Evil Knights Templar are put to death, their eyes burnt out and bodies burned on bonfires only to return 500 years later on the anniversary of their deaths to have their revenge.
With moments reminiscent of Night of the Living Dead the rest of director Amando De Ossorio's (follow up, remake or stand alone story of Tombs of the Blind Dead) is a slow burning, effective little Spanish horror.
The characters and story are developed arguably more than it's predecessor and while the pace is faster it's still very slow. Your patience is rewarded with creepy visuals, pulsating hearts, killer blade welding zombie knights, fitting music, all with the backdrop of an on location, eerie small town and ruins.
Although dated the idea of knights coming back from the dead is still appealing, there's plenty of hammer horror-esque bright blood on display and it has a seventies charm about it, flares, huge collars etc. The dubbing and sound design aside, the cast are more than adequate, notably an unrecognisable José Canalejas as Murdo, the hunchback-like village outcast.
The final act is satisfying enough and as the dawn arrives prior to the credits you'll feel relieved in a good or bad way dependant on your feelings of this atmospheric gem.
Overall, while it doesn’t follow the first film's continuity, it has the charming simplicity of its predecessor and debatably more tension than Tombs.
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