WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Halloween Kills, now playing in theaters and available through Peacock.
In Halloween Kills, it's safe to say the spirit of Michael Myers does something to the people of Haddonfield, Illinois. Initially, it seemed like it made them weak and cower in fear, but the latest chapter has them ganging up and being more aggressive as they hunt the slasher. However, as they launch their crusade, the film ends up being a cautionary tale for mob mentality.
This movement is sparked by one of the survivors, Tommy Doyle, a kid Laurie Strode babysat in 1978 during Michael's first bloodbath. When Tommy and other people who encountered the killer hear that Michael's back on the loose, they round up a squad at a bar after a couple mistakes an escaped inmate from Smith's Grove prison for the boogeyman.
Tommy grabs a bat and leads the mob, making it clear they need to kill the villain first. However, after spooking the guy, forcing him to steal and crash a car, something in them changes. They further lose all sense of logic and rationality, which causes the frustrated mob to head to the hospital where Laurie's recovering.
Tommy wants to protect her now, and in a maddened state, he begins to chant, "Evil dies tonight!" It pulls more people in, scaring Laurie and her daughter, Karen, as the mob seems possessed. They're not listening to the sheriff or the cops, instead acting as a hive mind which feels like Michael's rage has spiritually transferred to them.
It comes to a head when they spot the man they mistook for Michael in the hospital and chase him down. Karen tries to help him, locking the man in a ward, but the mob descends, getting violent with her. They storm the ward, crashing through the doors but by that time, the guy's broken through the window and decides to jump. It feels like he's desperate to survive but it's obvious the probability of ending his life will be high. Even he knows it'd be painless compared to what the mob would do to him, and afraid as ever, he leaps off the ledge, splattering on the ground.
It's at this point Tommy realizes he's made a dire mistake. The crowd suddenly snap out of it, understanding they forced the man to jump to his death. What's shocking is that as Laurie got physical with some of them prior, she tried to show them that the guy didn't even remotely match Michael's size. But in their haste, they didn't listen and basically committed an indirect murder.
Some do feel guilty, and while justice isn't initially served for this transgression, a few members of the mob -- Tommy included -- do get killed when they confront Michael later on in the finale. It feels like a dark karma they wrought upon themselves, as no one really cared for the prisoner.
There wasn't any reprimand for that incident, so as much as we wanted to see Michael dead, it's hard to empathize with the mob members that get slaughtered as this does feel like payback for their ignorance. It's a great lesson to learn -- understanding that we need to stop, breathe, think and listen in such highly charged, emotional moments that can have deadly repercussions.
To see Haddonfield's mob make a big mistake, Halloween Kills is now in theaters and streaming on Peacock.
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