Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Play trailer

1:33

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

R

Released Oct 21, 1988

1h 28m

Holiday

Horror

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

39%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

The apparently comatose Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur) is being transferred from one hospital to another, but he wakes up when the ambulance crew talk about his surviving niece, Jamie (Danielle Harris). After slaughtering his attendants, Myers sets out to find his one living relative who is, fortunately, being cared for by a kind and resourceful foster sister named Rachel (Ellie Cornell). Meanwhile, the ever-cautious Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) remains on the killer's path.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Halloween 4: The Return Of Michaels Myers may bring the series' masked killer back into the fold, but fails to offer the visceral scares and inventiveness of the original.

Read Critics Reviews

Chris Stuckmann

ChrisStuckmann.com

You can tell that it felt very rushed and things were kind of clobbered together to make this movie at the last second.

Rated: C+

Nov 1, 2019

Full Review

Aja Romano

Vox

I need to state for the record that Donald Pleasence is a truly great actor... But he also loved to chew the scenery, and the middle period of the Halloween franchise gave him plenty to sink his teeth into.

Oct 19, 2018

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Fourth entry in the Halloween horror series is a no-frills, workmanlike picture.

Aug 27, 2007

Full Review

Brian Rowe

InSession Film

Sure, the mask doesn’t look great, and some of the supporting characters are pretty one-note, but Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers remains one of the finest of the franchise’s many sequels, a nostalgic classic that will never get old.

May 3, 2023

Full Review

Cody Leach

Cody Leach (YouTube)

Halloween 4 is arguably the sequel most guilty of following the original as a template. Luckily, the characters, kills, and Myers' systematic attack on Haddonfield makes this a standout in the series.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

Nathan Paige

Call and Post (Cleveland)

The most suspenseful scenes in the film take place in the second half.

Mar 29, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Khaliel P

After the failed detour of the third film, Halloween 4 brings Michael Myers back in a direct sequel to Halloween 2. With Laurie killed off-screen, the story follows her young daughter Jamie, now the target of her murderous uncle. Despite surviving the previous explosion, Michael returns stronger than ever, and Loomis once again chases him while authorities ignore his warnings. The movie falls into the typical slasher formula—plenty of victims, gore, and dumb teens—but stands out by making a 7-year-old girl the heroine. Although Michael now terrorizes an entire town rather than just a hospital, the weak pacing and lack of explanation for his supernatural powers hold the film back, leaving it a middling entry: not terrible, but far from truly satisfying.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/21/25

Full Review

Brandon L.

My favorite in the franchise I love Danielle Harris’s performance even as a kid she puts on a stunning performance & of course Michael gotta love him

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/19/25

Full Review

Jayjay R

Halloween's back on track to go on the express train of misery. This movie doesn't help after the third movie.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/15/25

Full Review

Jason H

Nostalgia, and nothing more.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/06/25

Full Review

Riley V

My only gripe about it is that even though its the RETURN of Michael Myers, he is barely in it

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/08/25

Full Review

Garrett P.

I think the scariest part about this movie is how many plot elements were repeated in later sequels.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Dwight H. Little

Director

Donald Pleasence

Dr. Samuel 'Sam' J. Loomis

Ellie Cornell

Rachel Carruthers

Danielle Harris

Jamie Lloyd

George P. Wilbur

Michael Audrey Myers

Michael Pataki

Dr. E. W. Hoffman

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

12%

36%

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

Watchlist

Graveyard Shift

0%

23%

Graveyard Shift

Watchlist

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers

8%

36%

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers

Watchlist

Night of the Demons

53%

60%

Night of the Demons

Watchlist

Black Christmas

70%

76%

Black Christmas

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Black Christmas

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers: Trailer 1

1:33

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

The apparently comatose Michael Myers (George P. Wilbur) is being transferred from one hospital to another, but he wakes up when the ambulance crew talk about his surviving niece, Jamie (Danielle Harris). After slaughtering his attendants, Myers sets out to find his one living relative who is, fortunately, being cared for by a kind and resourceful foster sister named Rachel (Ellie Cornell). Meanwhile, the ever-cautious Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) remains on the killer's path.

Director: Dwight H. Little
Producer: Paul Freeman
Screenwriter: Alan B. McElroy
Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Production Co: Trancas International Films Inc.
Rating: R
Genre: Holiday, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 21, 1988, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.9M
Runtime: 1h 28m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now