The story of Uncle Mikey and Jamie continues with Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers.
Movie: Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
Plot: After being pushed into a mine-shaft by a hail of gunfire and thought to be blown to bits by explosives dropped in, Michael Myers returns 1 year later. Sporting a telepathic link to his niece, Jamie, he continues his hunt for her to continue his quest to destroy his own bloodline
Killer: Michael Myers. He’s been shot, burned, and blown up, but he keeps coming back for more. And now, he seems to have a whole cult behind him, as shown by the Man in Black.
Critique: Once again, Michael Myers beats the odds and survives the latest attack by the citizens of Haddonfield. his time, he is returned to health by a hobo living under a bridge. Michael thanks the hobo, of course, by killing him.
This is the movie that most point to as the beginning of the end of the Halloween franchise. Why? Because the writers explain away the murders Michael Myers commits as cult sacrifices, which is as bad as the old cliche, “It was all just a dream!” What happened to the silent, nonsensical killer we all loved? Why add in some random, Devil-type Man in Black who acts more like a Black OPS Dirty Harry than a sinister serial killer?
This is also the first movie that gives slapstick comedy a shot, the first time anyone can actually laugh during a movie in the Halloween franchise. The Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum act of the police deputies is what’s most apparent. We even have slide whistle effects when they’re on-screen, just to make sure the audience knows when they’re supposed to laugh. Yeah. Slide-whistles.
Scene of Awesomeness: Pitchfork impalings during sex are always a crowd-pleaser.
Scene of Ridiculousness: The Man in Black, a mysterious figure with silver-tipped boots, attacks a police station with an assault rifle in the most non-horrific event of the Halloween franchise.
Body Count: 18
1 severe beating to death
1 scissor stabbing
1 hand rake to the forehead
1 pitchfork through the back
1 scything
2 throat puncturings
1 butcher knife stabbing
1 head bashed into a car dashboard
1 stabbing and hanging via emergency rope ladder
8 shot up by evil Black OPS extraction
1/2 pair of breasts (fuzzy shower-curtain scene. No direct view of breasts)
Actors/Actresses of Note: Besides Danielle Harris again, we have Troy Evans, Hollywood’s loveable cop in almost every movie, taking the reigns as Jamie Lloyd’s protector. Spoiler: he dies.
Quote: “I prayed that he would burn in hell. But in my heart, I knew that hell would not have him.” -Dr. Loomis
Grade: C-