The only shock is how Brian Cox and Anna Paquin ended up in something so atrocious. In trying to span so many genres, the film fails to hit the mark with any of them.
Trick 'r Treat (2009)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:21
Fresh:18
Rotten:3
Average Rating:7.6/10
Consensus: An deftly crafted tribute to Halloween legends, Trick 'r' Treat hits all the genre marks with gusto and old fashioned suspense.
Runtime: 82 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Synopsis:
It is said that Halloween is the night when the dead rise to walk among us and other unspeakable things roam free. The rituals of All Hallows Eve were devised to protect us from their evil...
It is said that Halloween is the night when the dead rise to walk among us and other unspeakable things roam free. The rituals of All Hallows Eve were devised to protect us from their evil mischief, and one small town is about to be taught a terrifying lesson that some traditions are best not forgotten. Nothing is what it seems when a suburban couple learns the dangers of blowing out a Jack-o-Lantern before midnight; four women cross paths with a costumed stalker at a local festival; a group of pranksters goes too far and discovers the horrifying truth buried in a local legend; and a cantankerous old hermit is visited by a strange trick-or-treater with a few bones to pick. Costumes and candy, ghouls and goblins, monsters and mayhem…the tricks and treats of Halloween turn deadly as strange creatures of every variety—human and otherwise—try to survive the scariest night of the year.
--© Warner Bros.
[More]
Starring: Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, Tahmoh Penikett
Starring: Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, Tahmoh Penikett, Leslie Bibb
Studio: Warner Bros.
Reviews for Trick 'r Treat
a real treat - funny and with just enough tricksiness to make its penny-dreadful gothic seem fresh as well.
This slick and twisted effort should enjoy lengthy shelf life as a Halloween perennial.
Full of atmosphere, jack-o-lanterns, fun facts and yes, plenty of blood... exactly the film horror aficionados hope to see in theaters every October.
This movie loves Halloween so much you can almost taste the candy corn.
What keeps "Trick" from attaining its lofty "Creepshow" aspirations is the lack of conflict and resolution.
Michael Dougherty's directorial debut is one treat that deserves not to be spoiled before it's opened.
Just as it would be alongside a fire, the spooky power of the myths and legends being spun is all in the style of the storyteller. This delivers the nasty goods with fluid grace and demented glee and is bound to become Halloween appointment viewing.
Trick 'r Treat is a really good film. In fact, it's so unusual in its practical F/X approach and retro direct to video charms that a second viewing is definitely needed before confirming its almost masterpiece status.
If you can think of a better American horror anthology than this one, I owe you some Halloween candy. (OK, the first Creepshow, but that's about it.)
Feels not just like a series of stories set on Halloween, but a blood-spattered portrait of what makes this holiday so beloved, so dangerous, and so much damn fun.
Trick 'r Treat was well worth the wait and is destined to join Carpenter's Halloween as required viewing every October 31st.
It's a greatest hits collection of old fashioned monsters and gruesome new age beasts all set to the tone of Hallow's Eve...
Instead of participating in the yearly nonsense of Saw, give Trick 'r Treat a spin instead. It's one of the best horror films of the year and a perfect addition to the holiday.
TRICK 'R TREAT a trip back to the 80's when the goal was to excite and entertain, not torment you... it's the type of movie you can bring anyone to, whether it's a date or your kid.
One of the most handsome, lushly detailed horror features in years. Trick 'r Treat is destined to put the most sour of souls in the Halloween spirit.
Trick 'r Treat ranks alongside John Carpenter's Halloween as traditional October viewing and I can't imagine a single horror fan that won't fall head over heels in love with it.
Latest News for Trick 'r Treat
September 30, 2008:
Exclusive report from the set. Haunting interviews with the director and cast! ![]()
More...
September 17, 2008:
Trick 'R Treat Opens Screamfest 2008 ![]()
It still seems to be trapped in studio limbo, but Michael Dougherty's long-delayed "Trick 'R Treat" will be let out of its cage for at least one night this year, when it opens... More...
April 07, 2008:
Warner Bros. Says Goodbye to Trick 'r Treat ![]()
We discovered today that Legendary Pictures held a screening last night for their film Trick 'r Treat, which was directed by Michael Dougherty. Apparently Warner Bros. Pictures... More...
October 14, 2007:
Trick 'r Treat (2007): trailer ![]()
More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Trick 'r Treat at Rotten Tomatoes
- Trick 'r Treat at IGN
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

