Peter Yates delivers an ambitious sci-fi/fantasy with magic, fantasy, and heroic deeds. Many of the special effects are impressive, and those that don’t are of the time. The make-up also holds up quite well. It’s a visually creative production and overall well made. At times it echoes Excalibur mixed with Hawk the Slayer but is overall better than the latter. Memorable scenes include an eerie evil doppelgänger wizard (played by the excellent John Welsh), banshee-like seduction and a giant (stop-motion) spider. The film score by James Horner is iconic, complementing sci-fi and fantasy themes, giving the film a grandiose weight.
The cast is an array of familiar faces, including Liam Neeson, Robbie Coltrane and Todd Carty (Eastenders) in supporting roles. Lysette Anthony has little to do unfortunately but lights up the screen as Lyssa. Led Ken Marshall is impressive as Colwyn and is slightly ahead of his time. Memorable are both David Battley as Ergo the shapeshifter and Bernard Bresslaw’s Rell the Cyclops. Like Welsh, Alun Armstrong is on his usual reliable acting form as Torquil.
At times Yates’ direction is heavy-handed, possibly due to some editing choices with over length scenes where really nothing is going on. Stanford Sherman writing is a little thin, the sci-fi elements feel a little shoes-horned, either to cash in on Return of the Jedi and/or to distant itself from Lord of the Rings. That said, there are stunning visuals and great costume design notably of the Slayers. Many of the sets are spectacular, the on-location scenery also adds credence and atmosphere to the fellowships’ journey.
Overall, it bests the endless recent DTV CGI low budget films of its genre. It’s not as fun as it should be; but it is sword sorcery fantasy comfort food, with just the ingredients to rightly make it a cult favourite.
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