run time: 88 mins
rated: R
considered: Horror, Thriller
starring: Danielle Harris, Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, Beau Starr
movie summary: Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece on Halloween. Can Dr. Loomis stop him? (www.imdb.com)
my thoughts: It’s been 10 years since Michael Myers wreaked havoc on the sleepy town of Haddonfield. On Halloween night 1978 he butchered 16 people and terrorized the life of Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). Michael was presumed dead after being caught in an explosion at the hospital, little did anyone know that for the next decade Michael would be in a coma only to wake up on October 30th, 1988
Michael is being transferred back to Smith’s Grove, when he learns that he has a niece named Jamie Lloyd (Danielle Harris). He slaughters everyone in the ambulance and blows up a gas station the next morning on his way back to Haddonfield. His niece is only nine-year old, and has nightmares of Michael although she doesn’t know who he really is. He is just the “nightmare man” to her, but on Halloween night she will come face to face with him.
Dr. Sam Loomis (Donald Pleasence) finds out Michael has escaped and heads to Haddonfield to catch him. Michael begins his night by wiping out the whole town’s power supply and killing the entire police department except Sheriff Meeker (Beau Starr). By the time Dr. Loomis reaches Haddonfield, there is not much of a defence left to catch Michael.
Jaime and her step sister Rachel (Ellie Cornell) go trick or treating and become separated. Michael is lurking behind every bush and every dark corner. The sisters are reunited just as Loomis and Sheriff Meeker find them. The four of them return to the Sheriffs house and convert it into a shelter to keep Michael out. Unfortunately their actions are too late as he’s already inside.
Dr. Loomis and Sheriff Meeker take off to go look for Michael, while he appears out of the dark and kills who ever is left in the house. Rachel and Jaime witness everything and head to the roof to escape. Michael pursues them before Rachel falls off leaving Jaime all alone against the boogeyman. She is rescued by Dr. Loomis and brought to the school where Michael gets the best of them. Rachel returns to save the day, and then the girls are taken out-of-town to meet with the State Police. Michael manages to hitch a ride under the truck and kills all four guys before Rachel grabs the wheel and crashes. The truck runs over Michael and he is laying on the side of the road.
Jaime gets out of the truck and goes to see Michael, touches his hand which brings him back to life. The police arrive and fire over 30 bullets into Michael who falls into a grave shaft. The sheriff drops a bomb down the hole and Michael is considered dead (again). Jaime, Rachel, Dr. Loomis, and Sheriff Meeker all return home when Jaime stabs her step-mom inheriting Michael’s curse.
I can remember I was very young when I saw this movie and have been haunted by it ever since. It is the scariest of all the Halloween movies because Michael seems to be in every dark shadow. Danielle Harris was fantastic as the sacred little girl being chased by the man in the white mask, despite only being 11 years old during filming. This movie was a great return to the franchise’s original plot lines.
my star rating: 9 out 10
Ten Stars or Less 