Plot
One year after the events of the last film, Michael Myres survived the shoot out of the mine shaft, and is back to finish off what he started… taking out his niece Jamie Lloyd.
Jamie is now living in a children’s clinic following the near fatal attack on her foster mother, and is near mute because of it. However she now has a psychic link to Michael, and knows when he is near… and on the attack.
With Dr Loomis, and Sheriff Meeker back on the case, will they find Michael before he finds Jamie???
And who exactly is that mysterious stranger that has turned up in town???
Breakdown
Starting where #4 left off, we get a continuation of what happens to Michael following being shot down the mine shaft.
One year later, Michael having been taken in by a man living in a hut kills said man, and goes after Jamie (Danielle Harris) again (who is now living in an institute following the events of the last film).
Jamie is mute because of the events (where the spirit of Michael took over her?) where she stabbed her foster mother (who survived), and is having recurring nightmares of Michael.
For the “secondary” story – instead of Jamie’s family – we now follow the character Tina (Wendy Caplan), Rachel’s friend following Rachel (Ellie Cornell) being one of Michael’s first victims – and now he is stalking Tina’s friends. There are some love triangles etc. that the movie makes time for that it probably didn’t really need.
I really liked how director Dominique Othenin-Girard played with Michael in the shadows here. He really seemed like more of a threat than he’s ever been.
The other ‘secondary’ story is of course Loomis (Donald Pleasence) and Sheriff Meeker (Beau Starr) who are hunting Michael. Loomis is even more determined than ever to bring Myres down (and is quite overbearing with Jamie about it too!).
There is some good tension in the back end of the film, especially when Michael is trying to run down Jamie with a car, and the whole laundry shoot sequence. I also liked the Loomis/Michael as well as Jamie/Michael moments where they try to appeal to his humanity
The film yet again has an open ending, where the mysterious stranger who comes to town and is seemingly following the events – frees Michael in the final seconds of the film, clearly opening the door for the sixth film.
Overall
Solid entry in the franchise, which has a good follow on from the previous film as well as a solid cliffhanger.
I wasn’t a fan of the secondary characters, as they all just became cannon fodder – and Pleasence’s extra intensity was a little… extra!
Looking forward to seeing where the franchise goes next!
3.5/5
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