Let's get this right out in the open: John Carpenter's Halloween is probably the best horror film ever made. Keeping that in mind, any sequel is bound to elicit a measure of disappointment simply because matching or exceeding the peerless kickoff to this series is an impossible feat. But despite an extremely spotty track record, the (admittedly over-)extended Halloween franchise has its share of strong efforts, and this fourth installment certainly deserves to be mentioned in that capacity.
The most effective aspect of The Return Of Michael Myers is how closely it adheres to the atmosphere and spirit of the original, and though there is a clear effort made to incorporate some overt bloodshed to please fans of the '80s splatter cycle, Halloween 4 has even more in common with the first "Night HE Came Home" than the hastily made but suitably enjoyable part II. This offering faithfully duplicates the deceptively ominous leaf-strewn streets of Haddonfield, the manic fervor of the returning Dr. Loomis, and, most importantly, the deadly disposition of "The Shape" him(it?)self. At this point in the series, we're still a couple of sequels away from quasi-mystical ramblings about ancient Pagan symbols and "hip and edgy" self-aware contemporary updates, and, thankfully, we're a world removed from Rob Zombie's obtusely trippy white stallion hallucinations. So, the Michael Myers we get here is the same remorseless and unyielding killing machine we were introduced to ten years before, and his purpose is equally singular and inexplicable. That's precisely what makes him the perfect Boogeyman, and Return wisely maintains the air of menace and mystery that later entries watered down by neutering our series figurehead via ridiculous plot elements that were closer to parody than they were to anything resembling horror. Halloween 4 isn't about rappers doing battle with a pop culture serial slayer, it's about a malevolent force stalking and killing anyone who gets in its way, and at least in that sense, the film remains true to its aim.
The impetus for the titular Return is Michael's eight year-old niece Jamie Lloyd, the orphaned daughter of the, we're informed, deceased Laurie Strode (H2O et al. decided differently, but this development works for our purposes here). If you can accept the apparent psychic bond that allows Jamie to have nightmares about the uncle she's never seen before he re-appears in Haddonfield and Michael's myopic fixation on murdering a relative he really shouldn't know even exists, this cat-and-mouse aspect of the plot falls into place rather nicely.
Jamie is played by the debuting Danielle Harris, who delivers an absolutely fantastic performance, especially given her age and lack of experience. Harris was a great find, and even during the film's most harrowing sequences, her acting chops easily rival those of any of her more seasoned cast-mates. Her youth ends up being a major asset because of its direct deviation from the archetypes of the strict slasher formula, and the fact that a relatively defenseless child is at the nucleus of Michael's murderous rampage heightens the tension immeasurably.
Of course, Return does feature its share of goofiness. While the presence of Donald Pleasence is certainly welcome and integral to the story, his occasional dalliances with overblown histrionics create unfortunately cheesy moments out of a few scenes that should be bubbling with intensity. Also, though The Shape is as formidable and sadistic here as fans would hope for, his ability to teleport from an industrial power plant to a suburban neighborhood in the span of one scene, and to apparently hide beneath the chassis of a moving pick-up truck for several miles before climbing into the bed and catching the passengers unaware, strikes a serious blow against the hyper-realism that grounds the most potent terror elements in the series.
But despite the sillier aspects here, the film as a whole hits more often than it misses. Several references to Carpenter's benchmark such as an homage to the POV murder which launched the saga and Jamie's donning of a clown costume identical to the one worn by her uncle when he was her age keep part 4 closely tied to its source. Even better, the utilization of a few subtle shots of the iconic ghostly mask hidden deep in the background while the future victims go about their business completely unaware of their peril re-establish the lurking Shape persona which provided the original Halloween with its most indelible images. There's also a mirthful scene between the hitchhiking Dr. Loomis and a drunken fire-and-brimstone religious zealot that allows Pleasence to crack a smile for a change, which will remind savvy viewers of his endearingly coy grin after the "Lonnie, get your ass away from there" moment from 1978.
You'll have to decide for yourself whether the dicey twist ending really works, but it certainly does finish off the film on a tremendously dark and shocking note, which is in keeping with the fairly serious tone Return maintains throughout. Chalk that at as yet another touch which sets this entry apart from some of the unbearably ridiculous drek that followed it.
