Lacking in quips and memorable moments, we’ve arrived at the series’ blandest offering, but let’s see if we can unearth any goodness. Here we go: Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell.
Yeah right
The movie starts with an evil barbarian horde pillaging a village because that’s how all these kinds of movies start. People die, a hero rises from the ashes and has to crush the evil. Like the other films, Deathstalker III introduces a new lead actor to the title role. This time it’s John Allen Nelson, a far less brutish leading man than initial lead Rick Hill. He spends the duration of the film’s 86 minutes trying out different accents, none of which work. After meeting the beautiful Princess Carissa (played by Carla Herd), Deathstalker is entrusted with a valuable jewel, one of three such items that will unlock a magical city, Erendor. Hm collecting three powers to unlock new power? Now, that sounds familiar. I guess lead actors are changing but the concept of these movies remains the same. Also there is some wizard named Nicias (played by Aaron Hernan) who is supposed to help them but disappears at the beginning of the movie the moment shit hits the fan.
The princess is nonetheless killed by a few of the unknowing soldiers and passes the stone and knowledge on to Deathstalker. But wait, he still has a chance to get a job done since later he meets the twin sister of Carissa (how convenient), the feisty Princess Elizena who was sent from the North to marry evil wizard Troxartas (played by Thom Christopher). Troxartas is also after the stones. Deathstalker escapes into the wilderness, where he finds shelter with a couple of nomad women (a mother, and a daughter Marinda who is played by Claudia Inchaurregui). Peculiar thing about these women is that they eat only potatoes and nothing else than potatoes. Plus they are disgusted by any idea of killing animals for a purpose of eating. You see, back in those days vegans were safely isolated deep in woods, far from any civilization. Anyway, Deathstalker develops a brief relationship with Marinda, who gives him a horse. The mother is outraged, so when Troxartas’ henchman Makut (played by Agustín Salvat) appears in pursuit of Deathstalker, she tips him off. Troxartas learns that Deathstalker is the one who is causing problems. The sorcerer resurrects the defeated dead in order to finally get vengeance upon Deathstalker.
One potato, two potatoes…
Deathstalker trails her back to Troxartas’ castle where he is supposed to marry her. Deathstalker is found out, however, and Troxartas gets the stone. The sorcerer finds that a third stone is needed to release the powers of the stones. Troxartas’ mistress Camisarde (played by Terri Treas) tortures Deathstalker to gain information, but he escapes to the woods. He runs into Marinda, and a group of the warriors who Troxartas has resurrected in order to conquer him. Deathstalker learns that the evil wizard keeps dead warriors’ souls in jars stored in the castle along with captured Nicias. Deathstalker promises that he will release their souls in return for helping him in the battle so Marinda departs for the north in order to recruit more people for the attack.
What do we have here?
When Elizena finds out that she will be killed whenever the third stone is found, she decides to help Deathstalker. The third stone is revealed to be hidden in the castle as well (Troxartas sure likes to keep all valuables in one place). When the reinforcements from the north attack the castle, Deathstalker releases the souls in the jars. The warriors from hell attack Troxartas and his allies. Tho I don’t know why are they called “the warriors from hell”. They look just like a regular people to me. Anyway, great swordfight (nah I am shitting you, it is pretty lame) commences between Deathstalker and Troxartas which ends with the evil wizard being impaled, exploded and eventually disintegrated (?!). Maybe he has returned back to Dimension X or something. The three stones are reunited and the ancient city of Erendor is revealed.
Conclusion: Lacking in action, memorable characters and a fun pace, Deathstalker and the Warriors from Hell is easily the worst entry in the series. The new Deathstalker has no charisma and the film lacks a strong villain. You just can’t take the bald man in tight pants to be evil wizard for serious. In the first two films, there was a large variety of foes including a pig man, zombies and trolls. Deathstalker 3 has the undead army, but they only show up at the end and their screen time is limited. The soundtrack is also unspectacular, with the main theme being recycled from several other Roger Corman produced films. Yes, this is too weak even by Corman’s standards. Even the cover shows an illustration no doubt intended for “Conan the Barbarian” book. This film is sad. Really sad.
Worsemovies 