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Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Play trailer 1:33 Poster for 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.
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Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

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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.

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Critics Reviews

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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

Audience Reviews

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Garry A I didn't know Michael could drive! The movie started strong with Michael's escape. I jumped once early on. It dragged in the middle but the final 15 minutes were awesome. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/19/25 Full Review Josh A I'm not gonna sit here and pretend this is an Oscar worthy masterpiece, but it's a pretty solid movie. It's definitely carried by its ending, but it's definitely better than something like, say, Texas Chainsaw III, as it actually tries to be a good film and not a cheap cash-in. Let's get into it. As a sequel to Halloween 2, it's alright. It's definitely not a sequel to Halloween 3, by the way, in case you were wondering. It actively ignores that and whether or not H3 is canon to the original timeline is up to interpretation. But it has flaws e.g. Sam Loomis, a mortal human, somehow surviving an explosion. Michael I can understand, but Sam? But it's entertaining enough to justify its existence. What truly brings it up, however, is its ending. If you ignore how it's followed up on, it is a fantastic ending to the story. Michael Myers dies, but the evil inside him lives on through Jamie, who recreates the opening of Halloween 1. It's more of a bleak ending than the other films have, but it's a great ending. It shows that Michael's evil will live on and suggests that he's evil because an evil force has taken over him. If only they followed up on it in H5, as I've heard that they haven't. Which is a shame. Overall, a solid sequel to Halloween 2 with a fantastic ending. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/08/25 Full Review Skibidi T In my opinion, this was a great movie. I'm glad they brought "Him" back into it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/16/25 Full Review Lucas C Firstly, I just saw an audience review that essentially stated that in order to be considered a True Horror Movie Fan, you have to LOVE every Halloween movie, regardless of how bad they are. I roll my eyes, sigh, and chuckle... Anyways, you know the drill here. With the exception of the criminally underappreciated III, the Halloween movies are some of the most meat-and-potatoes slasher films to ever litter the multiplex marquees and video store shelves; POV heavy breathing slasher stalking of various teenagers who seemed pretty lifeless beforehand. This sequel is no different. It has slightly less annoying characters and subplots than some of what followed, but none of the John Carpenter skill of what came before. It's a fair, middle-of-the-road entry. Not scary, not suspenseful, not even all that gory (thanks, MPAA), but it held my attention, and you still get some Donald Pleasance along the way. But if you're new to the series and this one disappoints you, proceed no further, as it's all downhill from here. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/25 Full Review lisa P Michael Myers are classics anyone that is a true Michael Myers fan loves HALLOWEEN REGARDLESS . I don’t care about the plot or the story their classics and I wish they would forever continue to make them.!!!!!! Bring back more, Halloween movies, please!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/09/25 Full Review Alexander S A solid return for Michael Myers, Halloween 4 which introduces a new central female lead as the actress’ performance was commendable and sets the stage for potential new thrills and stories about Michael Myers. While the sequels are a bit too simplistic, this installment offers a refreshing take on the franchise. Grading: C+ Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/09/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

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Movie Info

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
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