|
Post by politicidal on Feb 23, 2022 3:35:21 GMT
Old favorite. I wish this became a franchise.
|
|
|
Post by Captain Spencer on Mar 2, 2022 2:33:24 GMT
Bloodsport (1988) Jean-Claude Van Damme is an army captain who spends a furlough in Hong Kong to participate in a secretive martial arts tournament. In the mid to late 80s I was watching so many of these assembly-line martial arts action flicks that I can't even remember if I saw this one or not. It's possible, but I just don't recall it. Anyway, I just finished watching it and it's strictly so-so. Most of the acting is wooden and there's hardly a good story to it. Even the fighting scenes are just meh. Donald Gibb (best know for playing Ogre in Revenge Of The Nerds) provides some amusement as Van Damme's boorish friend who acts like he's a WWF wrestler when he's fighting on the mat.
|
|
|
Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Mar 2, 2022 5:56:15 GMT
9/10
|
|
mgmarshall
Junior Member
@mgmarshall
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 3,304
|
Post by mgmarshall on Mar 3, 2022 14:25:30 GMT
Black CaesarSlighty more average Blaxploitation fare from Larry Cohen. It's never quite as fun or inventive as Bone was, but it's still a thoroughly entertaining rise-and-fall gangster picture. Fred Williamson is both charming and despicable as Harlem Godfather Tommy Gibbs. You definitely root for him against the villains (in particular Art Lund as the vile, racist crooked cop who crippled him as a child), and you feel for him when you see his tragic relationships with his sorrowful, disapproving mother and his absentee father (both played effectively by Minnie Gentry and Julius Harris); but the guy is pretty much an unlikable sh*theel in every other regard. He screws over people left and right, he rapes his wife and drives her into the arms of his best friend, and then has the balls to still be mad about their infidelity; you'll definitely be rooting for the eventual downfall by the time it comes. D'Urville Martin (Willie Green of Dolemite) is pretty fun and hammy as Gibbs' sleazy, phony-preacher business partner, and Gloria Hendry brings great intensity to her role as the abused wife. The movie is full of that manic energy that Larry Cohen always brings to the table. I particularly like how many shots you can tell they didn't get permits for (especially that infamous sidewalk taxi chase; it's honestly amazing nobody got killed shooting that). I also really admire how utterly batsh*t the ending is. I've seen a lot of Blaxploitation flicks,but I don't think any of them ever went as far as having the racist white villain forcibly painted in blackface and made to sing "Mammy" as he's beaten to death. It's crazy. You've also got a great and funky soundtrack by the legend himself, James Brown. Sure, it's no Shaft, and it sounds like James might be phoning it in a tiny bit, but there are still some solid tracks in there, especially "Down and Out in New York City."
|
|
mgmarshall
Junior Member
@mgmarshall
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 3,304
|
Post by mgmarshall on Mar 4, 2022 4:57:13 GMT
Return of the Sister StreetfighterDespite that title, this is actually the third entry in the series, and it's still very much more of the same as the first two. However, they really ratcheted up the camp value and cartoonish violence in this one, and in that regard I think it might actually be my favorite of the series so far. Etsuko Shiomi is, of course, still spunky and likeable and kickass; and Yasuaki Kurata returns from Sister Streetfighter: Hanging By a Thread, here playing a different character. I really don't see why, given that they pull the exact same villain-to-good guy twist with him as in the previous movie. The main mob boss villain here is also pretty fun- he's basically a cut-rate, wheelchair-bound version of Mr. Han from Enter the Dragon, except he has a gold hand instead of a steel one! Oh, and hey, Masashi Ishibashi from the first two Street Fighter movies and the other two Sister Streetfighter movies is back yet again as an evil henchman, here really resembling an Asian Lee Van Cleef. Anywho, this one is yet more fun, wild chopsocky action.
