Horror Movies are a staple of American culture.

In 2020 alone the horror genre was at its greatest at the box office. But we can all agree that the most notorious horror movie slashers are Jason Vorhees (Friday the 13th), Freddy Krueger (Nightmare on Elm Street) and Michael Myers (Halloween). But arguably Michael Myers gets our hearts pumping the most. I’ll be reviewing the first two Halloween movies too, for the sake of convenience and story to really explore why the Shape gets America scared. 

Let’s start with a brief summary of events of the movies. Michael Myers killed his sister, Judith, when he was six and was sent to Smith’s Grove Sanitarium where he then escaped on the day before Halloween.

He then begins to stalk Laurie Strode, who becomes his obsession and plans on killing her at any cost. She narrowly escapes Michael’s grasp because Dr. Loomis, his psychiatrist, shot him seven times with a six-round revolver (somehow!).

But even still after being shot and falling off a balcony, he manages to flee the scene without a trace. In the next movie Laurie is sent to the hospital where Michael is still on her trail. Here it is revealed that Laurie is actually his younger sister. Michael is eventually shot in both of his eyes and is caught in an explosion set off by Loomis. Michael slowly walks through the flames before he collapses and supposedly dies…which of course, he doesn’t.

Now let’s talk about why he’s so scary.

Michael started killing when was only a child, when he killed his older sister Judith and her boyfriend because he felt like it. Michael has also spent the majority of his life in an insane asylum and he was surrounded by crazies from a young age.

Unlike Freddie and Jason, Michael is on a never-ending mission to kill his family, and will kill anyone who opposes him or is simpy in his path. He obsesses over his younger sister Laurie, wanting to kill her at any cost. He has taken a severe beating, being shot multiple times, thrown off a balcony, and even caught in an explosion, which only seemed to just slow him down.

The man is unstoppable.

Throughout every single Halloween movie to date, Michael has never spoken a word under the mask. How is it possible that someone can be so human, but be filled with so much strength and hate? What makes the Shape so scary is that he is a human in every aspect, which makes him like you and me.

His mask is only a template, and anyone can be under it.