When Deathstalker (Daniel Bernhardt, John Wick, Nobody), recovers a cursed amulet from a corpse-strewn battlefield, he’s marked by dark magick and hunted by assassins. To survive, he must break the curse and face the rising evil. Featuring Patton Oswalt as the voice of the wizard Doodad.
Having recently been on a bit of a sword and sorcery binge, I was delighted to see Deathstalker hitting Shudder in April. Having watched the 1983 classic just a week ago, it seemed almost fated that the remake suddenly popped up on my radar. I was genuinely curious how this new one would hold up to a genre that is very rarely touched in this day and age.
Sword and sorcery films are notoriously camp, with gratuitous violence, buckets of blood and gore, wacky and tacky-looking practical costumes, and a good, healthy helping of exploitation and nudity. Would those themes fly in 2026? Would anyone really dare to carefully forge an homage to the artistry of old? Does anyone other than me still actually watch these movies? I was dying to know.
Steven Kostanski absolutely nailed this film, along with Bernhardt’s performance in the titular role. It’s like something dragged through time, remaining loyal in almost every aspect to the films that came before. Deathstalker checks almost every box on the 80s sword and sorcery checklist and truly takes you back to a simpler, sillier time. From the practical effects to the meticulously crafted costumes, Deathstalker does it all.
Well, almost everything. The sexploitation elements of the older films have been—for better or for worse—left out. The only bare-chested beauty we are beguiled with is some form of swamp beast stomping on and caving in the heads of those unlucky enough to be in its path. This was an expected change, though, as nudity in film has lately been seen as unnecessary and gratuitous, with nude scenes down a whopping 40% since the year 2000.
Now, while this may be a near-perfect S&S film, we do need to take a minute to manage expectations for viewers who may not be familiar with the genre and/or expecting Game of Thrones-level production value. This is not that. Deathstalker is not trying to be the next Geralt of Rivia or Ser Duncan. What this is is a meticulously crafted love letter to high fantasy films in the vein of Conan the Barbarian (1982) and Conquest (1983). And this film succeeds in doing just that.
Not all the costumes function without fault and not all the special effects are flawless. Doodad has a lot of trouble moving his mouth, and the practical effects are exactly that—handmade pieces of art complete with flaws and seams. The sometimes laughable effects and prosthetics are really at the heart of the film so if you need million-dollar CGI to enjoy a film, this is not going to be for you.
And I feel like I need to add that disclaimer. This is a very specific genre film made for a very specific audience. That audience is mostly me. This is an absolutely magical film that will not be appreciated by too many people. And that’s OK. Kostanski succeeded in his vision, and Berhardt, Oswalt, and Christina Orkalo (Brisbayne) all brought their A game to this B flick.
Thanks for reading and as always, stay sordid. Deathstalker has been streaming on Shudder since April 3rd so now is a great time to subscribe if you want to catch this nostalgic adventure into a weird world of magic and mystery. Artwork and trailer are below for your viewing pleasure.
