The Gonzo Wolf

I saw the trailer for this film at Alamo Drafthouse when I watched what I believed to be a less-than-stellar interpretation of Frankenstein. Many cinephiles, some I respect, would claim otherwise. This is why you watch everything regardless, and then use reviews to spark debate.

Or bash the opposing side on social media. Some find that sort of thing enjoyable.

Film reviewers like myself are basically useless, yet here we are.

I love being an opinionated twat sometimes. It gives me something to do. Thank you for reading!

Let’s see what the fine folks at Wikipedia have to say about this film (please donate to them if you can):

Deathstalker is a 2025 sword and sorcery film written and directed by Steven Kostanski. It is a remake of the 1983 film of the same name. It stars Daniel Bernhardt as the titular character, alongside Patton Oswalt, Christina Orjalo, Paul Lazenby, and Nina Bergman. Peter Kuplowsky is one of the executive producers.

The film premiered at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on August 15, 2025, and was released in the United States by Shout! Studios on October 10, 2025.

The Rev-iew…

This film had two things going for it from the start: same writer and director as one of my pandemic shut-in favorites “Psycho Goreman”, and Executive Produced by Slash. It could do no wrong.

It was made for a specific type of person: A Monty-Python esque, late-70’s/early 80’s, fantasy freak who loves puppets, traditional special effects, and over the top gore. Add some bad-ass swordplay from a famed stuntman, with a fantasy/metal soundtrack straight from the 1987 Hollywood Sunset Strip…but with a microscopic budget. If this is the kind of thing that turns you on, then you’re in luck.

This movie turns me on.

I do think it overstayed its welcome on the runtime just a tad, but the special effects and set pieces were just too damn cool not to show off for an additional second or two throughout. It adds up after a bit; I get it.

All in all, for a Gen X kid like me, this was a fun watch. Our modern day “Conan/Red Sonja/Krull/Ice Pirates” love letter written to exactly who needs to find it, if that makes any sense to anyone else but me.

3.5 if you’re alone/4 out of 5 with stoned, childhood friends.