To celebrate the spookiest month of the year, the staff at Nerds and Beyond are revisiting their favorite horror movies this Halloween to bring you the very best moments from each of their favorites each day throughout October.
To help kick off the first week of October, let’s dive into the 2007 classic that delivered everyone’s favorite pumpkin patron to the big screen: Trick ‘r Treat. In keeping with the film’s theme, enjoy four favorite moments from the movie — one for each rule Sam will (literally) kill to uphold.
Rule 1. Never Blow Out a Jack-O’-Lantern
Jack-o’-lanterns are everywhere in this film, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Similar to the constant costumes and candy on-screen, the flickering lights of carved pumpkins keep us immersed in this Halloween tale from the very first scene, where a female character blows one out. You don’t need to worry about learning her name, because Sam kills her for that little transgression in the first five minutes of the film. (It’s Emma.)
Sammy clearly isn’t playing games: follow the rules.
Rule 2. Always Check Your Candy
Or your drink. Honestly, one of the best things about Trick ‘r Treat is that it’s a film following both kids and adults (eat your heart out, Stranger Things.) Not only does it show how the holiday changes with your age, it also makes a point to say, “Hey, adults are not exempt from the terrifying consequences of their actions.”
Just take a look at the lovely lady werewolves of this film: they’re here, they’re in their most revealing Halloween gear, and they’re ready to hunt party. Sure, they’re well out of their trick-or-treating prime, but they still know how to have a good spooky time. In fact, Laurie (our leading werewolf babe) barely participates in the holiday beyond dressing up in costume, and Sam still seems to passively give her the “all-clear.” Of course, he could just be a little biased when it comes to other supernatural beasties.
Rule 3. Always Pass Out Treats
You know who doesn’t pass out treats? Mr. Kreeg. You know who Sam fights the dirtiest with? Mr. Kreeg. When you watch Trick ‘r Treat, their final battle is the scene you’ve been waiting the whole film for.
Everything up to this point has shown Sam working in the shadows and doing his deeds either out of sight or off-screen. When he slit Emma’s throat? Under a blanket. During the werewolf wolf-out? Sitting peacefully on a log. While pre-pubescent kids were getting torn apart? Waiting ominously at the exit.
His meetup with Mr. Kreeg, however, requires a much more hands-on approach. We finally see the mask ripped off, the lollipop bit, the fingernails bloody, and the pumpkin guts splattered. It’s the moment we mere mortals get a look under Sam’s costume, and it’s everything we wanted.
Still, it’s pretty satisfying when Sam slips his mask back on. Gotta follow the rules, after all!
Rule 4. Always Wear a Costume
Hands-down, the best costume in the entire film (not counting Sam’s) is Rhonda’s classic witch ensemble. Just look at that hat!
Unfortunately — putting Rhonda’s stunning fashion sense aside — her story is arguably the one that’ll leave you feeling the most uncomfortable. All the other tales have clear endings, either by Sam’s killing blow or a series of mistakes ending in a death that feels justified. But Rhonda? She’s introduced as vulnerable — an “idiot savant” — who gets scared out of her wits by peers she thought she could trust. Yet, by the end of the night, she’s staring down Male Protagonist™ with a cold glare and leaving her bullies to their deaths. Yay?
Even now, it’s hard to say if the kids who dared play ‘trick’ instead of ‘treat’ warranted being torn apart by zombies, but that’s not really the problem here; it’s Rhonda herself. Did this awful prank scar her forever? Did she let them die on purpose? Could she be a real witch? (Asking for a friend.)
Regardless, she takes herself and her jack-o’-lantern home (also the best one in the movie), though not before dusting off her hat and sharing a look with Sam. Always wear your costume, indeed…
If you can’t get enough of the film, definitely watch our favorite of Fearnet’s Trick ‘r Treat video shorts below: