Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Starring: Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, Danielle Harris, George P. Wilbur, Michael Pataki
Directed by: Dwight H. Little
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Thriller
1988

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Ten years after Michael Myers wrecked havoc on Haddonfield, he escapes from a mental hospital to return to his home and murder his niece (Danielle Harris).

Review:

Tim: Ten years after the events of the original film, and eight years after the horrible, forgettable Halloween III: Season of the Witch, this film brought back serial killer Michael Myers. I can say that we've missed him. This is not a perfect movie, but it gets the franchise back to where it belongs. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers might be a flawed, silly sequel, but it is noteworthy because it brought back Michael. That right there is an achievement, and I appreciate the film for that reason.

The biggest problem with this film is that in returning to the expected slasher horror film, it lost some of its effectiveness. The film has a straightforward, expected story. It is structured just like the first two films, and plays out more or less as expected. I will admit that I enjoyed seeing the return of Dr. Sam Loomis. Donald Pleasence is such a good actor and is very good in the role. I appreciate that this film brought back Dr. Loomis. So many horror movies just bring in a fresh set of faces with each installment- people we don't know and don't care about. I loved seeing Dr. Loomis again, even though he should technically be dead. It really brings a sense of continuation to the franchise.

Sadly, though, this film is badly missing the presence of Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis was so excellent as Laurie Strode, and I missed her here. Ellie Cornell steps into her babysitting shoes, and just does not even begin to fill them. Cornell isn't a great actress, and feels just like all those forgettable actresses in all those other horror movies. I expected more from the Halloween franchise.

I did like Danielle Harris as Laurie's daughter. I didn't exactly understand how all this happened, but I suppose I could go along with it. Harris is quite good. She brings a sense of wisdom and maturity beyond her years, and I enjoyed watching her in this film.

Most of this movie, unfortunately, is just your average run-of-the-mill horror film. There are some legitimately cringe-worthy moments of violence, and some great shots of Michael Myers just looking creepy and frightening. Those moments are fun. I will admit that the film's conclusion is a bit of a twist, and although I kind of suspected it, it was still a fun, shocking end to the film. It's not enough to make this a good movie, but the film is helped by Dr. Loomis and the continued reign of terror of Michael Myers. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers isn't a great movie, but it brought Myers back, and for that, I am thankful.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Halloween, Halloween II, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Scream 1-3, Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street