User Reviews

A better-than-expected horror anthology with some creepy good Halloween scares.

For like two years Trick R Treat never seemed to come off the "Upcoming Releases" list. I can't for the life of me see why.

It might not be an all time great, but it is so much better than 20 odd absolute crapfests that were actually fast-tracked into cinemas over the last year to cash in on the current renaissance that horror has been enjoying lately.

Examples? Orphan / The Last House on the Left / Halloween 2 / The Unborn / The Uninvited / Stepfather / Final Destination / Sorority Row Now re-read that list above and tell me what was a MUST SEE in cinemas.

I'll wait… Thought so.

Trick R Treat is hardly a frightening flick, but it is sharp, clever, amusing, inventive and most of all fun. None of those words scream "direct to DVD" to me - but that is what happened anyway.

Halloween has never really taken root in Australia, but over the last decade or so it has become more evident that Aussie kids are aware of the possibilities of free lollies and late nights, and the pressure seems to be going back on parents and homeowners to take it seriously. I know that we never bothered getting a serious stash of lollies ready until around three years ago, but this year our house got door-knocked at least 20 times.

What has been true for many years is that horror movies are more popular around this time of year, as many are made for US release to coincide with the holiday.

The plot of Trick R Treat is actually hard to describe, it is more a series of initially random events involving the same group of characters than a linear storyline. They all take place on Halloween (natch) in a small US town that obviously takes the night seriously.

The main combatants of the film include: A young couple arriving home from the night's festivities, with the young woman knocking back a kind offer of intercourse in favour of cleaning up the Halloween decorations in the yard.

The local school principal and his dealings with a trick or treater (played by the doofy kid from Bad Santa), which is interrupted by his son and a grumpy neighbour.

Four nubile young skanks prepping for a night where they are all hoping to "pull", including two absolute hotties and a pair of sisters, one of whom is Anna Paquin as a somewhat reluctant trollop dressed as Red Riding Hood.

A group of kids who attempt to pay respect to the victims of a past local tragedy involving a crashed school bus, and who rope in an unpopular young woman for the ceremony.

And… The afore-mentioned grumpy neighbour of the School Principal - obviously not a fan of Halloween - and his dealings with celebrating kids.

Early on there are a few more fake scares than I would have liked, you know where the camera lingers, the music builds, the character's hand hovers… and nothing happens. I started to worry that the release of the film was delayed with cause but thankfully that feeling was short lived.

The plot interweaves "Pulp Fiction" style between the seemingly random events, and we gradually see how all these events are practically related, and often impact other character's stories later on, (or at times earlier on, there are a few flashbacks).

There is also a little character in a sack over a pumpkin-head outfit who pops up in the periphery of all stories, he finally has his own scene near the very end in a scene that is worth the wait.

How this wasn't released to cinemas is beyond me. It seems to have every key element required to cash in big time, it is funny, has some good scares, sexy teens and a little innuendo without overstepping the gore or bad taste boundaries. I would have thought with a little advertising and some word of mouth this would have seen a huge audience over the Halloween period from the teens that will - if we're honest - go and see almost anything anyway.

It most certainly deserved far more than a direct to DVD release, hopefully the inevitable sequel sees a better fate.

Final Rating – 7.5 – 10. A little tame to be considered a great horror film, this will find itself on a great many "underrated" lists in coming years, and will no doubt prove a great introduction to the horror genre for many curious teens in years to come. You could do an awful lot worse.

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This movie has become a bit of a cult favourite in recent years and that's down to how devilishly clever each of the little stories are. Taking place over one Halloween night with interwoven narratives, the film shows us some great little movies before tying it all together at the end. Here's hoping for a sequel!

