God, I love the final girl.
There is just something so good about watching a girl who everyone, throughout the whole movie, has usually been dumping on and thinking she wouldn't survive out of everyone else. It’s almost what the other characters deserve, for calling her “crazy” for thinking a serial killer is after her, or a monster, meaning they wouldn’t listen to her warnings and they'd die.
It’s vengeance and justice in the best way, and the final girl is the perfect example of how to show it. Which is why Laurie Strode, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, has always been one of my favorite final girls. And not just that, but one of my favorite horror movie characters of all time.
After the extensive research of watching some of the best horror movies ever, all of the Halloween movies, and so much more, Laurie has continuously stood out on my list of my favorite horror movie characters. Before Halloween Ends comes out, I’m going to list the reasons as to why she ranks so high in my mind.
Somehow, Someway, She Always Finds New Ways To Survive
I mean, seriously. Somehow, someway, she always survives.
Let’s disregard the other Halloween films where we see Laurie “die.” When the latest Halloween came out in 2018, it was confirmed that none of those really mattered, as these are the official sequels to the first film. Laurie Strode is still alive (god-willing she doesn't die in Halloween Ends). And this woman always finds a way to live.
I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how well she was able to survive the onslaughts of Michael Myers, arguably one of the most iconic horror movie villains of all time. Granted, he is slower than most, but he’s overwhelmingly strong when he gets to you and brutally dangerous. He is pure evil incarnate.
Which is why in the first film, it’s downright impressive that a seventeen-year-old Laurie was able to survive Michael, not only by her creative methods of defeating him (like that hanger she took and used to stab him in the eye) but in her physical ability to run away and use it against him.
In the 2018 film, I didn’t know if she, in her older years, was going to have the same agility so she could survive, but she’s even more resourceful now. She has a whole home that’s filled with traps. She has a gun collection – this woman is packing heat -and even when everything feels like it’s falling apart, she’ll come out of nowhere and shoot Michael as if he was a deer on her hunt. She’s just badass, in every way.
Her Backstory With Michael Is Honestly One Of The Best In Most Horror Movie Franchises
While Michael’s backstory within the context of the Halloween series has been strangely muddled throughout the sequels and reboots and everything else, the one thing I do truly enjoy is the strange backstory and relationship that she develops with Michael.
Obviously, at first, Michael is like the boogeyman to her, an evil entity that is out to get her, but over time, I feel like we start to see almost this resentment build towards Michael, that he took away her best years by giving her anger issues and the fear that one day, he would come and get her.
This fear that’s built up inside of her is a very real thing that happens to most survivors of traumatic incidents, and something that I am so happy they included with Laurie in the 2018 film. It shows that she’s still not over her wounds from the past and just wants this to end, and believes that killing Michael is the best way.
Her anger towards this monster is justifiable, and seeing her use that to take him down is something I really love to witness. Their backstory, no matter the strange diversions we have taken in this horror franchise, is always interesting.
I know that in other canon films, it was revealed that Michael was her brother, which is also another interesting plot point that I do think could have been put to good use in the recent films, but I much more prefer this anger/resentment combo that Laurie has towards Michael, and her just wanting to get over her fear for the safety of her family, in order to live happily once again.
Jamie Lee Curtis Is Still Killing It (Literally)
This woman. I swear to the lord and savior above me, I want to be exactly like her when I’m in my sixties.
Jamie Lee Curtis is the definition of – and excuse my language, but – “Boss Bitch.” If she’s not killing it in the Halloween series, she’s slaying in hit movies like 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once or making you laugh in older films like Freaky Friday. She’s just an all-around great actress.
But Curtis as Laurie just hits differently – which is why I’ll be sad when she probably exits the role with Halloween Ends. Curtis did have some acting experience prior to her role in Halloween in 1978, but I feel like everyone collectively agrees that one of her biggest roles has been playing Laurie Strode, and it’s because she’s so good at it.
She perfectly shows what it’s like to have that PTSD after a horrible experience years later, and now, even as she has aged with the character, she still brings that same fear and ability to survive that we saw in the first film, mixed in with that resentment that we talked about for Michael, in her urge to physically and mentally break free from his torment. It’s profound, and something only Jamie Lee Curtis could bring to the table.
The Way Her Character Has Evolved Since The First Film Is Outstanding
Again, disregarding the other sequels that she has appeared in, her character development in the 2018 film is just outstanding. I love it.
In the first film, we see a scared girl just trying to survive, but in the most recent movie, we see an older woman, tired of living in the clutches of her past abuser, and knowing that no matter what, she will not let him win this time. She will do anything to make sure he is dead, even fall away from her family. Even risk her own life.
That is brilliant character development. In so many other movies that have had final girls go on to have sequels, they aren’t really developed as a character as a whole. They’re basically just put there to survive (like they would) without adding any real emotional depth. With Laurie, she is all emotions, paired with her battle-hardened mind. She’s overall just a great character.
I’m going to be honest and say I am so sad that Jamie Lee Curtis is most likely going to be leaving the role of Laurie Strode, but I’m content at the same time for that part to never be filled by anyone else.
Curtis deserves this rest now after playing one of the best horror movie characters ever, and I hope that Laurie will live on long after Halloween Ends comes out. No matter what, she’ll remain one of my favorite horror movie characters – and honestly, someone I look up to.
