KRULL

CAPSULE REVIEW –– There are films one sees as a youngster that hold a certain affection forever afterwards because it opened up new worlds one had never imagined. This is one of those flicks for me. I realize, now that I'm an adult, that KRULL is not the best film ever made, but I still can't help liking it. The story incorporates science fiction elements into a medieval fantasy world using special effects that don't quite stand the test of two decades, but were pretty cool in the early 80s. As with most fantasy films, there's an evil warlord trying to take over the planet and only the love of that one special prince and princess can stop darkness from descending forever. Of course, the princess is captured, forcing the prince and his merry band of criminals to search high and low to rescue her. The plot is fairly intelligent, somewhat original, very romantic and has some very creepy and quaintly amusing moments. As the young lovers, Russell and Anthony give the film a solid core of hope and devotion, however, it's the supporting cast of unusual and disreputable characters that keeps it interesting. A huge plus is the art direction and cinematography, which are strikingly weird and desperately moody. Without the originality of those two departments, this film would have been in grave trouble. If KRULL had a tighter and more coherent script, it would propably be a more famous flick within its' genre. If you've never seen this film and are looking for an adventure that transports you to another time and place, this piece of cinematic fluff should satisfy that urge.