Blu Review – Warlock Collection

Warlock
Director – Steve Miner (Halloween H20, Friday the 13th: Part II)
Starring – Julian Sands (Biker Mice from Mars, Naked Lunch), Lori Singer (Footloose, Short Cuts), and Richard E. Grant (Logan, Game of Thrones)
Release Date – 1989
Rating – 4/5

Tagline – “He’s come from the past to destroy the future”

I get a lot of films to review and a good portion of them are movies I had never seen before. Recently, Vestron Video sent over the religious horror film The Unholy which was a new watch for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and decided to check out another Vestron release. This time, it was a film I had seen before.

When I was younger, elementary age, I rented the 1989 horror film Warlock. I absolutely loved it. Loved it so much that I bought that exact tape when the video store closed. I really enjoyed the film and when Vestron announced the blu release I knew this was one I had to add to my collection. I reached out to them and they were kind enough to send over a review copy. Thanks guys!

**Spoiler Alert**The film begins in Boston in 1691 where a witch is about to be executed for his ties to the devil. He is able to escape through a tornado but not before witch-hunter Redferne is able to follow. The warlock and Redferne find themselves transported through time to modern day (1989). The warlock immediately sets in motion to find the ancient pages from a book that could deliver the true name of God. When the name is said backwards it will undo everything God has created. Redferne, along with a woman cursed by the warlock, must stop him before he can end the world.**Spoiler Alert**

I always enjoyed this film. I remember the night I first rented this on tape. I also rented Tobe Hooper’s Invasion from Mars and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Warlock was one of those horror films that never really scared me but I found myself fascinated by how well it ties into Christianity.

The acting in this one is fantastic. Julian Sands performance is unrivaled. People are quick to compare his performance to Andrew Divoff as the evil djinn in Wishmaster. I do enjoy Divoff as the djinn but Sands performance is leagues above Divoff here. Sands will always be remembered for his performance as the warlock. He is ruthless and calculating with some light humor tossed in for good measure.

Also, I really enjoyed Richard E. Grant’s performance as Redferne. He is easily one of my favorite heroes from any horror film. His performance is not that amazing but he really makes his character fun to watch. With that being said, I did not care for Lori Singer. She felt forced and not genuine for most of the film. In fact, she is one of the few complaints I actually have about the film.

The story for this one is somewhat bonkers if you look at it from a realistic perspective. We have a warlock and a witch-hunter going through time where the warlock tries to destroy the world. Both keep their same clothes as they did in 1691 and no one bats an eye. Its amazing how the film has so many cheesy moments but still works. The film incorporates a lot of religious mythology and terminology into a film that can be dark at times. It has a lot of brilliant ideas pitted against some minor things that just don’t make sense like the wardrobe never being addressed.

Finally, this one does have a few fun gags and some bloody but doesn’t have a lot of blood and gore. The effects we get are fantastic in regards to the practical effects. However, the visual effects are very dated and not that fun. The film would have benefited from not having visual effects present in the film. Overall, Warlock is a childhood favorite of mine and I can’t express how much I love this campy 80s classic. I have a soft spot for witch movies so I may be biased but this film is fantastic. Check it out!

Warlock: The Armageddon
Director – Anthony Hickox (Waxwork, Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat)
Starring – Julian Sands (Warlock, Dexter), Chris Young (Married with Children, The Great Outdoors), and Paula Marshall (Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, The Flash)
Release Date – 1993
Rating – 3.5/5

Tagline – “When he comes…all hell breaks loose”

I love movies and my love for horror cannot be bound to a certain type or sub-genre. I love zombies, slashers, witches, gothic, haunted houses, and so on. When I find a movie I really like I hope that someday there will be a sequel because I typically like sequels to movies I enjoy.

When I was younger I really enjoyed the film Warlock starring Julian Sands. It was one of the many horror films in my rotation growing up and when the video store went out of business I quickly rushed in to grab the tape. I can’t count how many times I had watched the film and yet I didn’t know Warlock had a sequel until just a mere few months ago when Vestron Video announced the Warlock collection blu release. I was very excited to see a sequel to a film I love. Thank you Vestron for sending it this way.

**Spoiler Alert**The film follows an old order of druids that are the keepers of two ancient stones that are part of a set of six stones needed to raise Satan. The druids have six days, the time between two eclipses, to stop an evil warlock from gathering the stones. They use their children as their warriors and kill them so they can be resurrected with the powers of the druids in order to fight the powerful warlock. The two have to work together to channel their powers in order to stop him from gathering the stones and raising his master so he can create hell on earth.**Spoiler Alert**

The first Warlock flick is far from perfect but it has great atmosphere and characters you can really enjoy. I was curious how the sequel would be handled considering the original production company went under right as the first film was completed. I was glad to see Julian Sands returned to his role as the warlock.

