Warlock (1989) Movie Review
Written by: ML
Edited by: Grave Reviews Staff
Film Information
Director: Steve Miner
Producers: Steve Miner
Writers: David Twohy
Date Released: May 1989
Cast:
Julian Sands as Warlock
Lori Singer as Kassandra
Richard E. Grant as Giles Redferne
Mary Woronov as the channeler
Kevin O’Brien as Chas
Richard Kuss as the Mennonite
Rating = 3.5/5 Graves
***May contain some spoilers***
Synopsis
The story is about an evil warlock sentenced to death in the 17th century but was able to magically flee to the 20th century. His captor, a witch-hunter named Redferne, also traveled forward in time. Together with a young woman who was cursed by the warlock, they searched for the missing piece of the Grand Grimoire to stop the warlock from unleashing evil and reversing the creation of the universe.
Gore Factor
There were a few but surprising gore in this movie. An unexpected scene happened when the warlock suddenly cut the finger of the roommate to steal the ring. The shock does end there because he kissed him and bit his tongue off. The scariest scene was when the fake psychic became really possessed by the devil. After their agreement, the warlock took her eyes out to use as a compass. There was also bloodshed when the Mennonite looked into the warlock’s eyes. Of course, the warlock’s brutal death was the main highlight.
The Grave Review
This movie is suspenseful from start to finish. The thrill of chasing evil to protect the world is something that audiences would want to see until it’s finally over. The story is good and while it could be improved, it was still exciting enough to watch.
Although Julian Sands as the warlock was mesmerizing, he was creepy and evil. In terms of acting, there were times when Redferne seemed like someone from the Stone Age. Maybe it was the fur coat or the way he reacted at the modern things.
For the special effects, this was the late 80s so the warlock’s fire did not look like fire. It looked like lava especially when Redferne was choking on it during the fight scene. On the other hand, the fake psychic’s devil face and Kassandra’s old woman features were believable.
There were some funny scenes in the movie such as when the warlock was tied to the leather whip and dragging Redferne behind. Another laughable moment was when Kassandra was chasing the train. Seeing that she has aged but wearing teenager clothes, it was a fun to watch. Also, the airport and airplane scene where Redferne was allowed to carry the wind vane was hilarious.
The only problem in this movie was the lack of back story about the warlock’s quest and his rivalry with Redferne. There were times when the characters tell something about what happened but it would’ve been better if there were flashbacks. The opening credits should’ve been some kind of prologue, but it was wasted with the walking men instead.
But the ending was good in the sense that it had closure. With the warlock’s death, the Grand Grimoire was finally safe. It might not be buried on hallowed ground but it was a place where witches and warlocks could never go near and it was such a brilliant idea.
Overall, Warlock (1989) is good if you are looking for some scary magic and suspense.
For the foregoing reasons, Grave Reviews gives Warlock (1989) three and a half graves out of five graves.
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