I thought it was interesting enough, mainly because the backstory is being told through a radio program, which I found much more interesting than just having a prequel movie. It also helps to know it's supposedly ignoring Psycho II and III, because I hated that he was free AGAIN.

I read that there was also a pitch where Bates Motel became a tourist attraction and Norman got hired to play himself, which sounds like a lot of fun.

All in all a very surprisingly decent franchise.

>[Norma finds porn magazines in Norman's bedroom]: *"You dirty little pig! Take that right out to the garbage! ... Pig! Dirty pig! Dirty as your whole whore-mongering sex!"*

***Psycho IV: The Beginning*** takes place in two timelines: the origin story when Norman was a teen and the present with a 40-50? year old Norman. Both were equally interesting so that's a win for sure. The two tie in together pretty well too with recurring themes of beginnings and the origin of evil. For the origin story with teen Norman, it's hard to judge it after seeing the *Bates Motel* TV series, which in my opinion is pretty close to a masterpiece BUT this is still solid. I appreciate how weird it gets and it's borderline torture porn in some moments. The performances are great, especially Olivia Hussey as Norma Bates. The radio thing was a weird idea at first but once you understand where Norman is coming from it makes some sense—it's just a bit far fetched and unbelievable the more you think about it. Great third act and ending. I'm satisfied with the character arc of the four movies.

An unnecessary but somewhat intriguing semi-prequel, Psycho IV: The Beginning explores the backstory of Norman Bates. While discussing mother killers, the host of a radio show gets the call of her life when Norman Bates calls in to give her an insider’s perspective, and to reveal that he will kill again. A lot of the backstories seem contrived, but the present day story is quite interesting. And though overall the acting isn’t that good, Anthony Perkins once again gives a captivating performance. Despite its weaknesses, Psycho IV: The Beginning delivers a solid thriller and a climatic conclusion to the saga.

It's a bit more interesting than the last one, and it's cool to get some of the Bates backstory, but at this point the series lacks much bite. For a made for TV movie from the period though, it's pretty well made.