Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)

   
Produced, Written & Directed by: Don Coscarelli

Starring:

A. Michael Baldwin .... Mike Pearson
Reggie Bannister .... Reggie
Bill Thornbury .... Jody Pearson
Angus Scrimm .... The Tall Man
Heidi Marnhout .... Jennifer

Release Dates: Direct-to-Video: July 31, 1998 (Canada); Tokyo International Film Festival: October 30, 1999

*Photos courtesy at www.phantasm.com

 

 

Rating:

 

Mike (A. Michael Baldwin) is now under the power of Tall Man (Angus Scrimm). Even if he tries to escape from him he can't.
His older brother Jody (Bill Thornbury) who is in the worst position being under the Tall Man's power being a steel ball goes on a hunt to search for Reggie (Reggie Bannister) to try and help Mike before it's too late. Reggie declines at first but decides to go on and to find him.
Mike is also haunted by his past with his battle against the Tall Man as well when he travels through the dimensions of time.
During this time period, Mike and Reggie must battle the Tall Man for their lives as well for the lives of mankind.

 

There's a perfect beginning shot on a cemetary with fog along with a car rolling in as well as a hallway in a mortuary with a dark shot on the Tall Man walking and two steel balls floating side by side with him.
We spot a nice perfect close up shot on Mike Pearson driving his car with an evil expression on his face along with good clips on flashback sequences.
A good shot on Reggie with steel balls attacking him to the ground along with a shot on the Tall Man looking down on him with his evil speech towards him.
More good shot on Mike driving and the dark road with some spooky moments too that involved the Tall Man in the backseat of the car coldly talking to him.
We also spot a good shot on Reggie fixing a tire on his car and a steel ball zooming around him and later on a good surprise shot on Jody Pearson talking to him in the back seat with Reggie griping to him.
There's also a nice battling scene with Reggie battling against a demon trooper with good camera shots on them fighting in and outside his car as well as a nice shot on this demon spitting yellow stuff all over him which looked truly gross.
A good moment with Reggie trying to rescue Jennifer from underneath an upside down car before having it exploding.
A good shot on them running away from the car showing a good explosion.
Good shot on her lying in bed with her shirt moving and Reggie trying to figure out what is going on and then a good shot on some steel balls implanted in her breasts trying to circle around him and attack him with a good shot on him whacking one of them to the ground with a sledge hammer and pounding on it. There's a nice shot on her lying on the ground looking possessed laughing at him and then a nice camera looking up on him with aggressive actions and then slamming down his sledge hammer.
There's perfect footage on Mike walking through a desert seeing the steel poles which leads to a transporter and then trying to hang himself as well as a great distant shot on the Tall Man. We show some good scene's between the two of them as well as a flashback scene from the beginning. Although it's not a footage from the first film it's worth reviewing since Coscarelli did a great job on this about the Tall Man being hung and then turning his head manipulating Mike to cut him down tempting him he will leave for good as it's a perfect and dark moment.
There's some nice camera takes on Mike walking around a rocky area with the killer dwarfs appearing and then rocks fall on them with him grinning.
We have a great shot on a deserted city of Los Angeles with Mike looking around and a great shot on the Tall Man slowly walking towards him.
We also see a good shot on Mike with Jody spying on the Tall Man in a past life as well as a good shot on Mike holding a knife and looking menacing.
A good battling scene between Mike and Jody on a stretcher in the mortuary with Mike himself struggling to try not get cut by a steel ball. Later on we have a nice weak moment by Jody saying that he's dying.
There's a nice shot on a vehicle exploding near a beach and thenthe Tall Man grabbing Reggie by the neck in the air.
Bottom line is that this is no doubt the most boring one out of the Phantasm series until the final sequel after this one came out. It does pick up a bit during a quarter of this film though. Also, it's nice seeing footage never before seen from the original film during the flashback sequences which they probably shot intentionally for a hopeful sequel at the time especially during the very ending of the film which left a major impression on me.

The acting is still nicely performed as usual with the same actors like Michael Baldwin (Mike Pearson) as he shows a good menacing and troubled behavior to his role dealing that he's one of the Tall Man's people now. There is nice footage on when he was younger too from the first film that was never shown before.
Reggie Bannister
(Reggie) shows a heroic charm as usual and displays great aggressions when he tries to battle any of the Tall Man's zombie's or steel balls.
He reacts well to being grossed out with yellow stuff spat all over him.
Bill Thornsbury
(Jody Pearson) delivers his part as strongly like his did in the previous sequel still proving his craft as the older sibling also being one of the Tall Man's people.
Angus Scrimm
(Tall Man) delivers his lines perfectly like he does in the rest of the films with his creepy evil charm and charisma.
Heidi Marnhout (Jennifer) has a small role in the film as an estranged woman in the film but she was not convincing at all I found and seemed too average. She doesn't react with her screaming all that well when experiencing a car exploding.

Two steel balls pop out of a woman's breasts exposing her insides and then drills a hole in Reggie's hand.
Lots of alien yellow blood splattering here and there at times.

Some great sharp hissing sounds which were used in a flashback sequence involving the Tall Man ans Mike along with some heartbeat sounds. There's some good low classical sounds too for many scene's with the darkest moments in the film.

There's a good rockin' songtrack at the end of this film with the rolling credits by Reggie Bannister's band Reggie B & the Jizz Wailin Ya Doggies with "Have You Seen It" in which adds great power to it as the volcalising and guitar licks really grabs your attention and stick out in your mind,

Reg: Jody, what the hell are you doing here? You're dead.
Jody: So what else is new?

The Tall Man: It's time now, boy.

Rufus: Do you think we're playing games kid? This is for real.
Tim: So is this.

Reggie: Thanks kid, I owe you one.
Tim: Two. By my count you owe me two.

Reggie: Dominate me, baby!

Reggie: Ever try vanilla?

Tim: Shit! What the hell are those?

Reggie: Cryogenics. All the mortuaries are into it now. These guys figure they'll wake up in a couple of hundred years with new bodies.

Rocky: Some folks never know when to give it up.

Reggie: [laughs] Now, look who's talkin.

Reggie: Sure fucked up my hallway.

Tim: You're in trouble. You're in trouble.

Reggie: I sure hope that ball got a better sense of direction than mine do.

Rocky: It's been nice knowing you boys, but this kickin' zombie ass just ain't my gig.

Reggie: Get out of here. It's all over.
The Tall Man: It's never over.