Trick 'r Treat
Directed by Michael DoughertyFive Halloween stories: A principal has a secret life, a virgin is looking for her first time, a group of kids pull a prank, a woman who loathes Halloween does not respect the rules and a mean old man meets a demonic trick-or-treater.
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Trick 'r Treat Ratings & Reviews
- Bradford WadeNovember 19, 2025The quintessential Halloween movie. Playfully crafted to make you feel like a kid again—roaming the streets of your spooked-out neighborhood, filling your pillowcase with candy and sharing scary stories about the old curmudgeon that keeps the lights off. The tricks are the treat.
- trrsNovember 12, 2025mediocre at best
- StephenAugust 14, 2025Such a great Halloween movie, love there are multiple stories involved. Great cast and very entertaining.
- anthonym968October 5, 2025This has been in my Halloween rotation for years. Each piece fits together like a puzzle made of pain and misery.
- CovetteNovember 8, 2025Entertwining stories that play out of order, some comedic relief to a horror film, very enjoyable and worth a watch!
- Kevin WardJuly 6, 2025Damn, this was a lot of fun. Love the intersecting storylines. Gives the film a much more cohesive feel than your typical anthology film. So awesome to see Brian Cox, Dylan Baker, and Anna Paquin in this. One of those films I have no idea why J waited so long to finally watch it. Worth adding into your annual spooky season rotation.
- neuroparadoxJuly 29, 2025A Creepshow homage set during Halloween. Worth a watch if you want something in-between Terrifier and Goosebumps.
- jackmeatJanuary 29, 2025My quick rating - 7.5/10. How in Sam’s burlap sack-covered name did I let this one slip past me for so long? That was my thought a few years ago when I finally pressed play, and it hit me all over again on my recent rewatch—this time in anticipation of its upcoming 4K theatrical run this October 14th-16th. Some movies are Halloween set dressing, and some ARE Halloween. Trick ’r Treat is the latter. You don’t just watch it, you bask in it like a jack-o'-lantern soaking up candlelight. The structure is a horror fan’s playground: five interwoven tales, all orbiting around one Ohio town on Halloween night. There’s a mild-mannered principal with a side hustle in murder. A shy virgin (Anna Paquin) looking for her first time—though not in the way you’d expect. A group of kids executing a cruel prank because apparently, Are You Afraid of the Dark? raised a whole generation wrong. A Halloween-hating wife who dares to desecrate decorations before midnight. And finally, Brian Cox as the crankiest old man alive, squaring off against the most iconic pint-sized enforcer since Chucky. What makes it work isn’t just the individual stories, but how elegantly they’re stitched together. Characters drift in and out of each other's timelines like trick-or-treaters cutting through backyards. Michael Dougherty wrote and directed the whole thing with the confidence of someone who’s spent his entire life stockpiling urban legends like ammunition. Consequence-filled candy? Check. Ghost children and crashing school buses? Yup. Werewolves? Oh, absolutely. He doesn’t just reference Halloween myths—he weaponizes them. Then there’s Sam. Sweet, silent Sam. Pajamas. Button eyes. Pumpkin lollipop. The face (or sack) of justice. He’s not a villain so much as he’s quality control. Cross the holiday? Lose a limb. Blow out a jack-o'-lantern too early? See you in hell. IF your doorbell rings, and he says Trick ’r Treat, you'd better oblige. Honestly, if society just agreed to follow Sam’s rules year-round, things might improve. The production is drenched in peak October ambiance. Leaves swirl in every frame like the crew was armed with industrial-strength fans and a truck full of foliage. The homes look like Halloween Express sponsored them. The practical effects land with the kind of giddy crunch you want from a seasonal horror flick—bloody without being bleak, fun without being fluffy. Is it perfect? Frighteningly close. Some segments hit harder than others, but this anthology format keeps you from ever realizing it is one. The consistency of the atmosphere keeps everything glued together like caramel on an apple. If you’ve never seen it, correct that immediately. And if you have seen it, watch it again in theaters this October. Halloween from 1978 may be the reigning champ, but that could happen all year round. Trick ’r Treat is the movie that doesn’t just visit the holiday—it IS Halloween.
- SpoonsOctober 15, 2024“Trick ‘r Treat” is the quintessential Halloween film, a must-watch every year for any horror enthusiast. The film brilliantly weaves together multiple storylines, each with its own twist, keeping you on your toes. At the heart of it all is Sam, the adorable yet sinister spirit of Halloween, enforcing the rules of the holiday with a mixture of charm and terror. The film’s clever subversion of horror tropes, especially in a certain scene that will make you rethink everything you know about werewolves, adds depth and surprise, making it a standout in the genre. “Trick ‘r Treat” captures the nostalgic spirit of Halloween, blending childhood wonder with dark humor. If you’re a fan of horror anthologies and haven’t seen this one yet, it’s time to add it to your list.” This film will be popular with people who like Creepshow (1982), Tales of Halloween (2015), The House of the Devil (2009), and Halloween (1978), for their anthology structure, seasonal setting, and respect for Halloween traditions.
- Mr. DNovember 3, 2025Great Halloween flick. Forgot about it but it still holds after all these years. Anna Paquin is a treat in there
- CoougeNovember 1, 2025Fun but too random.
- One Maggi after AnotherOctober 29, 2025I couldn't understand whether to laugh or be scared :D
- James SaenzOctober 28, 2025absolutely a required annual halloween viewing. perfect autumnal vibes, some really great body horror and great interconnected narratives. the halloween version of love actually. also plex censored my review for harmful content when i literally just put a quote from billy in the movie talking about charlie brown lmao.
- killzone417October 20, 2025It’s pure trash. Garbage. You can keep it, I don’t want it.
- cultfilmlikerOctober 14, 2025Kids’ costumes were fucking terrifying back in the day huh The quintessential horror anthology FATHOM SPECIAL EVENT Cute featurette opening from Michael Dougherty! Never noticed how awesome the opening credits are. Or the Scooby-Doo cue! I forget that this movie is kinda sexy? Also unfortunate that the Marilyn Manson needle drop does not age well Would love to know how the bus driver was going to phrase his statement to the 911 operator lmao