Back when I first watched this film, it really surprised me how good it was for a direct-to-video horror film, and over the years it's grown into probably my favorite Halloween movie. "Trick 'R Treat" is a darkly comic horror anthology film, telling four intertwined stories that all take place one Halloween night. A spooky diminutive child-sized character named Sam (you know, like Samhain, the pagan festival of the dead), with a gunnysack mask with button eyes makes an appearance in all four stories. One story involves a homicidal principal (character actor Dylan Baker), another involves a cruel Halloween prank gone wrong, the next involves virginal Anna Paquin being set up by her more experienced gal pals, and the last story stars Sam, where he teaches a mean old man (Brian Cox) a lesson about the true meaning of Halloween. The spirit of Halloween and sticking to the rules of Halloween is what motives Sam and links the four stories. Mixing comedy and horror is a tough nut to crack, but writer/director Michael Dougherty ("X-Men 2" "Superman Returns" "Krampus") and produced by Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects" "Valkyrie" "Bohemian Rhapsody") absolutely nail it. "Trick 'R Treat" manages to be scary, funny, and always entertaining. The film carries a light tone, but the level of violence is definitely not for the kids. The film is something of a Halloweenophile's dream, depicting a small-town that appears to put on the most elaborate town square Halloween party you've ever seen, is filled with the most amazing front yard displays you've ever laid eyes on, and depicts a town populated by more people super into Halloween than you ever thought existed. It's timeless Norman Rockwell Americana by way of Stephen King (how can you resist that!). Since its initial inauspicious debut direct-to-video, "Trick 'R Treat" has developed a sizable and well deserved cult following, so, if you're looking for one film to get you in the mood for Halloween, you should check this one out.

"Trick 'r Treat" is probably what they intended "Halloween III" to be: A fun little horror movie that takes place at and revolves around Halloween. The episodic structure of the movie and the comic book background are reminiscent of George A. Romero's "Creepshow" and "Tales From The Crypt".

Although there is a certain amount of gore and some nudity this never feels like "hardcore horror", but more like a movie you could enjoy on a rainy afternoon with your kids... and that's a good thing. We've had so many shocking, violence-laden movies lately, that this is a very welcomed return to the more light-hearted, charming horror of our childhood.

"Trick 'r Treat" never strives to be special or meaningful. The episodes aren't especially original or disturbing, but director/screenwriter Michael Dougherty proves that you can breathe life into a horror movie just by taking it seriously, by putting your soul into it. The settings are atmospheric, the cinematography is inspired and beautiful. Some scenes are blatantly stolen from other movies (a scene that involves a little person slicing a grown-ups heel from underneath the bed is taken right out of "Pet Semetary", then we got the hand with a life of its own, that we've all seen before in "Evil Dead II", the Addams family movies and even "Waxwork II: Lost In Time"). However, these moments seem more like respectful nods to the movies we enjoyed as kids.

"Trick 'r Treat" has got its heart in the right place. It's the perfect movie for Halloween. It's charming and lots of fun. Great to see that there are still people like Dougherty out there who make old fashioned horror movies like this one.

Ah, Halloween… my favorite time of the year. It isn't so much the festivities taking place that excites me as it's the feeling in the air once October comes. That palpable sensation you get seeing jack-o-lanterns grimly lit faces, kids trick-or-treating in the streets and the aesthetics of fall surrounding you slowly giving way to winter. I think it must hold a special place in everyone, if for nothing else but purely nostalgic reasons. Mike Dougherty is certainly one of those people, as is evidenced by his incredible horror anthology Trick 'r Treat. For a holiday that revels in films of a horrific nature, there sure are a scant few of them that take place on the actual day itself. Dougherty's film is the celluloid embodiment of that je ne sais quoi that has made Halloween such an alluring holiday for generations of kids (and adults) alike.

As I said, Trick 'r Treat is a horror anthology which interweaves tales that all take place on Halloween night, similar to such genre classics as Creepshow and Tales from the Darkside. A costumed couple learns to respect tradition… the hard way, a group of girls head out into the woods for a "howling" good party, the local school principal has a (literal) taste for blood, four kids attempting to pull off a holiday "trick" end up becoming "treats", and a cantankerous old man gets a visit from a holiday visitor looking to settle a decades-old grudge.

