‘You’re talking about him as if he were a human being. That part of him died years ago...’
Despite the fact it has undergone something of a critical revaluation in recent years, Halloween III: Season of the Witch was hated by fans and critics alike at the time. That put paid to John Carpenter’s idea of a different Halloween themed film without Michael Myers every year, and instead, resulted in this back to basics sequel. Happily, The Return of Michael Myers is one of the stronger Halloween sequels. Let’s dive in…
Ten years on from the events of Halloween and Halloween II, this fourth entry in the franchise sees Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur) returning to Haddonfield with his sights set on Laurie Strode’s orphaned child Jamie (Danielle Harris) – now living with a new foster family and being primarily cared for by her older foster sister Rachel (Ellie Cornell). Also returning to Haddonfield is Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence – as unhinged as ever).
Directed by jobbing filmmaker Dwight H. Little (the man responsible for Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home) from a script credited to Dhani Lipsius, Larry Rattner and Benjamin Ruffner, Halloween 4 makes no attempt to reinvent the wheel, but as we have seen with 2022’s excretable Halloween Ends, this is probably a wise move. Instead, we have Michael Myers doing what he does best. Killing cops and teenagers. What this movie does have is a talented cast, with series MVP Danielle Harris making her introduction, as well as strong performances from Cornell and Sasha Jenson (the latter playing the wonderfully coiffed town stud Brady). It is rare for a horror sequel to have such likeable characters, and this results in a film that one can feel invested in rather than just waiting for the next grisly murder. It also has arguably the best ending of any Halloween film. Genuinely chilling.
While it won’t convert any non believers, Halloween 4 is an excellent film in the context of this franchise and of horror sequels generally. Thoroughly recommended.