|
|
|
Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Mar 4, 2022 5:49:13 GMT
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 4, 2022 14:46:33 GMT
Shoot To Kill (1988; Roger Spottiswoode) - Aka Deadly Pursuit outside of the US This is a solid action thriller which provided a succesfull comeback for Sidney Poitier after a long absence from the screen. Poitiers is an FBI agent who has to track down a violent kidnapper who is on the run after extorting diamonds worth millions from a San Francsisco jeweller. The killer is attempting to flee to Canada joining a hiking group in the Pacific Northwest to cross the border. The group is led by a female guide (Kirstie Alley) whose boyfriend (Tom Berenger) is hired by Poitier's character to help him navigate through the forest. At first the two men don't get along too well, but after surviving some hard times in the wilderness they start bonding, each grudgingly beginning to respect the other. This starts out with an incredibly tense opening sequence making good use of the kidnapper's creepy voice (we don't find out his identity until halfway into the movie). After this grim and very serious beginning the movie loses a bit of momentum as the scenery shifts to the wilderness and we are introduced to the members of the hiking group of whom anyone could be the killer. I have to say, that only one of these actors was familiar to me, and rightly he turned out to be the perpetrator. I wish this whodunit element would've been a bit stronger, since once the bad guy is unmasked the film loses some of its tension even though the actor in question does a really convincing job as the ruthless criminal. Once Poitier and Berenger meet each other the movie delivers some awkward humor scenes playing up the differences between the mountain man and the city slicker, among them a hilarious encounter with a bear, these almost feel like they belong into a different, more light-hearted buddy comedy type of film. The outdoor scenes are still very well made, especially a sequence where Berenger has to cross a deep gorge on a rope and ends up almost falling to his death. This has decent acting, even though the characters aren't particularly complex. Okay, Poitier already felt a bit too old for this type of physical role and some of his character's actions really defy credibility, but other than that he does a solid job. While perhaps not deserving of a classic status, this is still a good, old school action thriller, a bit like an 80s Cliffhanger. 7/10 I had a lot of fun, re-watching this a few months back. Only seen it 2-3 times, but seems like it kind of got a bit lost, due to all the buddy cop movies arriving in the late 80s, and this is maybe a bit different, than most of the usual ones. Loved the chemistry between Poitier and Berenger, but yeah, as you wrote, the film should have saved the who done it, for much later on, as after the reveal, things never quite got back to the same chilling style and atmosphere, and instead felt kind of rushed, like they just went straight into a "every day" buddy-cop movie routine. Yeah, I think Cliffhanger (1993) and maybe along with Arctic Blue (1993), would be a nice out in the wilderness, having two very different kind of people, trying to survive and to rely on another, in a more buddy-cop adventure, rather than having the characters thrown into yet anohter urban city style.
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 4, 2022 14:50:29 GMT
9/10 Re-watched it two years ago. Still stands as Arnies (and Cameron) last great movie, and sadly, one which I think should (but probably by now, is just way too late) have gotten a sequel. Anyway, I would love to get my hands on a great Blu-ray copy, as both of my DVDs, are now almost 20 years.
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 4, 2022 15:03:12 GMT
Bloodsport (1988) Jean-Claude Van Damme is an army captain who spends a furlough in Hong Kong to participate in a secretive martial arts tournament. In the mid to late 80s I was watching so many of these assembly-line martial arts action flicks that I can't even remember if I saw this one or not. It's possible, but I just don't recall it. Anyway, I just finished watching it and it's strictly so-so. Most of the acting is wooden and there's hardly a good story to it. Even the fighting scenes are just meh. Donald Gibb (best know for playing Ogre in Revenge Of The Nerds) provides some amusement as Van Damme's boorish friend who acts like he's a WWF wrestler when he's fighting on the mat. Somehow, I have always prefered this (way more) to that of Van Damme's other and later similar martial art movies, like Lionheart or Kickboxer. Loved the soundtrack and all of the cheesy and fun characters who arrives throughout the run, as well as the buddy chemistry between Van Damme and Gibb is also great to behold. Then of course the main villain (Bolo Yeung), who is such a nasty and vicious dude, and you just love to see Frank Dux wipe of his smug and evil grin, during the final scene. Did caught up with the follow up (one of probably, far too many), but this time, wihtout Van Damme, and still you had a nice guest appearance by Donald Gibb, once again as Ray Jackson. But of course, the film was not exactly all that impressive, and seemed only to try cash in on having some poor looking Van Damme "clone", doing some of the similar tricks and scenery, but only making Van Damme look like an Oscar winner. Had almost forgotten that the original featured Forrest Whitaker, as one of the policemen trying to get Frank to come back with them. Easier said than done.
