After the disappointing box office results for "Halloween III: Season of the Witch", the producers realized what they had to do to bring in the bucks again: bring back their unstoppable franchise psycho, Michael Myers, and time it to coincide with the 10th anniversary of John Carpenters' groundbreaking original film.
The result is a pretty routine slasher. By this time, of course, we know damn well what to expect, and the makers of "Halloween 4" aren't about to muck with a winning formula. As scripted by Alan B. McElroy and directed by Dwight H. Little, this isn't without its moments (the rooftop chase scene is one that people remember) even if it's not exactly inspired.
After the hospital explosion that concluded "Halloween II", 10 years go by, and the comatose Michael Myers revives while being transported by ambulance. He learns that he's got a niece, sired by his now apparently deceased sister Laurie Strode. So he heads back to his old stamping ground of Haddonfield for the usual murder and mayhem, all in the name of killing this young relative of his.
Fortunately, the movie benefits a lot from the presence of the late Donald Pleasence, who truly was the heart and soul of this franchise for 17 years. Once again he lends tons of gravitas to the proceedings, and we root for him to exorcise this demon from his life. It's also easy enough to root for our young characters; Ellie Cornell as teenager Rachel Carruthers is cute and appealing in a wholesome, non-flashy way, and film-debuting Danielle Harris is adorable as the niece Jamie. This time Michael Myers is played by stuntman George P. Wilbur, who fails to make Myers particularly creepy. (The horrible mask is another debit.) Character actors Beau Starr and Michael Pataki lend solid support, and the delectable Kathleen Kinmont adds a great deal of sex appeal as the self-serving Kelly. There is an extremely memorable supporting character in the form of Carmen Filpi's wandering reverend, Jack Sayer. It's a nice sequence where Loomis meets Sayer and realizes that he's found a kindred spirit.
There is some genuine suspense and atmosphere to enjoy here (those opening credits are brilliant), although there's not very much gore. The climactic action is exciting and ridiculous in about equal measure. The ending is very striking and effective. Longtime Carpenter associate Alan Howarth does the music, using the classic themes as well as composing some of his own.
Basically, "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" is good of its type, with enough filmmaking competence to counteract the familiar scenario.
Seven out of 10.
The result is a pretty routine slasher. By this time, of course, we know damn well what to expect, and the makers of "Halloween 4" aren't about to muck with a winning formula. As scripted by Alan B. McElroy and directed by Dwight H. Little, this isn't without its moments (the rooftop chase scene is one that people remember) even if it's not exactly inspired.
After the hospital explosion that concluded "Halloween II", 10 years go by, and the comatose Michael Myers revives while being transported by ambulance. He learns that he's got a niece, sired by his now apparently deceased sister Laurie Strode. So he heads back to his old stamping ground of Haddonfield for the usual murder and mayhem, all in the name of killing this young relative of his.
Fortunately, the movie benefits a lot from the presence of the late Donald Pleasence, who truly was the heart and soul of this franchise for 17 years. Once again he lends tons of gravitas to the proceedings, and we root for him to exorcise this demon from his life. It's also easy enough to root for our young characters; Ellie Cornell as teenager Rachel Carruthers is cute and appealing in a wholesome, non-flashy way, and film-debuting Danielle Harris is adorable as the niece Jamie. This time Michael Myers is played by stuntman George P. Wilbur, who fails to make Myers particularly creepy. (The horrible mask is another debit.) Character actors Beau Starr and Michael Pataki lend solid support, and the delectable Kathleen Kinmont adds a great deal of sex appeal as the self-serving Kelly. There is an extremely memorable supporting character in the form of Carmen Filpi's wandering reverend, Jack Sayer. It's a nice sequence where Loomis meets Sayer and realizes that he's found a kindred spirit.
There is some genuine suspense and atmosphere to enjoy here (those opening credits are brilliant), although there's not very much gore. The climactic action is exciting and ridiculous in about equal measure. The ending is very striking and effective. Longtime Carpenter associate Alan Howarth does the music, using the classic themes as well as composing some of his own.
Basically, "Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" is good of its type, with enough filmmaking competence to counteract the familiar scenario.
Seven out of 10.