PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Warlock: The Armageddon is a 1993 American supernatural horror film directed by Anthony Hickox and is the sequel to the 1989 film Warlock. The film was produced by Trimark Pictures and features the late, great Julian Sands reprising his role as The Warlock, and he does it well enough. Though critics tend to bash movies like this, Variety‘s Leonard Klady wrote: “Chewing up the landscape with great relish, Sands almost erases all thought of his colorless adversaries.” Still, as one might expect from overzealous online critics, even his performance gets bashed by non-fans and those who just don’t get it.
So what is there to say about Warlock: The Armageddon? It was written by Kevin Rock and also stars Chris Young, Paula Marshall, Steve Kahan, and R.G. Armstrong, among others (though, yes, Sands stands above them all as the obvious star). The storyline indeed revolves around the warlock, who is resurrected and seeks to gather six magical runestones in order to summon Satan and usher in the apocalypse (well, okay, “The Armageddon”). Along the way, he leaves a gory trail of the dead, as the “new guy in town” who delivers terror (with a not-so-subtle wink at a sadistic, warped-minded audience who expect nothing less).
Do the good guys of Warlock: The Armageddon matter?
As one might expect, evil must inevitably face off against some good. In this case, it’s a small group of individual modern druids, including a young druid named Kenny (Young) and his girlfriend Samantha (Marshall), who must try to stop the dreaded Warlock from achieving his goal. Predictably, there’s a bit of training the young Kenny and Samantha undergo, and light hints of the quirkiness one would face as either a rural or suburban druid.
Though many would cynically downplay these characters, I think it’s perhaps a case of critics being lazy and being unwilling to give the movie credit for at least trying to have something other than “Warlock goes around killing people.” After all, wouldn’t many of these same critics condemn the movie if it didn’t have some story aside from the killings? Well, I am content with saying Warlock: The Armageddon is indeed no masterpiece, has some obvious flaws, but is still entertaining enough to rewatch, even if only every great once in a while (though, to be fair, I perfectly understand a critic wanting to write “Armageddon tired of this movie” in a review).
More on those critics
Yes, the film received mixed to negative reviews from critics and was not as successful as its predecessor, but who the hell cares? It was, and is, no doubt criticized for its plot, special effects, and lack of originality. At the same time, I’d put this movie snugly into the “so bad it’s good” category, and it’s certainly not the worst movie I’d toss in there. Despite its shortcomings, Warlock: The Armageddon has gained a cult following over the years among fans of supernatural horror films, even if many will admit it’s not the best “crafted” film ever (See what I did there? “Crafted” sort of hints at witchcraft, and a Warlock is basically a male witch. That’s called being clever, folks!)
This movie isn’t as charming as the original Warlock, but it’s still alright. And hey, there are also a few moments containing nudity. Now, can a person nowadays actually admit to liking those rude, nude, lascivious scenes? I don’t know, but I’ll do it here anyway. As comedian Bill Hicks used to say when talking about sex: “Now, I don’t want to seem like Randy Pan, the Goat Boy, but…”
Why Warlock: The Armageddon feels like Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
As I rewatched this movie, I couldn’t help but make comparisons between it and Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth. Believe it or not, I actually didn’t know both movies had the same director when I first thought of that comparison. Of course, both films also feature Paula Marshall, and both have a villain return in a more powerful form, in a story that seems only tangentially related to the original story. The original Warlock was almost more action/adventure than straight-up horror, and the original Hellraiser was more about dark desires than Pinhead’s “body count” (in fact, Pinhead was by no means a slasher villain in the first 2 Hellraiser movies).
Though some find faults with these story changes, it’s all but inevitable that, as horror franchises move along, they move further away from the original visions (such as they are). They also tend to become more action-oriented, usually gorier (to be more intense than the originals), and usually lose at least some fans along the way. Some people just love the schlock/shock factor, however, and it’s guaranteed there are at least a few people who love both movies just fine. I also have to mention that Mihaly ‘Michu’ Meszaros does a perfect job as the psychic during the “House of Wonders” scene.
The best kill from “Warlock: The Armageddon”?
What’s the best kill of the movie? I have to do a cop-out here and make it a tie. For sheer brutality, I have to go with the killing of Amanda Sloan (Dawn Ann Billings), who gives birth to the Warlock, and then gets stalked and dispatched in a plainly hideous scene. However, for the best quirky and cartoonish kill, I have to go with the so-called “Picasso scene” where The Warlock turns Davis Gaines’s annoying rich boy character into a twisted work of art:
The film is streaming now, free, on Vudu, Tubi, and Amazon Prime Video. What are your thoughts on Warlock: The Armageddon? Let us know in the comments!