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 4, 2022 15:28:11 GMT
Hobo with a Shotgun (2011) by Jason Eisener "There's something else about bears not many people know. If a bear gets hooked on the taste of human blood, it becomes a man-killer. He'll go on a rampage and has to be destroyed." A homeless stranger (Rutger Hauer), arrives at the town of Hope City, in search of a way to get enough money, so he can buy himself a lawnmower. However, fate seems to have other plans in store. That, and a whole army of human scum. And where none is as nasty and evil, as the main boss himself, Drake. Who runs the "FUCKTOWN" and all of its unlucky inhabitants, along with his two sadistic sons. Thankfully, the solution for getting rid of such problems, is not that far away. And with a bit of help from a shotgun and "some" ammo, the unkown stranger, will soon be on everyone's radar, all while he keeps on painting the town blood red, with the guts and gore of everything from pedophile santas, corrupt cops, pimps, gang members, and pretty much everyone, who gets in the way of this trigger happy hobo.I had just recently, a not that very "successful" re-watch, with Machete (2010), as it turned out, that since my last visit (I rated it with a 8/10), but that was over 10 years ago. And sadly, something just did not sit all that well with me, this round. Thankfully, it was a nice surprise, that the other of the two full length Grindhouse tributes, which was first made as retro-parody trailers, to accompany the Grindhouse films of Tarantino and Rodriguez, back in summer of 2007, and known as Hobo with a Shotgun, ended up being way more fun and rewarding, with another go. Sure, Machete has the stars, the budget and some ridiculous hot babes, but something just felt kind of "empty", and my mood were not made any better, by having to witness all of the terrible and lame looking CGI effects, specially the gore and blood. Here you have a legend like Tom Savini, and all you end up with, is something as dull and lifeless as yet another spray dose of generic "video game blood", and this stuff, only looks worse and worse, as the years go by. Thankfully, Hobo succeeded where Machete failed, as the first one had such a sleazy, nasty and brutal style and delivery going, and while probably with only 2-3 million dollars (or less), it still packed a much harder punch and bite, than what Machete ever came close to. The amount of blood, guts and gore, being thrown all over the place, is well, you could clearly feel, that the movie makers, had a blast, and also sure knew their 80s exploitation movies, very well. Hell, Troma and Peter Jackson, would probably be proud, of that kind of bloody mayhem. Another thing which sure makes quite an important part, to why I now prefered Hobo, way more than Machete, is because of Rutger Hauer. Who I am glad followed his instinct, to take up on the rather ungrateful and nasty job, as playing the hobo, while also doing some impressive stuntwork in the making. However, he is not just a mean killing machine, as he infact gets to deliver some rather "deep" and thoughtful lines, in all of the mayhem. Of course, he is not completely on his own, as a hooker with a heart of gold, ends up as his "sidekick", and turns out to come out quite handy, later in the film. The villains is as sleazy and nasty as they come, and where the sadistic duo of Slick and Ivan, well, they almost feels like they came straight out of some 80s revenge b-movie, or comic, but yeah, this was surely one film, that benefitted from another watch. 7,5/10
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 4, 2022 17:46:41 GMT
Not sure if these fit in as your typical "action" films. But since I have been through quite a few 80s films as of lately. I thought one should maybe put up a few of those that either gave me a very pleasant ride, or just delivered something enjoyable to behold. Do not have much time left today, so I will just start up with absolute gem of a an 80s crime-noir thriller: 52 Pick-Up (1986) by John Frankenheimer "These guys take over your life, just like that. I never believed anybody could do that. One dumb move and these animals rush in. I really fucked up, didn't I?" A seemingly "perfect" marriage, will soon be put through quite some test, when it is revealed that the husband (Roy Scheider) has been having an affair, with a young female (Kelly Preston). An affair, which has not only caught the attention of a small crew of crooks, but also been put out on tape, all in order to blackmail the rich husband, to pay up a large sum of "easy" money. But that is all gonna change, when their victims, suddenly decides to fight back.
