Thursday, September 05, 2024

My Review of Warlock: The Armageddon (1993)

 


Written by Kevin Rock
Directed by Anthony Hickox

Warlock: "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the scaredest one of all?"

Following the events of the first movie, you'd think the titular Warlock (Julian Sands) would've been done with but alas, not quite. Whatever pact that guy made with Satan, he's certainly making sure he can be on the mortal plane for as long as he can.

Of course with the Warlock being the only returning factor from the first movie, we needed a new environment and newer protagonists for him to go up against. In the distant past, there were Druids who stopped a Satanic ritual with six rune stones. 

In the present day, it's those stones that play a part in the Warlock's latest plan along with our heroes of the piece. Yes, you've got a teenage couple named Kenny Travis (Chris Young) and Samantha Ellison (Paula Marshall) as a new source of contention for the Warlock. One of them far more than the other if we're being honest here.

Anyways Kenny and Samantha are madly in love and desperate to leave their small minded town behind them. They're also descendants of the Druids that previously ruined the Warlock's plan and it's not until halfway through the movie that their respective fathers Will (Steve Kahan) and Ted (Bruce Glover) try to prepare their kids for their destiny.

Speaking of destiny, the Warlock does seem more cruel in this second outing as well with the gleeful way he turned one guy into a hideous art piece and scalped a woman in a car he acquired. He doesn't hold back in causing as much destruction as he can when crossing paths with both Kenny and Samantha.

The last act then was a battle of wits between the Warlock and the teenage couple. For a moment it did seem like the former was about to win before getting sent straight back to hell instead. As for Kenny and Samantha, they're a decent pairing throughout the movie. 

- Zach Galligan popped up as Douglas during the film. Theres also a brutal death at a fashion show for the unfortunate Paula Dare (Joanna Pacula).
- Originally Frank LaLoggia was slated to direct this sequel but his vision was too expensive. 
- That scene involving a poor dog being eaten was by far the grossest thing in this one.
- Chronology: Druid times for the opening flashback before we got a 1993 setting for the rest of the movie.

Warlock: The Armageddon made for an okay sequel. There's some decent moments overall and the new leads are fine. I didn't find it bad but I also didn't find it compelling either. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 

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