In this particular case it look a bit of extra tinkering with the franchise timeline (more on that in a second), but the willingness to tell a 40-years-later story is the real key to the film’s success.
Rather than just running over treaded territory to create a facsimile, the movie instead has the chance to perfectly reflect on what came before and utilize it imaginatively and engagingly.
Not being a remake, the new Halloween doesn’t specifically speak to the weakness of remakes — but what it does show is just the immense possibility that comes part and parcel with a sequel approach.