Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
by Cheeto
Posted on 16 August 2021
Rating -
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers is a 1988 American slasher film directed by Dwight H. Little, written by Alan B. McElroy, and starring Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, and Danielle Harris. The fourth installment in the Halloween franchise, it follows Michael Myers returning to Haddonfield after being in a coma to kill his niece Jamie Lloyd, the daughter of Laurie Strode, with his former psychiatrist Dr. Sam Loomis again pursuing him.
After the universal hate the third film got (this was mostly due to the absence of Michael Myers), it took 6 years until they once again dusted off the franchise and made a new one. It was spearheaded by producer, Moustapha Akkad; he wanted to give the fans what they yearned for, and what they yearned for was the return of the franchise’s iconic antagonist; Michael Myers.
I actually really do like this film, I was quite surprised by it. I mean a fourth movie in any movie franchise ain’t exactly promising, let alone a slasher franchise on the decline. But I looked past that, put it on late at night, and I had a blast with it.
First off, shockingly, I think the characters are really great in this film. They actually feel like real people, not just characters thrown in for the sake of the movie. I think that Ellie Cornell and Danielle Harris play our two leads brilliantly. Danielle Harris was 11 when she made the film, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest performances by a child actor ever. Ellie Cornell is brilliant in the fact that she is Jamie’s (Harris) protector in the film, she is strong and she has many things that we saw with Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in the original. Donald Pleasence returns as Dr. Loomis, and he is as great as ever. It almost seems that he is coming to his wits end with Michael, and he is going to stop at nothing to finally bring him down for good.
Now, while the story isn’t original, this isn’t exactly a bad thing. The basic premise is that Michael escapes a van transferring him to a prison, only to return to Haddonfield and of course, start picking people off. I think that they done this on purpose, as the first film after the disappointment that was Halloween 3, it was a smart move to bring in themes from the original. This was done to reel fans back in.
Even though I say the overall story isn’t original, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t original things that feature. First off, this film doesn’t feature Laurie Strode, it features Jamie Lloyd; her daughter, Michael’s niece. This brings something different because a kid vs Michael is a totally different ballgame. You think, how can she possibly defend herself, and it also brings an innocence only a child can bring. I also love how throughout the film, Jamie is haunted by the visions of her Uncle, even to the point of her breaking down. This film also shows Michael as someone who has a few tactics up his sleeve. For example, he takes out the whole town’s police force before cutting off all the power. This adds another layer of intimidation to Michael, the he can possible outsmart you in certain situations.
I love the third act of this movie, it nearly all takes place in Sheriff Meeker’s house. Just the fact that it is an enclosed location makes it feel very claustrophobic. The house also carries the same vibe seen in the original, the fact that it’s dark, Michael could truly be anywhere. I love the final chase and ending to this film. We see Ellie protecting Jamie, this is a bond between characters rarely seen in this franchise. There are SPOILERS after this, just be aware. The scene in which Michael gets shot and subsequently blown up, it’s a great watch to see a lot of the townsfolk joining forces to finally take down Michael, it’s like they’ve finally had enough, and that they’ve taken things into their own hands. I think the final scene which shows Jamie after killing her adoptive mother is brilliant. How the film shows everyone at the end relieved, only to hear a scream upstairs, and the iconic shot of Jamie wearing a clown costume like her Uncle’s, holding a pair of scissors. I also think Donald Pleasence’s frantic no’s are brilliant, and they truly show the acting ability he possesses.
Now unfortunately, this film isn’t perfect, though there’s a lot less cons than I thought there were going to be. First off, the acting from our supporting cast is just laughable, luckily you kind of forget due to how great our main cast is. Even though I said they had to do it, the original story isn’t original in the slightest, not really a big con, just expect a lot of tropes of past film’s to be in this one. I’m sorry to be that guy, but I don’t think this is anywhere near Michael’s best look. While I quite controversially don’t mind the mask, it’s the shoulder pads that just make him look idiotic. It’s a shame really, as George P. Wilbur is decent as Michael.
Overall, this is a very welcomed film in the franchise, it has takes things from the original and makes them its own. Basically what I’m trying to say is you’ll have a good time watching this film. Add this one to your list guys.
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