To say anymore than that would spoil the fun in watching the film, as these stories are best digested when viewed on an empty mind. The twists are less predictable than most horror films manage these days; half the fun is wondering just where the hell these characters are going to end up. The one constant throughout the film is a costumed, pint-sized little guy named Sam, who does his best to remind people why they should take great care in adhering to the traditions set forth hundreds of years ago for All Hallows Eve. The film is richly seeped in tradition, reminding the audience of just why we celebrate the fabled holiday in the first place. It manages to be effectively creepy and blood-soaked, yet it never goes over-the-top with gratuitous gore. There is also a very obvious helping of black comedy strewn throughout the film, which thankfully never gives way to the self-parody so many horror films feel the need to indulge in.

I think the most impressive aspect of this film is the incredible attention that has been paid to detail. Every single shot of the film is beautifully framed and composed, often looking more like a cryptic painting than a frame of film. The austere trappings of Mr. Kreeg's dark house, the ghostly palette of the rock quarry, the incredible shape-shifting sequence around a roaring fire in the woods… everything here is gorgeous. That aesthetic, married with the spot-on performances and realistic dialogue, give the film an organic feel that never relies on cheese or parody to break tension. The cinematography by Glen MacPherson (who also shot this year's incredibly brutal Rambo) is so lush it manages to make you feel like you're a part of the celebration. For someone who is as big a fan of the Halloween holiday as I am, this was especially important to see done right. Too often when a film actually does take place on the holiday it lacks the depth that is presented here.

For such a large ensemble cast, there isn't any one performance that stands out above the rest – everyone here is perfectly cast. I even enjoyed Anna Paquin as the "virgin" of the female group, and she's not always someone I'm crazy about. Perhaps my favorite role is that of Mr. Kreeg, played superbly by veteran character actor Brian Cox. His look was inspired directly from my favorite director, John Carpenter, and there are a couple of well-placed nods to his work that were highly amusing. Also providing great support throughout the film is newcomer Quinn Lord who plays Sam, the little sack-headed minion who "stiches" the film's stories together.

OK, now here's the biggest problem with the film; the 800 lb. gorilla in the room: there is NO set distribution deal lined up. I was lucky enough to see it at the sold-out opening night screening held at Grauman's Chinese Theater for Screamfest 2008. During the post-film q&a session Mr. Dougherty informed us that he had no idea what the future held for this film. It was set to be released in Oct. 2007 (?!?), then it was pushed back to Feb. 2008, Oct. 2008 and, finally, has been placed on the shelf indefinitely. I'm thankful that Dougherty got some good studio money to make the film to his exact specifications, but, for the love of all things evil, someone at Warner Bros. needs to get this thing out to the masses! I heard rumblings of a direct-to-DVD release date sometime next year, to which I can only say that would be a travesty for something this genuine and unique. I suppose therein lies some of the problem; since this is generally uncharted territory, the studios are clueless as to how they can market the thing. I can understand some of their hesitation (since a good majority of the film features children either killing or being killed), but there's just no excuse to not give this thing some kind of release – and with an October 2008 release out of the question I don't when they could give it a proper release. This is a film that needs to be seen during the month of October, but it's looking like 2009 is the next likely candidate if that were the case. I just don't want to see this film become the cinematic equivalent to the eternally-gestating Guns N' Roses opus Chinese Democracy (which, oddly enough, actually has a release date… for now).

'Trick r Treat' is a comic-style anthology and the different tales are woven together pretty well. The direction is slick and the structure is sound.

The tales themselves are a mixed bag. Not bad but not stunning.

The injection of two or three decent actors gives it enough 'oomph' to lift it just above your average horror flick. Without the likes of Brian Cox and Dylan Baker I fear this may have slipped into the murky depths of DVD oblivion but, as I say, they do enough to keep it all watchable.

'Trick r Treat' is silly fun that should please most horror fans.

Before anyone cries foul over my statement that TRICK 'R TREAT is the single best Halloween-themed movie ever made, allow me to back up the statement. While 1978's HALLOWEEN is a masterful, amazing thriller that truly has no equal in the horror genre, TRICK 'R TREAT is something wonderfully different. Its a movie that IS Halloween.

