Definitely a strange entry in the never-ending Halloween series, part 5 picks up exactly where part 4 leaves off with Michael Myers shot several times before falling into a deep mine shaft or well. Dynamite is dropped into the well, theoretically blowing him to bits, or maybe hell. You'd think that law enforcement would want to recover his body rather than blow him up, but any trace of logic was long gone from the series by then. Naturally Myers survives the explosion and is nursed back to health for a year by some hermit loving along the river Myers escaped to.... I believe the Cinema Sins guys would call this Hermit ex-machina. Anyway, by next Halloween, Myers has recovered from his injuries and goes back to chasing poor little Jamie and slaughtering the teenagers in her life.
Jamie, after the trauma of part 4, is now mute and living in a children's hospital. Dr. Loomis is still lurking around, trying to decipher the bond between her and uncle Mike. Donald Pleasance was reportedly too sick to work for very long on this project. Rachel is still around, but unfortunately not for very long. Who are Tina and her friends, exactly? How is Tina seemingly closer to Jamie than even Rachel? Hard to say. Many characters in this episode are not clearly explained, and some of their actions defy any logic at all. But that is ultimately part of the charm of part 5. Whereas Dwight Little and writer Alan McElroy gave a more straight forward narrative in part 4, the new director (a Frenchman with a long name) takes some stranger paths. Some of them work, some are questionable and some are ridiculous and inexpiable. Actors on this set were apparently routinely told that everything they were doing would be explained in the next film. Not!
There are just too many things this film does right to dismiss it though. The film aesthetically looks terrific. Autumn looks like it should, even though it was not filmed during that season. Chase scenes are well-filmed and conceived. Plenty of attractive women. Ellie Cornell just out of the shower and lying on a bed in a towel.... mmmmm! There is a good deal more gore than in previous Halloween films, too. Mustapha Akkad seemed to learn from having to shoot additional gore scenes for part 4 after test audiences complained it wasn't graphic enough. Hats off to Danielle Harris, too. Her performances in parts 4 and 5 are some of the best child acting I've seen. So many children make annoying characters, but not her.
On the down side... the Man In Black. Need I say more? The comic relief policemen (complete with sound effects, no less!). Losing Rachel 10 minutes in?? Weird decisions, y'all. No less than 3 writers credited may have been the biggest problem. I'll give the whole thing 6 of 10 stars. A perfectly suitable movie to have on in the background while passing out candy to random kids at the door.
The Hound.
Jamie, after the trauma of part 4, is now mute and living in a children's hospital. Dr. Loomis is still lurking around, trying to decipher the bond between her and uncle Mike. Donald Pleasance was reportedly too sick to work for very long on this project. Rachel is still around, but unfortunately not for very long. Who are Tina and her friends, exactly? How is Tina seemingly closer to Jamie than even Rachel? Hard to say. Many characters in this episode are not clearly explained, and some of their actions defy any logic at all. But that is ultimately part of the charm of part 5. Whereas Dwight Little and writer Alan McElroy gave a more straight forward narrative in part 4, the new director (a Frenchman with a long name) takes some stranger paths. Some of them work, some are questionable and some are ridiculous and inexpiable. Actors on this set were apparently routinely told that everything they were doing would be explained in the next film. Not!
There are just too many things this film does right to dismiss it though. The film aesthetically looks terrific. Autumn looks like it should, even though it was not filmed during that season. Chase scenes are well-filmed and conceived. Plenty of attractive women. Ellie Cornell just out of the shower and lying on a bed in a towel.... mmmmm! There is a good deal more gore than in previous Halloween films, too. Mustapha Akkad seemed to learn from having to shoot additional gore scenes for part 4 after test audiences complained it wasn't graphic enough. Hats off to Danielle Harris, too. Her performances in parts 4 and 5 are some of the best child acting I've seen. So many children make annoying characters, but not her.
On the down side... the Man In Black. Need I say more? The comic relief policemen (complete with sound effects, no less!). Losing Rachel 10 minutes in?? Weird decisions, y'all. No less than 3 writers credited may have been the biggest problem. I'll give the whole thing 6 of 10 stars. A perfectly suitable movie to have on in the background while passing out candy to random kids at the door.
The Hound.