A movie that I had for a long time, have in my watchlist, and somehow, I just never quite got around to pick it up and watch it, until late 2020. Was kind of surprised to notice, it only had a 6,4 rating on IMDb and from about 5,000 votes. So that was kind of, well, surprising, considering how well made and acted, this Cannon Films releases, really turned out to be. Anyway, 52 Pick-Up, ended up as one of my better "impulsive" purchases, so much, that when I got the news that Black Friday had some great deals on Arrow Video Blu-rays, I felt the need to upgrade my DVD with a great looking and sounding copy as well. Just a last week (or something close) I watched it for a second time, and yeah, I thought it was well worth to spend a few bucks extra, on the Blu-ray, as it was surely a nice upgrade from the DVD, just as with another great Cannon film, in Runaway Train (1985). The film is quite atmospheric and where Roy Scheider and Ann-Marget put in some terrific performances, as a couple who has over 23 years of marriage behind them, but where their own successfull careers, seems to take up much of their time, and with maybe not the best communication going on with the little time left, I guess the husband looked for something else, which lead him into a relationship with a 22 year old woman. However, everything changes, when the affair is being used by a nasty crew of sleazy and unpredictable criminals, looking for some easy money. But yeah, that was easier said than done, and when their victims suddenly fights back, the "friedship" between the blackmailers, also turns sour and rather hostile. Sure, in classic 80s Cannon style, there is a thick and heavy layer of sleaze, sex and violence oozing through, very strong. However, in the hands of maybe lesser directors, it would probably just end up as another trashy b-movie. But John Frankenheimer manages to give it a certain kind of elegance, and also maybe a bit more deeper in how each of the main characters react and unfold, throughout the time. Of course, it is surely helped by having such a solid gallery of character actors and where the interesting and rather unique crew of blackmailers, lead by the "colorful" John Glover as the main leader, but who has way more to offer, than just sex and sleaze, as he is quite handy with the numbers. Then you have the ice cold killer, in Clarence Williams III, and finally the weak link of the gang, with the nervous Robert Trebor. In other parts, the beautiful Vanity and Kelly Preston shows up, the latter, maybe not so much. But hard not to feel bad for her, even though she is not there, for most of the time. The music by Gary Chang, is also a bit of a highlight for me. At times, very soothing and relaxing, considering all the not so nice things which happens along the way. But I often tend to prefer it that way. Some of the more unpleasant or nasty 80s thrillers, often come with some of the most nice or beautiful little themes or melodies, and I thought it worked well with the film and the characters. Also, I almost forgot to mention. Did catch up with the other Cannon release, which I think was based upon the same book by Elmore Leonard. But it was called The Ambassador (1984) and starred Robert Mitchum and well, it turned out to be quite the different film. In my opinion, not bad, but yeah, coming up, after re-watching 52 Pick-Up. It turned out to be, just not my kind of "fun". All in all, I am glad I decided to re-purchase this solid little but awesome 1986 film, and well, I now have it on both DVD and Blu-ray, and where I rated it with an 8/10 back in late 2020. Now a bit further on, decided that it was well worthy of a bit of an upgrade on the rating part. And landed on a: 8,5/10
|
|
|
Post by Captain Spencer on Mar 4, 2022 18:35:55 GMT
