"Meathook Massacre 4" ranks as one of my favorites in the series of slasher films centered around Bubba, the stark-raving mad butcher! John Ward came into the fold with this film and brings a unique visual and storytelling style to the proceedings. The plot centers around a group of four travelers who accidentally run over Bubba's mother on the highway in the middle of a desert. They believe they have gotten away with it, but Bubba and family are not far behind and have no intentions of letting the assailants live!
What I like most about this particular film in the franchise is that it gives you a character to really root for, that being Kim played by Mindy Gilkerson. She is excellent in her role and brings a great deal of energy and pathos to her character. Brinke Stevens, horror film legend, also makes a superb turn as Auntie Mara, the new head of the family. Any time Brinke is involved, the quality of a film is lifted exponentially! Robert Lankford continues to play Bubba, and I feel this is by far one of his best turns as the character. He seems more animalistic and strong in this film, and the way in which he was photographed really boosted the movie overall. Finally, Dawna Lee Heising makes an appearance in the film, and although brief, was definitely one of the highlights! She is always fun to watch and her cameo in this installment is great!
John Ward brings a keen eye to the visuals in this one, a movie that looks way more expensive than it probably was. Part 4 maintains a certain degree of polish without losing that raw, organic nature of the first three films. There is a great deal of production value here and Ward gets a lot of mileage out of his locations and cast.
Overall, this is one of my favorite installments in the series, next to Parts 6 and 2. I really have enjoyed my journey through this franchise and I hope many more "Meathook Massacre" films are in store for us indie horror fans!
