Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Starring Donald Pleasence, Danielle Harris, Ellie Cornell, George P. Wilbur

Directed by Dwight H. Little

The Story:
Ten years after the events of "Halloween II," Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur) has been in a coma, but while being transferred hears that he now has a young niece, Jamie (Danielle Harris), and comes back to life to embark on a killing spree to Haddonfield to finish off his family line.

Meanwhile, Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) is hot on Michael's trail, and Jamie and her adopted sister Rachel (Ellie Cornell) are totally unaware of the evil that's coming.  When Halloween hits, Michael strikes and the town that dreaded his name will once again come under the carnage he inflicts on Halloween night.

The Synopsis:
John Carpenter re-invented the slasher genre with his groundbreaking "Halloween," giving birth to serial killer Michael Myers, a name that's synonymous with Halloween.  His first film thrilled audiences with his slow burn to Michael's reveal, and always kept the killer in the peripheral - truly a Shape, as he was known.  For "Halloween II," Myers once again was the Boogeyman, the shadow in the corner that you don't see coming until it's too late.  Again, use of long corridors and wider shots made the film all the more terrifying, because you had no idea what lied in wait behind the corner.

Then came "Halloween III."  Carpenter planned on Myers being dead and gone after the second, and wanted to incorporate a whole new Halloween tradition, but audiences were having none of it.  They wanted more Michael, and during a time where serial killers (such as Jason, Freddy and Chucky) would die and come back to life in subsequent sequels, Carpenter brought Michael back from the grave.  He had a script planned out that would focus on Michael as a more celestial being, but the producers wouldn't have it, so he sold the rights and let them make a Michael Myers movie they wanted - which is basically a typical 80s slasher film with an iconic killer.

Still, the finished product is pretty amazing, albeit loosing the passion and drive of the original.  Now, Michael was highlighted front and center, a looming presence that takes up the screen and serves as a looming presence for his victims.  Gone are the long corridors and wide shots, and instead we get the typical 80s style close-ups of characters and settings.  Still, Michael is much more powerful than he was before, and his kills are more brutal and violent.  So you take the good and take the bad, and there you have a decent sequel to a killer franchise.

Jamie Lee Curtis doesn't reprise her role as Laurie Strode, so the only actor reprising his role is Donald Pleasence as Michael's long-suffering doctor, and he more than holds his own in the film, despite being set on fire at the end of the second film.  Now scarred and hobbling with a cane, Loomis tracks Michael back to Haddonfield, where he tries to protect Jamie from her Uncle, while still supplying his ominous warnings and dry humor we've come to know and love from the loony doctor.

Adding to the cast is Ellie Cornell as Rachel, a no-nonsense Laurie Strode-like character who is quick witted and intelligent, yet also a pining teenager who doesn't want to lag around her adopted sister everywhere.  Cornell does a perfect job as the new heroine, and she's easily someone we root for and hope makes it out unscathed.

Finally there's Danielle Harris, in her feature film debut as seven-year-old Jamie Lloyd (the character was originally supposed to be named Brittany, but was changed to Jamie to honor Jamie Lee Curtis), and she does what very few child actors in horror movies have done - be a solid character who has a great script and doesn't come off as whiny and annoying.  Harris showcases acting beyond her years as the young girl of Michael's obsession, and she has an innocent looking face to go with her persona.  You feel for her, and you want her to succeed - unlike most child actors in horror films where you just wish they would die.  Harris herself faced personal troubles with a stalker that took her out of the limelight for some time, but has recently returned to the genre she loves, even appearing in Rob Zombie's re-imagining of "Halloween."

The story is typical slasher flair, with Michael slashing and dashing his way back to Haddonfield to wipe out his family blood line, and cornering the survivors in a locked-up house.  The game of cat-and-mouse between Rachel/Jamie and Michael is thrilling and exciting, and once the pieces fall into place, it goes at a break-neck speed.  Sure, it's a typical 80s slasher, but that's the reason why they were so popular back in the day - and still are today. 

The Summary:
Despite the looming absence of its main star, "Halloween 4" is a welcomed return to the franchise with a talented young cast and a more deadly Michael Myers, another staple for any Halloween night.

The Score: A-