'Deathstalker' (2025) Movie Review

Within a span of a couple of months we’ve received remakes of early-1980s cult favorite swords-and-sorcery epics. First out of the gate was M.J. Bassett’s take on Red Sonja, and now we have Psycho Goreman mastermind Steven Kostanski’s version of Deathstalker. While the former knows it’s goofy, it plays things relatively straight. The latter, however, leans into the campiness with a winking, over-the-top glee. 

 

Deathstalker 2025 isn’t exactly a spoof or parody in the strict sense, but Kostanski and company embrace the sheer silliness with arms wide open, cranking the absurdity of the original up as far as possible. Imagine, if you will, a hulking barbarian doing battle with elaborate creatures, blood spurting out of every wound, while a galloping buttrock score wails over the top of it all. That should give you an idea of what to expect.

 

[Related Reading: 'Psycho Goreman' Movie Review]

If you’re familiar with Kostanski’s body of work, both as a director and as a proprietor of practical special effects, it’ll come as no surprise that the movie leans heavily on that. As he quests through the realm to rid himself of a curse, Deathstalker (Daniel Bernhardt, John Wick, Atomic Blonde) encounters all manner of monsters, wizards, and foes of all varieties. There are weird little lizard men, heavily armored red warriors that look like nightmare versions of the Praetorian Guard, pig men, gooey swamp creatures who just want a hug, and more. While the OG has a handful of creatures here and there, this reboot takes every opportunity to drape everyone possible in elaborate prosthetics.

 

The plot is little more than Deathstalker bouncing from place to place as his expedition sends him chasing one clue after another, all the while pretending he’s not destined for greater things. Along the way he picks up sidekicks like the shitty wizard Doodad (voiced by comedian Patton Oswalt and performed by Laurie Field) and the cunning thief, Brisbayne (Christina Orjalo). They also tangle with Nina Bergman’s (Hell Hath No Fury) outlaw Grendul, and an old foe, Jotak (Paul Lazenby), who keeps popping up at inopportune moments.

 

[Related Reading: 'Red Sonja' Movie Review]

This wash, rinse, repeat approach to the narrative—he goes here, meets someone, finds a clue, moves on to the next—gets samey and stale. Fortunately, there’s plenty of action in between as each stop along the way typically arrives with some manner of tussle. Bernhardt is primarily known for his stunt work and as a fight choreographer, so it’s always fun to see him in a more substantial role. And, of course, he knows how to handle action, so as goofy as the surroundings may be, the fight scenes are excellent and a cut above what we often find in similar films.

 

Some people are going to find the nonstop absurdity exhausting and the camp forced, which are legitimate gripes. How much you enjoy the movie hinges significantly on your tolerance for these types of shenanigans, and it’s going to be a miss for some folks. At the end of the day, Deathstalker isn’t a new cult classic or even all that memorable. What it is, is a loving homage made with endless enthusiasm, solid action, and awesome practical effects. That passion and gusto shine through and the result is a decently entertaining magical romp, even if you never think about it again. It’s also probably best to watch this with as rowdy a crowd as possible, that will only enhance the viewing experience. [Grade: B]