Whereas Carpenter's classic is set during the holiday and it plays heavily into the plot, the film could (arguably) be set on any other night and be just as frightening. TRICK 'R TREAT hinges completely on All Hallow's Eve, taking every spooky childhood memory its viewers have about the holiday and mashing them into a gleeful, creepy anthology of tales that are somehow both genuinely chilling and nostalgically beautiful.

Try as I might, I cannot think of a film more deserving of a 10/10 rating than TRICK 'R TREAT. Writer/director Michael Dougherty has crafted a film that transformed me into a five-year-old child in a Dracula cape and plastic fangs, riveted in stunned horror as his vision played out before me. Somehow, it succeeds in being both terrifying and charming, like a dark old painting that still reminds you of home.

TRICK 'R TREAT's story unfolds unlike a traditional anthology picture, with all of the movie's separate plots taking place together. We're not subjected to title cards or stunted intermissions between tales, but a seamless mix of Halloween hijinx and horrors. In its five overlapping stories, a couple discovers what happens when they blow out a jack o' lantern before midnight, a bullying child learns to check his candy before eating it, a young woman is stalked by a hooded stranger at a harvest festival, a group of pranksters uncover the ghoulish truth about a local urban legend, and an elderly Scrooge is visited by a pint-sized hellion who is far more interested in tricks than treats.

Buffeted by wonderful performances from Oscar winner Anna Paquin, Emmy winner Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, Leslie Bibb, and Battlestar Galactica's Tahmoh Penikett, TRICK 'R TREAT is the one and only genre film to have been released in the past decade that is already one of my all-time favorites.

When its done, you'll feel sorry for the works of Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino, because TRICK 'R TREAT has taken the best of these auteurs, blended them with ten pounds of candy corn and razor blades, and shoveled the whole mess down your throat.

TRICK 'R TREAT may not just be the best Halloween-themed movie ever made, but the finest example of horror cinema in decades.

This has been billed as "five interwoven stories." That's a false claim for two reasons: 1) There are no stories, just 5 sections of the movie with no characters, no plot, no reason to exist, no entertainment value, and no story, and 2) None of it is interwoven. There are a couple of frames in each section that are from another of the sections. Those tiny little overlaps of 2-3 seconds are the bare minimum to claim in a court of law that the different parts of the film are related. They aren't. There are just a couple seconds that connect the parts. Nothing could be more lazy.

The fans of this disaster couldn't at gunpoint describe a single character, the plot, the story, the motivation of anyone, the reason for anything to be happening or a reason for the audience to care about any of it. Any other movie I've seen I could describe, even really bizarre movies without traditional narrative like Koyaanisqatsi, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring, or Tetsuo the Iron Man. They all had a point to them, a cohesive driving force, and at minimum some visual narrative tying everything together. No such thing exists in Trick 'r Treat.

The tone is all over the place. First it's deadly serious, then it's lighthearted, then somewhere in-between. In all cases, it misses the intended mark. It feels like a made for tv kids movie, but it's too graphic for that. But it's clearly written by/for 10-11 year olds, so adults will be bored to tears or rolling their eyes at the sheer stupidity and pointlessness of it.

Here are some questions that the writers, director, and everyone who has seen the movie couldn't answer if their life depended on it: Who is a character in this section of the movie? What are they trying to do? Why do we care? How does this further the plot? What is the plot? What is the name of anyone in the entire movie? What is one thing you've learned about anyone in the movie by the end? How have the people changed from the beginning of their time onscreen to the end?

Absolutely none of those questions have answers because this isn't a story and there aren't characters. If it was moody and atmospheric, or highly stylized and cool, or breathtaking in the visual department, or had an epic score...then maybe the lack of every single aspect of storytelling could be forgiven. But it has none of those.

I can't believe that someone put money into a script without a single character, no plot, no story, and not even a memorable or engaging atmosphere.

Think of any movie at random; it's better than this. I've watched a lot of movies in my life: some I've enjoyed, some I've detested, and many were in-between. This is the first time I've had the displeasure of watching something that isn't even a movie, it just pretends to be one. It is generic Hollywood product, a commodity of "content" that could be replaced by absolutely anything and it would be an upgrade.

