hoot.

The movie opens with a "Halloween"-like tribute as we see potential victims through a voyer's mask. Eventually, they bite the dust and the movie backtracks earlier that night. Plenty of comic-book panels which evoke "Creepshow" play throughout. They tell the story of a school principal who spends the spookiest night of the year murdering people. We also see a twist on the "Little Red Riding Hood" story and a ghouish little flashback concerning some children who may not be dead. The final segment is the lightest and funniest. It features "Sackboy" and an old geezer (played by Brian Cox) duking it out in his home.

It's a shame Warner Bros. did not release "Trick R Treat" in theaters. The movie isn't as bad as dreck like "Jonah Hex" which Warners DID release in theaters this past summer. As I mentioned before the movie isn't scary, it's just a fun retro movie that fans of "Creepshow" and Carpenter's "Halloween" will appreciate.