TORONTO – Midnight is always the right time to panic the festival crowd.

Late Saturday night, "Halloween" presented its epic and bloody finale at the Toronto International Film Festival, an event that also hosted its star Jamie Lee Curtis on the scene 40 years after the launch of his original film.

A masked Michael Myers was also there, bringing out a crowd of electrified festival in appearing in the shade on stage before the first rolled image.

This "Halloween" (in theaters Oct. 19) extends the bizarre franchise to a new generation. Laurie Strode (Curtis) is now a grandmother who has alienated her daughter (Judy Greer) and granddaughter (Virgina Gardner) with her extreme overprotection. Michael is in a high security prison, they say. It's time to let go of the past.

That's before the serial killer bursts and launches a new massacre that has brought the Toronto public to applaud and scream.

& # 39; & # 39 ;: Halloween The horror heroine Jamie Lee Curtis returns in time for "The Year of the Woman"

"It's a trauma film," Curtis said during the 2-hour question and answer session that followed the screening. "And finally, if one of you has ever experienced a trauma or if a member of your family has had a trauma, it's not just you or the family member (who is affected), it's just generational … an amazing way to tell the story of Laurie and tell it to her daughter and granddaughter's eyes.

"I feel traumatized right now," said Greer, who had just watched "Halloween" for the first time in the audience. "I'm shaking!"

So, what did the critics think of the last opus? The reaction was positive in most cases – only a few examiners dug the shiv.

Collis reporter Perri Nemiroff delirium, the caller "vicious" and "the complete set".

Movie critic Scott Menzel declared it "the best Halloween since the original" and called the horror film "a total blast".

Atlantic writer David Sims has been a little more cautious, calling "Halloween" good when it comes to just a tension film, squeaking when he winks at the audience, but David Gordon Green can certainly accumulate tension. In tribute, it's excellent, as his own film, it's ok. "

Uproxx reporter Mike Ryan was less than impressed. "The new HALLOWEEN starts with an interesting premise, the end is good, the rest was really disappointing," he added. tweeted.

Editor-in-Chief of Joel Meares Rotten Tomatoes declared the filmmakers have "nailed", saying "Halloween" delivers "levels of fan service of awakening of strength".

Emma Stefansky from Vanity Fair D & # 39; agreement with the comparison "Star Wars".

"HALLOWEEN is THE FORCE AWAKENS of HALLOWEEN movies: all the stuff you want, as well as new stuff, stupid stuff, deliciously remixed stuff, definitely the best time I've had at a show in Toronto," writes -she .

Entertainment reporter Jeff Sneider also thought The new "Halloween" is the best opus since the original, calling the horror film "legitimately scary".

But leave it to Curtis to get the last laugh of the night. When she was interviewed by a member of the public if she was already scared, or was touched by Laurie's playing, the actress winked at him. current state of Washington politics. "You know, life is a little scary, I live in America," she snapped. "That (explets) becomes real, so I'm scared everyday."

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