The most acclaimed and revered horror franchise in film history reaches its epic, terrifying finale as Laurie Strode (Curtis) faces off for the last time against the embodiment of evil, Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney). Michael hasn’t been seen for four years after the events of Halloween Kills. Laurie lives with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and has chosen to liberate herself from fear and rage and embrace life. When a young man is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, a cascade of violence and terror is ignited with a final confrontation between Laurie and Michael unlike any ever captured on screen. Only one of them will survive.

For in-depth thoughts on Halloween Ends, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Halloween Ends offers a fine uptick in quality over the already striking accompanying Blu-Ray, making it a viciously appealing sight. The highlights in the film are more refined with whites incredibly pure and balanced with zero instances of blooming to be found. Better yet for a horror film, black levels are terrific in this presentation, staying deep and inky with great detail and shadow definition. Skin tones appear more natural with healthy doses of crisp detail apparent on faces such as pores and blood splatter.

The increased range of the color spectrum is a huge win for the aesthetic value. The Dolby Vision and HDR enriches the colors to greater heights when it comes to natural vibrancy. The various environments and lighting choices throughout the film will blow you away with the nuance of the hues on display. This 4K UHD presentation really delivers on all fronts including significant gains in clarity and color. The Blu-Ray is great, but Universal has upped the ante on this latest 4K release.

Audio Quality

This disc comes equipped with a formidable Dolby Atmos presentation that does not let you down at any point. From the opening, the soundscape is set to deliver a distinct experience with creepy sounds unsettling Corey from every direction. Sounds are appropriately deployed with precise directionality from the more kinetic kill scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. Ambient details are abundant and quite appealing in the rear and overhead channels. The overhead channels serve to complement the other channels rather than carry the main load, which adds a nice sense of space to the mix.

Musical cues and the top tier score envelope the room with a brute force. Dialogue is presented clearly without ever being overwhelmed by any of the competing sonic elements. The squishy stab wounds and environmental noises provide an all-encompassing soundscape that kicks in throughout all the speakers. The low end is engaged in a really notable way that will have you moving in your chair. The mix offers up the best experience for those with the home theater system to support it. There are optional English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Co-writer/director David Gordon Green, actors Andi Matichak and Rohan Campbell, co-producer/first assistant director Atilla Salih Yücer, and production assistant Hugo Garza deliver a really fun and informative commentary track in which they discuss the motivation behind certain decisions, their reactions to some of the events in the film, personal anecdotes from the set, inspiration from other films and more.

Deleted & Extended Scenes: Six scenes of unused material totaling seven minutes which features an extended scene between Corey and Michael in the sewer, more moments with Corey’s mom, some more grotesque moments of violence and more.

Final Girl: A five-minute piece which focuses on the journey that Jamie Lee Curtis has had with the character of Laurie over the past 40 years and what the experience has meant for her.

No Place Like Haddonfield: An eight-minute featurette which frames the story through the experiences of the people of Haddonfield, the focus on Allyson, the returning characters, the camaraderie that comes from being a part of this production and more.

Gag Reel: A three-minute collection of flubbed lines, broken props, runaway cars, laughing fits and more that serve as an amusing time.

Ending Halloween: A nearly nine-minute look at the build-up to the unique journey’s end that the team wanted to pull off, how each entry has provided something distinct, framing the final confrontation between Michael and Laurie and more.

A Different Threat: A six-minute featurette which takes a look at the introduction of Corey and the evolution of evil.

The Visions Of Terror: A six-minute piece which takes a look at how all of the departments came together to bring this finale to life including costuming, production design and cinematography.

Twisted Deaths: A five-minute look at violent deaths perpetrated in this entry and how the stunt and makeup department pulled them off.

Final Thoughts

Halloween Ends has some intriguing ideas that would have been better left explored in other entries of the series. For a finale to the trilogy that we have been following in recent years, it is rather disappointing. The lack of Michael Myers will be the hangup for most audiences, but the bigger crime is the ways in which this script compromises the character of Allyson. The dark romance at the core of this movie simply does not work, and the narrative drive outside of this is clumsily handled until a finale that remembers what it is supposed to be wrapping up. If you want to take a swing this big, you have to make sure you have a rock solid way to stick the landing. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray which features a gorgeous A/V presentation and a decent array of supplemental features. If you are a fan of the series, this release does not disappoint on the technical side of things.

Halloween Ends is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.