Bloodsport (1988) Jean-Claude Van Damme is an army captain who spends a furlough in Hong Kong to participate in a secretive martial arts tournament. In the mid to late 80s I was watching so many of these assembly-line martial arts action flicks that I can't even remember if I saw this one or not. It's possible, but I just don't recall it. Anyway, I just finished watching it and it's strictly so-so. Most of the acting is wooden and there's hardly a good story to it. Even the fighting scenes are just meh. Donald Gibb (best know for playing Ogre in Revenge Of The Nerds) provides some amusement as Van Damme's boorish friend who acts like he's a WWF wrestler when he's fighting on the mat. Somehow, I have always prefered this (way more) to that of Van Damme's other and later similar martial art movies, like Lionheart or Kickboxer. Loved the soundtrack and all of the cheesy and fun characters who arrives throughout the run, as well as the buddy chemistry between Van Damme and Gibb is also great to behold. Then of course the main villain (Bolo Yeung), who is such a nasty and vicious dude, and you just love to see Frank Dux wipe of his smug and evil grin, during the final scene. Did caught up with the follow up (one of probably, far too many), but this time, wihtout Van Damme, and still you had a nice guest appearance by Donald Gibb, once again as Ray Jackson. But of course, the film was not exactly all that impressive, and seemed only to try cash in on having some poor looking Van Damme "clone", doing some of the similar tricks and scenery, but only making Van Damme look like an Oscar winner. Had almost forgotten that the original featured Forrest Whitaker, as one of the policemen trying to get Frank to come back with them. Easier said than done. I thought both Forrest Whitaker and Norman Burton were wasted in those thankless roles. It seems those two military agents were there just to provide an excuse for that eluding chase scene with all that silly slapstick. Almost reduces the whole movie to camp level. I agree there was great buddy chemistry between Van Damme and Gibb. When they first met it seemed like they were going to be enemies, but then turned out to be inseparable pals.
|
|
|
Post by FridayOnElmStreet on Mar 4, 2022 19:02:10 GMT
9/10 Re-watched it two years ago. Still stands as Arnies (and Cameron) last great movie, and sadly, one which I think should (but probably by now, is just way too late) have gotten a sequel. Anyway, I would love to get my hands on a great Blu-ray copy, as both of my DVDs, are now almost 20 years. Its really odd this is not on Blu Ray yet. Not Region 1 anyway.
|
|
|
Post by theravenking on Mar 6, 2022 22:30:00 GMT
Terminal Velocity (1994; Deran Sarafian) This is a movie that was very popular with us as teenagers in the mid-90s. I saw it several times on VHS and on cable TV and enjoyed it a lot, but that was back when Charlie Sheen was still kinda cool or at least I used to like him, even found him to be a decent actor. Apparently Sheen has said that this was one of his favorite movies to make. The script was written by David Twohy (The Fugitive) and follows skydiver Richard "Ditch" Brodie (Sheen) who gets caught up in a criminal plot by Russian mobsters. Of course there's a beautiful woman involved named Chris Morrow, played by Nastassja Kinski, who approaches Sheen's character and insists on performing a skydiving jump. However things go horribly wrong and she falls to her death with Richard unable to save her. But this is just the beginning of the story, since soon suspicion falls on Chris having committed suicide and when Richard is accused of involuntary manslaughter he starts looking deeper into the matter which lands him in mortal danger, because as it turns out his female friend was pursued by members of the Russian mafia. The movie is obviously no high art and certainly no milestone of action cinema, but it's huge fun nonetheless. I love that the scheme used by Kinskis's character is basically the murder from Vertigo done on a plane.
