This movie has primitive special effects and the action scenes are best left uncommented. The plot is simple and can be viewed as primitive and even dumb. See? It is so easy to label "Hawk the Slayer" bad. But how about this?
Two details stand out and require a comment. First, a little crucifix with a retractable blade. Can you picture a thing like that thrown by a human hand to easily cut through a very thick rope hanging in the air? What, you can't? Right, because it should not be possible, it is absolutely implausible, and the movie has no magic to account for this little plot element. A plot element able to put some of the craziest Steven Seagal knife or sword tricks to shame. At least, it is backed up dramatically. So, cannot say this was a hundred percent bad. The movie did pave the way for this crazy move and the craziness of it is somewhat weakened. Detail number two is more interesting. There is a fight going on. One of the good guys sees that a comrade is in danger and shouts to warn them. Obviously, dropping their own guard for a moment. A moment that proves enough to get a lethal stab in the back from one of the enemies. Someone else does something similar and suffers the same fate immediately. Then a third one gets similarly distracted but, luckily for them, is wanted alive by the enemy, and only gets knocked out. Why bring this up, you ask? Because this shows the audience that, fantasy or not, the danger is real, death is real.
The music was nice, the cinematography was beautiful, simple, but precise and efficient. There may not be much to look at in the movie, of course, but all of this material is presented in a good way. It is comfortable to observe. The plot is, again, simple, but it is methodical and precise. The motivations are clear. The heroes are heroic. The main baddy means business and the actors were good, in general. Speaking of the villain, though, his metal helmet reminds me of Darth Vader, of course. And because of how the new masked bad guy was treated in the Disney Star Wars trilogy, I now have even more respect for Voltan than way back as a kid.
Two details stand out and require a comment. First, a little crucifix with a retractable blade. Can you picture a thing like that thrown by a human hand to easily cut through a very thick rope hanging in the air? What, you can't? Right, because it should not be possible, it is absolutely implausible, and the movie has no magic to account for this little plot element. A plot element able to put some of the craziest Steven Seagal knife or sword tricks to shame. At least, it is backed up dramatically. So, cannot say this was a hundred percent bad. The movie did pave the way for this crazy move and the craziness of it is somewhat weakened. Detail number two is more interesting. There is a fight going on. One of the good guys sees that a comrade is in danger and shouts to warn them. Obviously, dropping their own guard for a moment. A moment that proves enough to get a lethal stab in the back from one of the enemies. Someone else does something similar and suffers the same fate immediately. Then a third one gets similarly distracted but, luckily for them, is wanted alive by the enemy, and only gets knocked out. Why bring this up, you ask? Because this shows the audience that, fantasy or not, the danger is real, death is real.
The music was nice, the cinematography was beautiful, simple, but precise and efficient. There may not be much to look at in the movie, of course, but all of this material is presented in a good way. It is comfortable to observe. The plot is, again, simple, but it is methodical and precise. The motivations are clear. The heroes are heroic. The main baddy means business and the actors were good, in general. Speaking of the villain, though, his metal helmet reminds me of Darth Vader, of course. And because of how the new masked bad guy was treated in the Disney Star Wars trilogy, I now have even more respect for Voltan than way back as a kid.