Review of Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) by Timothy S — 05 Oct 2014

Thanks to the misfire that was "Halloween 3", every sequel since then will forever be encumbered with the name "Michael Myers" in the title just so that the fans know the film will be true to the John Carpenter classic and it is not some sort of deviation. The first to endure this, "Halloween 4", isn't a great film but it is something of a return to form as it emphasizes atmosphere over gore and tries for suspense rather than cheap thrills. It doesn't always achieve that, but clearly the effort is there.

The story isn't all that plausible, but it does serve to get the series back to its roots, and the return of Donald Pleasence is ludicrous but necessary to the survival of the franchise. After what happened to him at the end of the first sequel I think he's had more than some scars and a limp, but it is what it is.

Filmmaker Dwight Little is no Carpenter, but with this film he tries to remain true to the look and feel of the original, mostly by bypassing the extreme bloodletting of the last few pictures. Not much is done to further the mythology of the Myers character other than by introducing us to his extended family, but that may be a blessing considering what would follow in later installments. Danielle Harris is a nice addition to the series as she is a natural child actress, and co-star Ellie Cornell is likable as well, and in a lot of ways reminiscent of Jamie Lee Curtis. Perhaps that's what got her the job.

The film concludes with a bang, a clever and shocking final scene that won't help the franchise to continue, but in retrospect, maybe it shouldn't have continued. "Halloween 4" would have been the right film to go out on, an imperfect but enjoyable entry in a series that has had its share of ups and downs.