Deathstalker is one wild fantasy ride

Courtesy of Shudder

You have to hand it to writer/director Steve Kostanski. He's consistently been committed to using practical effects in his movies, be it Psycho Goreman or Frankie Freako. His movies, which often feature old school, rubber costume monsters, feel like something straight out of the 1980s. His latest feature, a remake of the early 1980s Roger Corman sword and sorcery Deathstalker, follows in the tradition of Kostanski's previous movies. It's gnarly, gory, and a hell of a good time.

Action star Daniel Bernhardt (John Wick, Atomic Blonde) plays Deathstalker, a man who snatches treasures from corpses. When Deathstalker retrieves a cursed amulet from a corpse-strewn battlefield, he's suddenly thrust into a much larger story. He becomes the anti-hero we didn't realize we needed. The Kingdom of Abraxeon is under siege by the Dreadites, servants to an evil sorcerer named Nekromemnon (Nicholas Rice). If he's going to survive, Deathstalker needs to break the curse. Along the way, he battles trolls, skeletons, and resurrected corpses and embarks upon a few side quests, too.

As part of his journey, Deathstalker befriends a wizard named Doodad, voiced by Patton Oswalt, and a thief named Brisbayne (Christina Orjalo). The three form an unlikely alliance and have funny banter in the process, especially in between battles, but also during them, too. All three are well-cast and have strong comedic chemistry. It's nice to see Bernhardt crack a joke or two throughout the movie, which is a nice contrast to his action star persona.

While the film's premise is absolutely silly and maintains Corman's B movie style generally, the special effects look fantastic. There are puppets with one eye and bat wings, trolls with two heads, creatures with several eyeballs, and a samurai-type baddie whose stone heads rotate. All of the monsters that Deathstalker and his friends battle look great, as do the gore and practical effects. Kostanski's movies are worth a watch just for the effects and hands-on wizardry alone.

That said, this is very much a fantasy, sword and sorcery movie through and through, though it does have horror elements. I say that because this movie may not be for everyone. However, like the original Deathstalker franchise and Kostanski's other work, this movie never takes itself seriously. It's filled with one-liners, awesome looking monsters, and plenty of blood and goop. The feature doesn't demand much from the viewer other than to strap in and enjoy the fantastical ride.

In terms of practical effects, tone, and style, Kostanski has remained incredibly consistent. His track record is strong, and his voice remains steadfast in creating the sort of movies that he wants to make. All of his movies look and feel like 1980s creature features, and in this case, his remake of Deathstalker remains faithful to Corman's initial franchise, while putting his own spin on it. Even for the non-fantasy fan, this is an enjoyable ride, with monsters galore.

Deathstalker will stream on Shudder beginning April 3.

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