The acting in this one is not as good as the first film. Julian Sands once again portrays the warlock but doesn’t deliver the charm and witty performance we remember from the first film. His character has reduced screen time and is portrayed more menacingly here. Doesn’t mean his performance is bad but it does make it feel inconsistent.

The film’s lead, Chris Young, was solid but doesn’t really hit the mark that you would expect for a film of this caliber. Though the budget is on the smaller side one would expect the lead to knock it out of the park. Young doesn’t feel genuine.

With that being said, I’m so glad that Paula Marshall is in the film. She is the lead in my favorite Hellraiser sequel, also directed by Anthony Hickox, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth. You know the film entertain when the theme song is done by Motorhead! Paula is an absolutely gorgeous actress who can easily play the victim or the hero in any film. In Warlock: The Armageddon she is able to play both perfectly. She is the true star of the film and a real babe.

The story for this one doesn’t really jive that well with what was established in the first film. In the first film we followed the warlock who was trying to undo everything God had created. The story was very influenced by religion and the warlock was vulnerable for the most part. In this installment he is almost invincible and the religious angle has been substituted with pagan rituals and mythology. I really liked the pagan take on it but it doesn’t really go well with what the first film established. Also, I didn’t really care for how weak the characters were in comparison to the warlock. I understand what they were going for but it made for a very anticlimactic film where you expect everyone to be crushed.

Finally, this film is fucking gory. The first film had some fun gags and a solid amount of blood but Armageddon dials up the intensity with some great gore and practical effects. This mid 90s horror film gives anything from the 80s a run for its money. Sadly, the film uses way too much CGI that is just horrible. Some of the worst I have ever seen. I’m surprised they released the film with these monstrosities scattered throughout. Overall, Warlock: The Armageddon is not a bad movie. It does have a different tone than the first and a ton more gore but does fall a little short. This film is perfect pairing with the first film and would recommend it for any late night double feature. Check it out.

Warlock III: The End of Innocence
Director – Eric Freiser (Take Out the Beast)
Starring – Bruce Payne (Tales from the Crypt, Necronomicon: Book of Dead), Ashley Laurence (Hellraiser, Lightning Bug), and Paul Francis (Pearl Harbor, The Last Man on Planet Earth)
Release Date – 1999
Rating – 3/5

Tagline – “He’ll take your soul…if you let him”

Trilogies typically end on a band note. I love sequels and I’m very open minded about follow up but I’m also realistic. Typically third installments in a series sucks. Case in point, Beastmaster III. Growing up, as I stated in their respected reviews, I never knew that the film Warlock had a sequel and I was shocked as hell when I discovered that it was actually a trilogy. I actually enjoy the first film. Probably more than I should but it is a childhood favorite. The film’s sequel was different in tone but was still a fun watch.

As I moved into the third and final film in the series I was afraid that I was going to find myself in the middle of a shitstorm that was branded the Warlock name. Also, I was a little disappointed that Julian Sands was not returning but I was pleasantly surprised with the film.

**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a young woman who receives word that she has inherited a house that once belonged to her family. She visits the home with a group of her friends to try and learn about her family when she is approached by someone with a letter for her when they are interrupted by an architect looking to purchase the home. The architect is actually a warlock who plans on turning her friends against her so he can use her for her blood.**Spoiler Alert**

I didn’t know what to expect from Warlock III. I really enjoy the first two films but the artwork that I kept coming across for the film reminded me a lot of the late 90s horror films that copied the look and feel of Scream. The film itself was actually pretty good but nowhere near the level the first two films were. It was far from perfect but still satisfied to an extent.

The acting in this one is easily the worst in the series. Ashley Laurence is a horror legend after her connection with the Hellraiser series but she was lacking here. Her performance was very forced and she does not feel genuine at all. The same can be said for most of her co-stars with the exception of Bruce Payne. Payne is no Sands but he still delivered a fun and memorable performance. If the film had a little more originality Payne could have went on have his own horror icon.

The story for this one is a watered down version of the what we got in the previous two films. The film is easily the slowest in the trilogy with very little character development aside from Ashley Laurence’s character. We get no back story on the warlock or the other’s in the film. I love films with character development and backstories and this one skips on that. Also, there is several “plot holes” where the film’s story is not consistent creating errors in it’s logic.

Finally, the film does have a few on screen kills that make good use of practical effects. Some scenes have better effects than others but they all deliver the blood. Overall, Warlock III: The End on Innocence may not be perfect but I enjoyed. I may catch hell for this but I can see myself revisiting this one. I liked the look of the film and how the story played out.