There is some hilariously corny 90s dialogue, the sort of stuff they would never get away with today: While it does not re-invent the wheel Terminal Velocity is never boring and there's some nice easy-going chemistry between Sheen and Kinski. The ending is also one of the most batshit crazy finales you'll ever see in this type of movie. There is a stunt with a car falling out of a plane which is so ridicuolus that it makes me smile each time I see it. Overall, it was nice taking a stroll down nostalgia lane with Terminal Velocity. I find that the movie holds up really well and wish Sheen would've done more of this type of stuff instead of all the drugs and other unhealthy activities he would be involved in. 7/10
|
|
mgmarshall
Junior Member
@mgmarshall
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 3,304
|
Post by mgmarshall on Mar 6, 2022 22:57:24 GMT
Hell Up in HarlemThoroughly entertaining, if not altogether necessary, sequel to Black Caesar. Oh sure, this one completely ignores the fact that Tommy Gibbs was 100% dead at the end of the first one, and yes they pretty much overhaul his character to be much more sympathetic this time around; but damn it, none of that takes away from how fun it is to watch Fred Williamson and Julius Harris as a father-and-son mob boss team. Granted, he's another character that's basically re-written fron scratch in this sequel, but Julius Harris is genuinely badass as Gibbs, Sr. in this movie. Makes you kinda regret that he never got to headline his own Blaxploitation actioner. I'd watch that in a heartbeat. Gerald Gordon is also quite nasty and effective as crooked lawyer DiAngelo (who this movie shamelessly tries to pretend had anything to do with the original), although he sadly doesn't get a great deal of screentime. Also, I realize this might be a bit of sacrilege, but I really like Edwin Starr's soundtrack for this one a whole lot more than James Brown's in the original. While there were passages of Black Caesar where it seemed like James wasn't super into it, Starr is bringing 110% of that funky energy to the table. That opening song is a goddamned knockout. But the thing that makes this a possible improvement over the original, I think, is that Larry Cohen clearly isn't playing the material quite so straight the second time around. This movie is just full of lunatic little cartoon touches- one of Tommy's goons still holding a cop at gunpoint while using a urinal; Julius Harris suffering a murderous, opera-tinged night terror; Tommy's soulfood-based revenge on a hidden enclave of Italian mobsters (I particularly love the location title that pops up at the beginning of this sequence, which simply reads "AN UNNAMED ISLAND OFF THE FLORIDA KEYS"); the random, bikini-clad, karate lady extra who knocks Fred Williamson right on his ass, to his visible confusion; the indelible image of a gunned-down gangster lying in a New York street with a half-eaten hotdog still protruding from his mouth. It's all nuts, and it's all terrific.
|
|
|
Post by brandomarlon2003 on Mar 8, 2022 3:56:54 GMT
The King's Man
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 8, 2022 12:54:34 GMT
I agree there was great buddy chemistry between Van Damme and Gibb. When they first met it seemed like they were going to be enemies, but then turned out to be inseparable pals. It was nice to see Donald Gibb, being given something else to work from, other than just the usual high school bully, or biker asshole, who ends up getting his ass whipped by the hero, and hell, Jackson even gave Bolo Yeung quite a bit of worry, at least for a short while, during their encounter. Sadly for Ray, he became a bit too cocky for his own good, and when he had the upper hand and possibility to finish off his rival for good, he ended up clowning and goofing around too much.
