The plot: Picking up where the third film left off, Mike is trying to find out about the Tall Man’s past while also trying to avoid being killed by him. Elsewhere, Mike’s friend Reggie is searching for him with the hope that he can help him defeat the Tall Man.

As someone who got a kick out of the first three “Phantasm” films, it pains me to say that this fourth entry is a downright mess. The confusing, often non-sensical plot starts out SLOW with Mike sitting in his car and Reggie roaming the desert and then suddenly jumps around frantically from dreams/nightmares to weird time traveling scenes. Needless to say, the way the plot unfolded was certainly not what I had envisioned for the last chapter nor did I think it was a satisfying conclusion in the least.

Overall: I cannot recommend “Phantasm 4” to fans or casual viewers as they would be hopelessly lost without having seen the previous three films. Hopefully, writer/director Don Coscarelli will someday make a better fifth chapter or possibly start a new “reimagined” “Phantasm” film series.

The 1.78:1 widescreen picture looks sharp during daytime sequences and grainy during night/dark scenes.

The Dolby Surround 5.1 audio track is far from a five star rating, but it does its job. The dialogue, music, and sound f/x were clear enough.

Extras:

* Anchor Bay trailers and a “Phantasm 4” promo.

* “Phantasm 4: Behind-The-Scenes” is a 9 minute collection of set footage.

* Commentary by Don Coscarelli, Reggie Bannister and Angus Scrimm. This is a decent commentary track. There is plenty of info. about locations, characters, and set experiences. The highlight, however, is Reggie Banister who is very talkative and rather humorous at times.