I think this had an interesting mix going for it, with the 5 smaller tales woven into one film. They did a great job with the pacing and unfolding of the stories.

I think the ending was a bit rubbish (the last 10 seconds or so), but otherwise this is an above average creepy movie.

8/10 entertaining tales with good production.

Its scary. Its funny. Its not heavy on the plot but thats because it is an anthology film so they pay-off is not so much the result of any harrowing reveals or twist. The humor is good for a horror film as I often find the genres level of humor to be campy and on the nose but thats not so here. I genuinely laughed at points. I was never scared but the story telling made the whole thing worthwhile. Additionally one of the stories acheives a genuine sense of emotion and pathos which often seems to go missing in genres as dry and self-reflexive as horror.

Trick 'r Treat (2007)

*** (out of 4)

Anthology horror film is set on Halloween night and centers around a different group of people. The stories include a principle who just happens to also be a serial killer. We also learn the legend of a bus driver who was paid to kill off some children. Another story deals with an old man who seems to have something stalking him. Finally, a 22- year-old virgin attends a party to end that.

TRICK 'R TREAT had a disastrous history as the film was meant to be released during the Halloween season but it was taken off the schedule for some reason. Rumors of its release followed for the next several months, which turned to years and finally it went straight-to-video where it began to build up a cult following. I personally didn't think there was a single scary scene to be found in the movie and at times it's story was a bit all over the place but there's no denying that it captures Halloween just about as good as any movie ever made.

All of the stories in their own way are fairly interesting and most of them take on a different style. The first with the serial killer is done in a rather tongue-in-cheek way that also adds some graphic violence. The stuff dealing with the children and the school bus legend was the darkest in tone and managed to be effective. The final sequence with the old man is perhaps the most interesting because it contains a bit of mystery that plays out nicely. Again, I didn't find any of the stories to be all that scary but there's no question that the look of the film is excellent and you really do get the feeling and atmosphere of a Halloween night.

Dylan Baker certainly stands out in his role and it was also nice seeing Anna Paquin in her role. All of the actors do a nice job but there's no doubt that the biggest star is the set design. The visuals here are extremely great and the look of the various jack-o- lanterns are just a terrific sight. TRICK 'R TREAT seems to be getting a bigger cult following each year and it really does deserve it.

I saw Trick 'r Treat last night as part of FRIGHTEST in Leicester Square, all I need to say is it had a round of applause at the end (which does'nt usually happen in the UK), and it wasn't down to the fact that Michael Dougherty was there!

I have seen thousands of horror films and T'r T is undoubtedly one of the best films I have ever seen.

From the moment it started I got the feeling I was going to like it, you can tell it had a fair amount of money chucked it's way, the set looks fantastic. This is going straight to DVD in October, with no theatrical run (it was made in 2007)...Unbelievable! From the acting to the effects to the direction - the whole thing is just masterful.

The film itself basically is set on Halloween, and a bunch of stories interweave into one in a very clever way, it is sort of like the CREEPSHOW films but each story is'nt standalone, they are all going on at the same time and come together at the end. I did'nt know to much when I went into it, and I think it's the best way because there are a bundle of great surprises littered throughout! It makes me wonder how a movie like Prom Night remake and the coulntless SAW films get a Theatrical Run and a film as awesome as this just gets shelved and disregarded.

A true masterpiece by any admission, and sure to be INSTANT CLASSIC!

Just when it looked like the anthology movie was dead, along comes Director/Writer Michael Dougherty's Trick 'r Treat to not only breathe new life into this overlooked format, but also firmly establish itself as one of the best films to keep on the shelf and revisit each Halloween – if the folks at Warner Bros. ever decide to release it, either in theaters or to DVD.

Selected to close out Montreal's 2009 Fantasia film fest, Trick 'r Treat spins five intertwined tales featuring an assortment of classic critters and creeps, with each interlocking story carrying its own "Twilight Zone"-type twist. The single constant throughout is Sam (Quinn Lord), a mysterious diminutive munchkin dressed in a pajama jumper and sporting a burlap sack for a head with buttons for eyes, who appears briefly in each segment and takes center stage in the final story.

