Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
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Michael Myers escapes from a sanitarium to hunt down his young niece in his hometown.
The story
On October 30, 1988, Michael Myers awakens from a ten-year coma during a transfer between sanitariums after hearing he has a niece in Haddonfield. He escapes and returns to his hometown to hunt her. In Haddonfield, Laurie Strode's orphaned daughter, Jamie Lloyd, suffers from nightmares about 'The Shape' and is bullied at school. While Jamie's foster parents are away, she plans to go trick-or-treating. Meanwhile, an aged and scarred Dr. Loomis learns of Michael's escape and begins a desperate pursuit to stop the killer before he can reach the girl.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Michael Myers awakens during a transfer from Ridgemont Federal Sanitarium to Smith's Grove Sanitarium after hearing he has a niece in Haddonfield. He kills the transport staff and heads to Haddonfield. In town, Jamie Lloyd, the daughter of the late Laurie Strode, is bullied for being the niece of 'the boogeyman.' Her foster parents, Richard and Darlene Carruthers, leave her with their daughter Rachel. Dr. Loomis, scarred from a previous explosion, learns of Michael's escape and pursues him. Michael kills a mechanic and a clerk at a diner before Loomis arrives; a gunfight ensues, and Michael escapes in a tow truck, causing an explosion that disables Loomis's car. Michael steals a mask and begins hunting Jamie. Loomis hitches a ride with Reverend Sayer. Michael breaks into the Carruthers' house, kills the dog, and identifies Jamie. Loomis warns Sheriff Meeker, and they search for the girls. Michael causes a power outage at a plant and kills several police officers, leading to a lynch mob. Meeker and Loomis find Rachel and Jamie and barricade them in the sheriff's house. Michael enters, kills Deputy Logan, Kelly, and Brady, while Rachel and Jamie flee to the roof. Jamie runs into Loomis, and they hide in a school, where Michael tosses Loomis through a door. Rachel reappears and subdues Michael with a fire extinguisher. The lynch mob helps them escape, but Michael, hidden under their truck, kills the men. Rachel rams Michael with the truck. Meeker and the police shoot Michael, who falls into a mine. Later, Darlene is attacked; Loomis finds Jamie, who is now emotionless and holding bloody scissors, realizing she has been 'infected' by Michael's evil.
- First release year
- 1988
- Runtime (minutes)
- 88
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Dwight H. Little
- Writers
- Alan B. McElroy · screenplay; Danny Lipsius · story; Larry Rattner · story; Benjamin Ruffner · story
- Cast and characters
- Donald Pleasence · Samuel Loomis; Ellie Cornell · Rachel Carruthers; Danielle Harris · Jamie Lloyd; Michael Pataki; George P. Wilbur · Michael Myers; Beau Starr · Ben Meeker; Kathleen Kinmont · Kelly; Brady
- Genres
- slasher; horror
- Themes
- Inherited Evil; Slasher Tropes; Survival
- Tone and mood
- Atmospheric; Terrifying; Somber
- Premise and plot tags
- Slasher; Sequel; Escape; Survival
- Franchise connections
- Halloween
- Content notes
- Violence
- Reception
- The film received mostly negative reviews upon release but has developed a strong cult following and enjoyed positive reappraisals in the years since.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 34 · scale: 100 · review count: 100
- Production trivia
- The character of Jamie was renamed from Britti Lloyd as a homage to actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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