Review by Eric Hillis
Directed by: Steven Kostanski
Starring: Daniel Bernhardt, Patton Oswalt, Christina Orjalo, Paul Lazenby, Nina Bergman
The success of 1982's Conan the Barbarian gave rise to a slew of low budget sword and sorcery flicks in the '80s, few of which lived up to the promise of their Frank Frazetta-influenced cover art. The formula was simple: stick a bodybuilder (acting ability was often a secondary concern) in a loincloth, surround him with scantily clad Playboy playmates, and have him fight a bunch of villains in dodgy make-up. Among the most popular were the Deathstalker films, which became increasingly tongue in cheek with each new entry.
Who better to revive the Deathstalker series than writer/director Steven Kostanski? With Leprechaun Returns, Psycho Goreman and Frankie Freako, Kostanski has displayed a love of '80s straight to video schlock. Importantly, Kostanski's films don't knowingly wink at their audience. He isn't taking the piss out of the movies he grew up with, but rather displaying a genuine heartfelt affection for their dubious charms. There is nothing snarky or ironic about Kostanski's brand of nostalgia.
Kostanski's take on Deathstalker has more in common with Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness and Xena: Warrior Princess than the Roger Corman produced flicks to which it nominally hitches its wagon. As played by hulking stunt performer Daniel Bernhardt, this Deathstalker could be the protagonist of one of Raimi's '90s teatime fantasy shows. He's a classic Raimi anti-hero, a big dumb guy who stumbles into heroism.
The hero's journey begins for Deathstalker when he steals an amulet from a dying knight on a battlefield. What the big lug doesn't realise is that the amulet is a much sought after Macguffin, desired by Necromemnon (Nicholas Rice), an ancient evil sorcerer who has returned from the dead to wreak havoc on the land. Deathstalker finds himself targeted by various assassins and bounty hunters intent on taking the amulet from his possession. Attempts to simply dispose of the amulet prove futile - even when he tries to sink it in a swamp it reappears in his pocket. Resigning himself to the inconvenient truth that he'll never be free unless he defeats Necromemnon, Deathstalker sets off on a quest to slay the old undead coot.
Of course, every fantasy hero worth his salt needs a sidekick and a love interest. The former comes in the diminutive form of Doodad (played by Laurie Field and voiced by Patton Oswalt), a sorcerer who is terrible at sorcery. The film's one concession to modernity is that we don't get a near naked love interest for Deathstalker, rather a spunky young thief, Brisbayne (Christina Orjalo, who also sings the closing theme song), who may have ulterior motives for joining Deathstalker on his quest. There is much fun in Brisbayne's flirtations going over Deathstalker's oblivious head.
Much of the charm of '80s fantasy movies came from their practical effects, and some even featured Ray Harryhausen inspired stop-motion. Kostanski has wisely carried this over, with an array of puppets and an explicit Harryhausen nod in the form of a sword-wielding skeleton at one point. The various creatures here are delightfully ragged, like a nightmarish alternate dimension version of Jim Henson's creature shop. Kostanski and his team have created a fantasy world that looks like it's been put through the ringer. There are lovingly crafted details, like the silhouettes of two giant monsters having a fist fight in the far off background of a dialogue scene.
Everyone involved is on the right wavelength, striking a campy tone that never feels like the film believes itself to be above its inspirations. There are knowing jokes mined from the tropes of the sword and sorcery genre, but they're delivered in an affectionate rather than mocking way. This is a movie put together with the care and imagination of a teenage nerd's Warhammer diorama. The cartoonish violence aside, it's relatively family friendly (certainly compared to its '80s equivalents) and could serve as the perfect way to introduce younger generations to the grubby charms of this forgotten sub-genre.
Deathstalker is on Shudder from April 3rd.
