A Trashy Fantasy Reboot With Real Charm

Read Time:5 Minute, 2 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Deathstalker
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Genre: Adventure, Action, Fantasy
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 42m
Director(s): Steven Kostanski
Writer(s): Steven Kostanski
Cast: Daniel Bernhardt, Patton Oswalt, Christina Orjalo, Paul Lazenby, Nicholas Rice, Nina Bergman, John Clifford Talbot
Where to Watch: in select theaters October 10, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: Every so often, a filmmaker comes along who embraces the absurdity of a genre without apology. Steven Kostanski has made a career out of that blend. With DEATHSTALKER, he doubles down on his affection for monsters, gory practical effects, and the earnest joy of throwback fantasy. This reimagining of Roger Corman’s sword-and-sorcery staple arrives with all the foam-crafted cave walls, smoke-drenched battlefields, and stop-motion monstrosities you’d expect, and it doesn’t pretend to be anything else. The result is a noisy return to pulp fantasy, one that knows its audience and rewards them with exactly the kind of spectacle they crave.

The story unfolds in the Kingdom of Abraxeon, besieged by the Dreadites, who serve the long-dead sorcerer Nekromemnon. When Deathstalker, played with unexpected seriousness and physicality by Daniel Bernhardt, stumbles upon a cursed amulet, he finds himself marked by dark magick. The narrative follows his quest to break the curse as he navigates monstrous assassins and ancient evils. It’s a plotline steeped in cliché, but in a film like this, the predictability works in its favor. The beats are classic rather than stale, providing a foundation for Kostanski’s handcrafted chaos to take center stage.

Bernhardt makes for a surprisingly commanding lead. Known for his martial arts background, he brings intensity to the role without ever losing sight of the tongue-in-cheek atmosphere. What elevates the experience even further is the presence of Patton Oswalt, whose voice work as the benevolent wizard Doodad adds just the right amount of levity without tipping the balance too far into parody. Oswalt’s cadence keeps the fantastical world from collapsing under its own gravity, while still respecting the narrative's stakes. Supporting performances round out the film, though most function primarily as foils to Bernhardt’s musclebound heroism.

One of the greatest strengths here is the commitment to practical effects. Creature suits, prosthetic make-up, and stop-motion animation provide a tactile charm that computer-generated imagery often lacks. Kostanski and his Action Pants FX team lean into textures, gore, and stylized design, producing knowingly over-the-top visuals. The monsters usually look like they’ve stumbled out of a 90s Power Rangers episode, only here they’re bathed in slime and spraying entrails. That balance of playful and grotesque is a Kostanski trademark, and it lands well in this context.

Musically, the film benefits from a score by Blitz//Berlin, punctuated by an original song from Slash with contributions from Bear McCreary. The soundscape blends classic fantasy with modern rock flourishes, underlining the mix of homage and reinvention. If there’s a drawback, it’s that the soundtrack occasionally fades into the background when it could have taken a bolder role. A film this outrageous sometimes demands an equally outrageous score, and there are moments where the restraint feels like a missed opportunity.

At its best, the movie revels in gleeful trash, embracing excess and spectacle. At its weakest, it flirts with taking itself too seriously, only to undercut that with a joke or awkward gag. The unevenness doesn’t ruin the experience, but it keeps the film from fully capitalizing on its strongest moments. The sheer enthusiasm propelling this project is undeniable. Kostanski adores the pulp cinema of the 80s, and he doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the shortcomings of the original Corman production. Gone are the regressive tropes and exploitative tendencies; in their place is a film that wants to have fun with the past without being shackled by it. In that respect, it succeeds in updating a cult film for modern audiences while staying true to its trash-fantasy roots.

Fans of Kostanski’s earlier work, like PSYCHO GOREMAN, will feel right at home. The lo-fi aesthetic may take aback newcomers who approach the film expecting studio-quality effects, but those willing to surrender to its deliberately scrappy style will find a great deal to enjoy. DEATHSTALKER isn’t about redefining the genre; it’s about reminding us why a certain brand of cult cinema remains so enduring. It’s messy, weird, and wildly entertaining in all the ways it should be. This is a movie that delivers on its promise without ever transcending its niche. It’s more of a celebration than a reinvention, a film built by fans for fans, and in that scope, it largely works. DEATHSTALKER may not be great fantasy, but it’s undeniably fun fantasy.

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