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
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "He's come from the past to destroy the future"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     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!
     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.

     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!