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| Images courtesy of Raven Banner |
Deathstalker has come a long way since 1983. Initially financed by Roger Corman to cash in on the Conan the Barbarian craze, it proved immensely profitable, especially after it hit home video. The original film, with Rick Hill as the titular Deathstalker, was incredibly sleazy, filled with copious bare breasts and a misogynistic anti-hero protagonist. Overall, it's a mean, brutal, and nihilistic exploitation piece of work, that nonetheless is an entertaining watch.
The second film (and fan favorite), directed by B-movie guru Jim Wynorski, changed the tone entirely by injecting lots of self-aware humor, giving it a Saturday morning cartoon feel, and adding a rad theme song by composer Chuck Cirino. This was the peak of the franchise, as the third and fourth entries aren't memorable, though the last film brought back Rick Hill to embody Deathstalker again.
So, what is the Deathstalker franchise known for? For the most part, every film has these three elements: boobs, an unexplained guy with a pig's head, and reused footage from previous films to pad out the runtime. The new Deathstalker (2025) is sadly nudity-free, but it features Pig Dude and old footage, so it does uphold most of the traditions. Director and former Astron-6 member Steven Kostanski (The Void, Psycho Goreman) has upped the creatures and gore, making it the bloodiest of all the films.
In this latest installment, Daniel Bernhardt takes on the role of Deathstalker, a character he is a perfect fit for, thanks to his performance in the Bloodsport sequels. Unlike the original film, Bernhardt’s interpretation of Deathstalker is less cruel and features subtle deadpan humor that adds depth to the character. It's obvious that director Kostanski is a fan of the first two films, as this version strikes a perfect balance between the serious tone of the first film and the more lighthearted elements of the second. It prominently incorporates the memorable leitmotif from the score of the second installment too, which is a great choice because it kicks ass.
The practical effects and creature designs are incredible and are higher quality than anything in the previous films. If one is familiar with Japanese tokusatsu shows like Kamen Rider, Super Sentai, or Ultraman, or the work of director Keita Amemiya, they will find a lot to love with the fight scenes, which feature suit actors in full-body monster costumes. They are well edited and choreographed, and it's extremely rare to see this kind of work in Western movies or TV shows. A stylistic choice that may be divisive is the super-saturated color grading, which picks a single color for each sequence. Much of the film is deep orange or yellow-tinged, giving it a vintage fantasy paperback look, but it can be a bit overwhelming at times.
Honestly, Deathstalker feels like a movie made by people who love fantasy and trashy movies, and it's all the better for it. It's goopy and violent, never takes itself too seriously, and begs to be watched with a group of friends over some beer and pizza.
--Michelle Kisner