'Oblivion' needs a tuning fork

PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION (1998)

Reviewed by Jerry Saravia

After four ambitious films, it is hard to fathom where this "Phantasm" series is headed. Perhaps it is Oblivion, meaning that the inter-dimensional Tall Man and his hooded demon dwarves will find a way to shut their inner dimension down and seal it forever. As "Phantasm IV: Oblivion" heads for a finale involving a confrontation between The Tall Man and the heroes, we are left in the same spot we had been before. Don Coscarelli's third sequel is more of the same with a disappointing finish.

Returnee A. Michael Baldwin is Mike, last seen with black spherical eyes, who now has a golden sphere in his head (how a sphere the size of a football gets in his head and doesn't squash his brain is a mystery). He flees the mortuary where the domineering Tall Man (Angus Scrimm) resides with his killer spheres. Jody (Bill Thornbury), Mike's older brother who is a sphere, returns and tries to convince Reggie (Reggie Bannister), the gun-toting ice-cream man, to locate Mike since Mike may be transforming into a Tall Man himself. "Phantasm IV" becomes a chase picture with horror overtones, including a demonic patrolman and the latest girlfriend in Reggie's life who has spheres for breasts!

"Phantasm IV: Oblivion" has some nifty ideas, particularly the Tall Man's background as a certain Jebediah Morningside, a 19th century individual who found a way to tap into an inter-dimensional gate. Some of this is fascinating enough to make one wish we saw more. Previous installments have touched on background and character information so it would have been sweet to gain insight into how Jebediah entered the zone and then became Tall Man. Perhaps due to a limited budget, writer-director Don Coscarelli had precious little to work with. Portions of the film devote to endless desert scenes of Mike staring at something in the distance and occasionally having nightmares about the Tall Man, not to mention selective use of never-before-seen footage from the original "Phantasm."

"Phantasm IV" does have bright spots, including Reggie's wisecracks and charming ways with women. The movie also has some great ideas that have unfortunately not been developed or shaped into anything - they are just left up on the screen (hence, the aforementioned Tall Man's history). It is not a bad film, it is spiced with Coscarelli's wit and Scrimm is as menacing as ever, but this sequel desperately needs a tuning fork.