Krull: Fantasy/Sci-Fi Mashup

In 1983, the Masters of the Universe toy line was surging to enormous success, quickly spawning a cartoon series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The combination of science fiction and sword & sorcery struck a chord with children of the decade. It would seem that a film such as Krull, released in the summer of '83, would have ridden the wave right along with He-Man. Krull was marketed to kids with an arcade game, comic books and magazines, even a board game. For whatever reason, the film didn't fare very well at the box office, and is only remembered by those who grew up in the 80's when referenced as "the movie with that big throwing-star thing". Critical notices were lukewarm at best, but Krull actually offers a refreshing experience.

Named after the planet the story takes place on, Krull begins with the wedding of Prince Colwyn and Princess Lyssa, which is interrupted by minions of the Beast, an evil creature bent on ruling the world of Krull. The princess is kidnapped and Colwyn embarks on a quest to rescue her. First he must seek out the Glaive, a powerful weapon that the Beast is susceptible to. Next he must locate the Beast' s fortress, which vanishes and reappears in a different location every sunrise. Colwyn is joined by an elderly seer, a Cyclops, a shape-shifter, and a band of thieves as he completes his journey. Fantastic locales and creatures (firemares!) are discovered as Colwyn and crew make their way to the final confrontation with the Beast.

The charm of Krull lies in its simplicity, the fun characters, and practical effects. It's an old-fashioned rescue-the-princess story at heart, and that's all it's trying to be. Each character brings something to the table to complete the quest, and while some of the acting is hammy, there are some nice performances, including early roles for both Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane. The effects are dated in spots while others still hold up well. What matters is that it's all practical, with no CG in sight. The backgrounds are either beautiful matte paintings or breathtaking locations rivaling anything presented in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. A great example of old school film making. The score by James Horner is epic, and is easily one of the best and most overlooked of the decade.

Krull was intended to be a blockbuster and possible franchise-starter. Maybe the creepy poster artwork scared parents away, or they thought kids would craft their own Glaives and hurl them at passerby.  Maybe moviegoers were confused by the genre mash-up. The film introduced a big world that could have offered up some great adventures, but some things just aren't meant to be. Mill Creek Entertainment released the film on blu-ray last fall, and it's a fine way to relive an old favorite or discover it for the first time. Recommended for fans of 80's sci-fi/fantasy or those looking for something off the beaten path.