|
|
|
Post by brandomarlon2003 on Mar 8, 2022 18:16:08 GMT
The Batman (2022)
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 9, 2022 14:51:40 GMT
|
|
|
Post by stefancrosscoe on Mar 9, 2022 15:23:13 GMT
Deathstalker (1983) by James Sbardellati This one, could easily have been re-named into "RAPESTALKER", as it opens with a rather disturbing scenario, when a young female, is about to be raped, and suddenly the "hero" arrives, "penetrating" the villainous character, with his big sword, all while trying to continue on with what the other recent fella had some nasty plans for, but this time, with his smaller "sword", and yeah, damn, I somehow must have forgot, how rapey this movie actually turned out to be, and there is just many of these similar scenes, with men forcing themselves upon women, that it is easy to loose track, after a while. Could be an interesting drinking game, though. Anyway, this felt more like some creepy and doubtful low budget attempt, on making a softporn, rather than just a cheap chash in, on the huge success, of far superior movies, within the early 80s Sword and Sorecery Fantasy genre, like Conan the Barbarian (1982). Well, I guess one should not exactly be too surprise, as this was classic Roger Corman style, and I think he made several similar themed b-movies, down in the South-America, often using the same actors and such, but yeah, we get a shitload of tits and ass, all over the place, so much that yeah, it felt as mentioned, more like some adult film, than having much to do with magic and "romance". I mean, I do not complain, about getting to see lots of the beautiful Lana Clarkson and other of the stunning ladies, but sadly, there is not much left to be given to their characters. In fact, there is pretty much not one single likeable person in the film, just a bunch of douchebags and smug assholes, who felt more like evil and creepy villains, than something to cheer for. This was picked up, way back in 2010 or 11, when the now out of production Roger Corman Cult Classic series, arrived on DVD and Blu-ray, and part of a Sword and Sorcery collection, of 4 titles. 2 Deathstalker films, and two I forgot about, right now that is. Anyway, the male lead, is such a complete bore and has the same charm and charisma of that of a brick wall, that yeah, feels like someone, who got just picked up at the ver last moment, because the director suddenly realized the film needed some random musclebound dude, to be cast as the "hero". All in all, I did not hate it, but sure ass hell did not love it either. Too boring and annoying, also all the unecessary raping parts, felt cheap and vulgar, and yeah, I remembered that I got way more out of the funnier and charmier sequel by Jim Wynorski, that also were included on the same Cult Classic 4-movie DVD. 4,5/10
Deathstalker II (1987) by Jim Wynorski "Not the Hair! Not the Hair! Anything but the Hair!"
Well, I had to give this another watch, as well. And yeah, this surely made up for the entertainment value, where the original more or less came off as a letdown. This time, the plot, characters and comedy, feels more in touch with similar adventure and fantasy parodies, such as The Princess Bride (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992), but of course, with not much money (compared to the two beloved cult films). I still think Jim Wynorski did one hell of a job, with what he got, and makes me often wonder, how great a movie, someone like him, could do, if he got a bit more time and money on his hands, to work from. Of course, that is probably also why b-movie producers like Roger Corman, loved to work with him, so much during the 80s and early 90s. Give him a couple of days, and in return, you would have 2-3 movies made, all ready for the video rental market. Anyway, Deathstalker II succeeds, because it is funny, charming, adventurous, sexy and quite witty as well, and also you have characters that you end up liking, such as the more comical anti-hero (played great by John Terelsky), who puts a bit of a spin, upon the overused Barbarian cliche, and has a certain comic timing, that feels not far off, what Bruce Campbell, did around the same time. Sure, it also helps, having the stunningly sexy and cute Monique Gabrielle, as his sidekick, yet also she gets the opportunity, to play two roles, in one film. The other, as the evil clone, which is quite the opposite of her other role. In the true spirit of Wynorski and his films of that era, you also get quite an impressive display of big breasted women, lots of tits and ass (not complaing at all), and of course, the lovely Monique Gabrielle, who surely steels the show. Also, this one, makes quite some fun of the former chapter, where Deathstalker, is put through a trial, because of his love for the opposite sex, and in return, he must fight to survive, against a giant redheaded woman, in the ring of death. Beside the heroic parts, we also get the not so friendly, John Lazar, as a bit of a smug, yet enjoyable villain, and the film actually comes with quite a brutal final climax, to the whole swordfight scenery, which was a positive surprise. All in all, Deathstalker II, was way more fun and shows that Wynorski surely could make interesting, entertaining and sometimes, even way better sequels, than the original films, in which he often had nothing to do with. Kind of a shame, he did not do more of these enjoyable and light hearted fantasy films, as he sure had a talent of it back then. Also to be mentioned, the soundtrack/maine theme rocks, and yes, the films original movie poster, is surely taking the piss out of many classic Sword and Sorcery posters, as where the poster of Deathstalker II, has these two muclebound characters, in which neither looks anything alike either Terelsky or Gabrielle, and that only makes it more fun. 6,5/10
|
|