Borrowing a visual style from the classic EC horror comics, Dougherty deploys vintage on-screen graphic call-outs like "Later" or "Meanwhile" to let the audience know which scenes are running in order, concurrently, or previously in the film's timeline, which comes full circle at its conclusion, ending where it began.

With exquisite art direction by Tony Wohlgemuth and lush visuals by cinematographer Glenn MacPherson (2008's Rambo, Final Destination) the segments tell the tales of a young wife who can't wait to ditch the trappings of Halloween, even though the film's mythology says it's taboo to blow out a pumpkin before midnight; a sinister school principal and single dad with a nefarious agenda planned for trick-or-treaters; a young virgin nervously seeking her first time with her pack of girlfriends; a group of kids in quest of the truth behind a local urban legend; and an aging recluse with a tortured soul who finds his quiet Halloween night rudely interrupted by Sam.

Dougherty, whose last major credit was as co-screenwriter of Superman Returns, invokes a spirit of childhood fun borne from hours spent burrowing through editions of EC Comics, Warren Publishing's Eerie and Creepy, and DC's House of Mystery to create a fun, rollicking ride that is rare in movies today.

The sad aspect of this is that while Trick 'r Treat has been enjoying a positive response from the festival circuit, it's still a guess as to when this gem will be released. While the month of October would be a no-brainer, the movie was originally targeted for a 2007 release, only to see that get pushed back again and again. It's a shame for such a fine film to languish on the shelf, only to be seen by a select few at sympathetic festivals, for Trick 'r Treat is virtually an instant classic of the genre, even if its only audience exposure ends up being via direct-to-DVD.

The scariest thing about this film was how much time I wasted watching it. It was a kids movie with boobs. There wasn't anything scary about it. If you want to feel nostalgic about Halloween then look through childhood photos of yourself dressed as a pirate. It will be truer and you wont feel as angry when you're done. The acting was bad, the stories were bad, the effects were awful, there was nothing thrilling, scary, gory or even remotely interesting about this movie. It confounds me that so many people have voted this movie up so high. I really can not see the appeal. The movie was cheap, poorly made, and worst of all NOT SCARY AT ALL.

Trick R Treat mixes 4 (5 if you count the short intro) intertwined Halloween themed tales into one bigger story taking place in the same little town. It feels like some kind of cross between the Twilight Zone, comic books and Goosebumps. It's more like small fantastical short stories with horror elements than outright horror. For a while, I thought it would be perfect as a scary children movie (several parts involve kids) but there's a bit of profanity, some flash of naked breasts and a couple bloodier parts but rather modest compared to what we're now used to. As it is, it would be better for teens and adults who still like Halloween as it does capture its fun spirit. The first story (not counting the intro) starring a principal and an obnoxious kid was quite amusing with a neat surprise ending. The actor playing the principal was just wonderful. The second story is a must-see for fans of True Blood as Anna Paquin plays a shy young woman dressed as little red riding hood being prodded by her sister and friends into hooking up with someone for a party. Let's just say she might not meet a normal guy in those streets. It was fun, surprising and the sexiest tale of the bunch.

The story with the most Halloween vibe involves a bunch of kids trick or treating and then going to a place where the Halloween school bus massacre occurred. I loved the cinematography and the characterization of the kids (especially the little witch) although like the rest of the stories it wasn't really scary. The last story involves your old cranky mean type who hates Halloween getting a lesson from the little scarecrow-head guy from the cover appearing throughout the film. It's probably the weakest tale although the ending makes up for it. As a matter of fact, several characters pop in and out of other stories which was a neat well-implemented idea. My main criticism, and a minor one at that, would be that some of the masks for the more supernatural creatures looked a bit fake but I suppose it could have been worse with computer imagery. I think Trick R Treat is a very good choice for Halloween viewing or with candies after Halloween. You've got lots of Christmas themed movies each year, Halloween movies that are fun, enjoyable and not too extreme or serious are a much rarer treat.

Rating: 7 out of 10