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Krull

Krull

List Price: $19.94
Your Price: $17.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Um... no.
Review: There is only one question for anyone who thinks Krull is a great movie: Are you kidding me? I mean, I know you're kidding somebody, but is it me? I'm a scifi junkie and I knew this movie was pants the first time I saw it. (And that was at age 10 or 12 or something.) Really, unless you're geting royalties from the sale of this film I can't imagine why you'd give it more than two stars.

The plot to Krull is alternately tired and incoherent, the special effects are nothing "special" at all, and the world in which it all occurs feels as if it was cobbled together from a bunch of Yes album-covers and/or cliched Dungeons & Dragons scenarios. (Yeah, yeah. I know: same thing. Sorry.) I'd rather watch those trashy Kevin Sorbo Hercules shows, which have the comparative grace to a) acknowledge that they're silly and b) dispose of themselves in a mere 60 minutes.

And in case you're thinking that I should "lighten up" and enjoy this bad movie as a bad movie, lemme just clarify that Krull isn't even good in a "damn it's so bad that it's good" kind of way. If that's what you want, don't waste your time with this. Go rent Ice Pirates instead. Now THERE'S a four-star bad movie, which I am proud to own. Some of Robert Urich's finest work, in fact...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Guilty Pleasure!
Review: True, it's not the best movie, but it ranks up there with some of the other 80s trash (Beastmaster, Clash of the Titans, and Xanadu) when it comes to recalling fond memories from my childhood. Hell, I even had the Krull BOARD GAME!!! Thanks, Columbia/Tri Star!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An '80's classic!
Review: Despite the predictable, formulaic plot, this film contains plenty of visual and symbolic creativity to entertain sci fi and fantasy lovers. Surreal images and stunning filmography dominate the entire movie, and sufficiently overshadow the somewhat weak characterization and acting that is no more than satisfactory. The pre-computer age special effects are good enough and, most importantly, put to good use. The plot maintains a consistent pace and doesn't become sidetracked from its original aim. The music is an upbeat, John Williams-like symphonic composition.

The story takes place on the planet Krull, which has been besieged by an evil entity known as the Beast. He inhabits the Black Fortress, a mountainous structure that changes location at every sunrise. Price Colwyn embarks on a quest to destroy this evil after his father is slain and his bride imprisoned in the Black Fortress. The plot progresses in a way reminiscent of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

Some intriguing oddities, like the use of driving bits (normally used in conjunction with carriage harness) on the riding horses, help to create an otherworldly feel through relative unfamiliarity. Medieval style weaponry and laser guns bring past and future together in an interesting combination. Symbolism involving the concepts of time and space is prominent and repeated in countless different forms.

Though i personally like this film a lot, it's not for everybody. The lack of character depth and not-so-great acting are major counts against it, so i highly recommend renting it at your local video store before buying it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: grade 'B' movie gets an 'A'-grade DVD
Review: Unlike most reviewers here, I don't think Krull is as good as they say, let alone a classic. But the DVD quality and extras available on it make up for the film's shortcomings and really adds to the viewing experience. Another example of the DVD enhancing the actual film, beyond the obvious upgrade in video and audio. If you like this type of film, buy it. If you don't, a rental will do as it still makes for an enjoyable 'popcorn'-viewing experience.

A few notes on the film:

*visually, it's still impressive. From the psychadelic set pieces inside the beast's fortress, the design of the 'Slayers', the 'swamp' sequence(arguably the best scene in the film), the widow's lair, etc. Only the sparse-looking castle designs at the beginning look 'cheap'. The music is also rousing and memorable enough to draw you in.

*the film should be given an award for not having an annoying child actor or grating 'comic relief' actor mess up the film. Both of these characters work quite well. In fact, the secondary characters(bandits, old man, cyclops,etc) all come off better(more natural) than the primary leads. Don't believe me? Can you imagine anyone else playing Luke Skywalker? No. But I could easily imagine someone else playing the leads in Krull. Btw, Lysette Anthony CAN act. She just doesn't do it very well in this one.

*the film does a nice job(for the most part) of invoking a medieval yet far-off time and place, with its main weakness being the not-so-charismatic leads and not so great script.

*One thing really bothers me though, the special weapon 'Glaive' is rendered pointless at the end when the two of them discover it's their love(ugh) that can defeat the beast, not the glaive-that and shooting fire out of Colwyn's hand. So why make such a big deal about getting the Glaive at the beginning?

Other films you might want to check out: Excalibur, Dragonslayer, Clash of the Titans, Conan the Barbarian, & maybe Hawk: The Slayer or The Beastmaster.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A SCI-FANTASY MUST OWN
Review: One of the more original fantasy films of the 80s, Krull is indeed an amalgamation of Excalibur and Star Wars (and even stars Liam Neeson, who has appeared in both). Krull itself is a pseudo-medieval world of swords and sorcery, but imperiled by aliens from another world known as Slayers, and their master who is known simply as the Beast. For reasons none-too-well defined, the Beast kidnaps Lyssa, the betrothed of the young swashbuckler Colwyn, and leaves the newly united kingdoms destroyed in his wake. With the aid of the wise Ynir, Colwyn sets out to rescue his fiancé and the entirety of Krull, while employing the aid of a ragtag group of adventurers he meets along the way.