I'm not sure if I can definitively state that this is the best of the Halloween sequels, but it is most assuredly nowhere near the worst. I realize that's not a huge endorsement once you've seen how low this franchise proved itself capable of sinking later on, but you can consider it an endorsement nonetheless.
The most effective aspect of The Return Of Michael Myers is how closely it adheres to the atmosphere and spirit of the original, and though there is a clear effort made to incorporate some overt bloodshed to please fans of the '80s splatter cycle, Halloween 4 has even more in common with the first "Night HE Came Home" than the hastily made but suitably enjoyable part II. This offering faithfully duplicates the deceptively ominous leaf-strewn streets of Haddonfield, the manic fervor of the returning Dr. Loomis, and, most importantly, the deadly disposition of "The Shape" him(it?)self. At this point in the series, we're still a couple of sequels away from quasi-mystical ramblings about ancient Pagan symbols and "hip and edgy" self-aware contemporary updates, and, thankfully, we're a world removed from Rob Zombie's obtusely trippy white stallion hallucinations. So, the Michael Myers we get here is the same remorseless and unyielding killing machine we were introduced to ten years before, and his purpose is equally singular and inexplicable. That's precisely what makes him the perfect Boogeyman, and Return wisely maintains the air of menace and mystery that later entries watered down by neutering our series figurehead via ridiculous plot elements that were closer to parody than they were to anything resembling horror. Halloween 4 isn't about rappers doing battle with a pop culture serial slayer, it's about a malevolent force stalking and killing anyone who gets in its way, and at least in that sense, the film remains true to its aim.
The impetus for the titular Return is Michael's eight year-old niece Jamie Lloyd, the orphaned daughter of the, we're informed, deceased Laurie Strode (H2O et al. decided differently, but this development works for our purposes here). If you can accept the apparent psychic bond that allows Jamie to have nightmares about the uncle she's never seen before he re-appears in Haddonfield and Michael's myopic fixation on murdering a relative he really shouldn't know even exists, this cat-and-mouse aspect of the plot falls into place rather nicely.
Jamie is played by the debuting Danielle Harris, who delivers an absolutely fantastic performance, especially given her age and lack of experience. Harris was a great find, and even during the film's most harrowing sequences, her acting chops easily rival those of any of her more seasoned cast-mates. Her youth ends up being a major asset because of its direct deviation from the archetypes of the strict slasher formula, and the fact that a relatively defenseless child is at the nucleus of Michael's murderous rampage heightens the tension immeasurably.
Of course, Return does feature its share of goofiness. While the presence of Donald Pleasence is certainly welcome and integral to the story, his occasional dalliances with overblown histrionics create unfortunately cheesy moments out of a few scenes that should be bubbling with intensity. Also, though The Shape is as formidable and sadistic here as fans would hope for, his ability to teleport from an industrial power plant to a suburban neighborhood in the span of one scene, and to apparently hide beneath the chassis of a moving pick-up truck for several miles before climbing into the bed and catching the passengers unaware, strikes a serious blow against the hyper-realism that grounds the most potent terror elements in the series.
But despite the sillier aspects here, the film as a whole hits more often than it misses. Several references to Carpenter's benchmark such as an homage to the POV murder which launched the saga and Jamie's donning of a clown costume identical to the one worn by her uncle when he was her age keep part 4 closely tied to its source. Even better, the utilization of a few subtle shots of the iconic ghostly mask hidden deep in the background while the future victims go about their business completely unaware of their peril re-establish the lurking Shape persona which provided the original Halloween with its most indelible images. There's also a mirthful scene between the hitchhiking Dr. Loomis and a drunken fire-and-brimstone religious zealot that allows Pleasence to crack a smile for a change, which will remind savvy viewers of his endearingly coy grin after the "Lonnie, get your ass away from there" moment from 1978.
You'll have to decide for yourself whether the dicey twist ending really works, but it certainly does finish off the film on a tremendously dark and shocking note, which is in keeping with the fairly serious tone Return maintains throughout. Chalk that at as yet another touch which sets this entry apart from some of the unbearably ridiculous drek that followed it.
I'm not sure if I can definitively state that this is the best of the Halloween sequels, but it is most assuredly nowhere near the worst. I realize that's not a huge endorsement once you've seen how low this franchise proved itself capable of sinking later on, but you can consider it an endorsement nonetheless.