Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

October 13, 1989

October 13, 1989

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers is a 1989 American slasher film co-written and directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard, and starring Donald Pleasence, Danielle Harris, Ellie Cornell, Beau Starr, Wendy Kaplan, and Tamara Glynn. The fifth installment in the Halloween series, it follows serial killer Michael Myers who again returns to the town of Haddonfield to murder his traumatized niece, Jamie Lloyd, with whom he now shares a telepathic connection.

After the success of the previous installment, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers was rushed into production by executive producer Moustapha Akkad. The original screenplay, which was still under revision at the time filming began, introduced elements of supernatural horror, including Jamie possessing a telepathic link to Michael Myers, as well as a storied subplot in which Myers, under the influence of a cult centered around the ancient rune of Thorn, is driven to kill his bloodline. While the final cut of the film features a mysterious "Man in Black" character, the "Curse of Thorn" subplot was largely minimized, resulting in audiences and critics expressing some confusion, though it was expanded upon in the following film, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995).

Filmed in Salt Lake City in mid-1989, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myerswas released theatrically in North America in October of that year by the independent studio Galaxy Releasing. The film was a box office disappointment, only grossing $11.6 million domestically against a $5.5 million budget, becoming the lowest-grossing film in the franchise, and received generally negative reviews from critics. Common criticism was for the screenplay, acting, and story decisions, though some praised the film for its artistic and gothic visuals, which marked a stylistic shift from the previous film.

Storyline

On October 31, 1988, Michael Myers is shot down a mine shaft by Sheriff Ben Meeker and the Illinois state police, but manages to crawl out before dynamite is dropped down to assure his death. He floats down a river and stumbles upon the shack of an elderly hermit who nurses him back to health. One year later, he awakens and kills the hermit before returning to Haddonfield to resume the hunt for his niece, Jamie Lloyd.

Jamie has been admitted to the Haddonfield Children's Clinic after attacking her foster mother. She has been rendered mute due to psychological trauma and exhibits signs of a telepathic link with her uncle. Dr. Sam Loomis learns of this connection and wants to use it to defeat Michael for good. Meanwhile, Michael kills Jamie's foster sister Rachel and begins stalking her friend, Tina Williams. Jamie senses whenever her loved ones are in danger, triggering episodes of convulsions that disturb those around her.

After unknowingly encountering Michael posing as her boyfriend that he killed, Tina attends a Halloween party at the Tower Farm with her friends, Samantha (Sammy) and Spitz. Sensing that Michael is following them, Jamie (having partially regained her ability to speak) escapes the clinic with her stuttering friend, Billy Hill, to warn Tina of the danger. As Spitz and Samantha have sex in a barn, Michael impales Spitz with a pitchfork and slices Samantha’s face with a scythe, and also kills two bumbling deputies Loomis had entrusted to protect Tina. Jamie and Billy find Tina as Michael tries to run them down with a car. Tina ultimately sacrifices herself to save Jamie. With nothing left to lose, Jamie agrees to help Loomis stop Michael once and for all.

Loomis and Meeker create a set up at the abandoned Myers house to lure Michael back to his childhood home. The police receive a call saying Michael has broken into the clinic, prompting Meeker and most of the officers to leave; however, this call is merely a diversion. Michael appears and kills the remaining officers. Loomis tries to reason with him, but Michael slashes him and throws him over the stair banister. He pursues Jamie throughout the house, attacking her as she hides in a laundry chute. Michael chases Jamie up to the attic, where she finds the bodies of Rachel, her dog Max, and Tina's boyfriend. As Michael raises his knife to stab her, Jamie addresses him as "Uncle," causing him to pause. He agrees to remove his mask and let Jamie see his face, shedding a brief tear. However, when Jamie touches his face he goes into a fit of rage and chases her again. Loomis reappears and uses Jamie as live bait to lure Michael into a trap. He shoots Michael with a tranquilizer gun and beats him unconscious with a wooden plank before suffering from a stroke and collapsing on top of him.

Meeker and the police return and take Michael into custody. He is locked in a cell at the police station until he can be transferred to a maximum security facility for the rest of his life. As Jamie prepares to return to the clinic, a mysterious man in black who has been quietly observing all day arrives and shoots up the station. Jamie finds the bodies of Meeker and several officers, as well as Michael's cell broken open and empty. Realizing he has escaped again, she sobs in despair.

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