Though the visuals are dated now, the world of Krull is an interesting place filled with giant spiders, seers, firemares, and cyclopean aliens. Still, the adventure itself is a bit contrived, and somewhat predictable, and vague in more areas than it should be. And yet the film is one of those classic fantasy movies that see the light of day so rarely now, and brings with it an inherent charm and classical ambience. It is a straightforward sci-fantasy adventure, and aspires to no false pretenses.

The DVD itself is packed with interesting features for fans of Krull new and old, including audio commentaries and a making-of featurette which may not have been seen since around the time of the film's theatrical release in July of 1983. The on-screen display (menus and such) are very attractive and enhance the presentation value of the disc. It's certainly worth the money to own this little gem and add it to those collections of science fiction and fantasy out there.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Classic Sci-Fi Film before there were Computers
Review: This is a simple film about a boy who meets a girl, and then a monster shows up and kidnaps the girl. Definately one of my all time favorites from when I was young. The special effects are cheesy, but the action and plot are good.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Movie
Review: Krull is one of the best fantasy/adventure movies ever made. Instead of relying on phony looking computer graphics -like many other movies of the genre - this movie is made up of diverse, interesting characters in an interesting story. The movie is both funny and scary, happy and sad, classic and unique. Great movie sums it up.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: not all nostalgia is good
Review: In '83 I was 8 years old, and I thought Krull was a seriously cool movie. Hell, I even owned the Atari game. So when Krull was released on DVD I was excited to revisit the story and fill in the gaps of my memory (I think I saw it last in '85 or '86). A mere 20 minutes ago the DVD stopped spinning in my player, and I am left with a burning question: "Why did I like this movie so much?" I am not exactly sure, but I think it had something to do with there being a cyclops and a giant throwing-star-like weapon called the "Glave." It certainly wasn't for the plot, special effects, or character development... which I find suprisingly mediocre now that I'm in my 20's. So, Krull hasn't held up for me like some other 80's flicks, but those who still get their kicks from it will find a nice picture and good DD sound. The disc has two commentary tracks which I probably won't listen to, but it's nice to see "B-films" like Krull get a nice DVD release.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A predicatable, but fun gem of the 1980's.
Review: This movie is probably best enjoied by those who saw it when they were younger or for those with grade-school children now. I was around the age of seven when I first saw this movie on HBO and it has always stayed with me as a fanatasy/adventure favourite. The story is, as other reviewers note, a bit obvious, but its fresh settings and lush imagery make it a very wothwhile film to rent or own.

I would have liked a more involved female character, which is why I give it only four stars. Female action stars were hard to come by in the 1980's so this is not a big surprise. As a DVD, I am quite impressed and was happy to finally see the film in letterbox.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A DVD worthy of the Glaive, even if the movie itself isn't.
Review: Recently, I did a review for "The Black Hole" where I noted my childhood fascination with the film. Well, like any good child, it only took some other trend to lure me away. Drifting in-between Star Wars toys, I found myself drawn to the magical marketing of "Krull" and specifically the one weapon I would have given up a lightsaber for - the Glaive, a combination between a boomerang, a ninja star, and that ball from the Phantasm movies.

Well, my desire for a Glaive was easily sated when a friend of mine and I took two small, thin strips of wood, laid them out in an X and pounded a bunch of nails in the center. Voila - instant Glaive. I even had the Krull video game for my super high tech Atari 2600.

But I digress...the same friend who helped make the Glaive some 18 years ago just bought me the DVD for my birthday. I hadn't seen the film in well over ten years, and eagerly popped it in. I recall thinking the film mediocre even as a child (hence why I hadn't seen it in so long), and that sensation was reinforced upon viewing it again on DVD.

The story itself is intriguing, akin to John Sayles' "Seven Samurai" sci-fi interpretation as seen in "Battle Beyond the Stars". "Krull", though, suffers from an uneven flow and lack of character development. The only prolonged scenes in the film are those of action, whereas the plot movement is reduced to nothing more than an explanation of why the characters are moving onto the next action sequence location. Character development doesn't just take a back seat, it's not even in the car. After some whisperings of dialogue at the very beginning about the situation on Krull, nothing further is really brought up to explain the pasts of the characters, the history of this unique world, or key insights into personalities which are so pivotal to ensemble films such as this. After the beginning, the movie seems to move forward assuming that "Damsel in distress, Hero to Rescue" in and of itself is compelling enough reason to watch the characters interact with various set pieces. It is not, which is why "Krull" is obvious in its ambition, attractive in its presentation, but ultimately hollow in delivering satisfaction.

Now, why the four stars? The DVD presentation is first-rate. Audio commentary, trailers, "Making of" features, and an extremely creative and entertaining presentation of the Marvel comic book adaptation (did I mention I had that, too?). This seems to be a hold-over from my days of collecting widescreen films on video. I was quick to notice then that the best stuff and most supported letterbox releasing came from distributors who put out cult films. In the days of DVD, this seems to translate to first-class presentation for sometimes second-class films.

That's ok. I'll take it, because I appreciate that these distributors understand the nature of a certain film's fan base and do what they can to make it a worthwhile business endeavour and customer purchase. The four-star rating is a show of support for high-quality releases such as this one, and a slight nod to nostalga. I can't recommend it to the casual viewer, but if you are a sci-fi freak or cult film collector, go ahead and take a chance. Odds are, you'll enjoy yourself.

Now, for your enjoyment, I'll end with my world-famous Leonard Maltin impression: look for Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltraine in early roles.


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