Warhammer

If you are as big a fan of B movies as I am, then you must see this movie. The only think that is keeping this from being any better a B movie is the lack of Eric Roberts, but the hokey effects and plot just about make up for it.

Also, if you ever plan on making great movies, then you must see this movie.

There are a lot of movies that are seamless and clean, and you can learn from those - like Seven Samurai or, generally the Lord of the Rings (with the exception of a few CGI problems), but this movie will lend excellent examples of how NOT to do so many things - yet, in many respects, the film comes so close to being good without ever actually coming close to being good. It is this feature that provides so many great illustrations of the differences between almost good and good movies.

This will never be a cult classic because it is not well done enough for that, but it is a "must see" for B movie lovers and movie makers.

I really tried hard to like this movie, but most of it's elements just don't work. The acting is merely good enough, so is the music. Some of the CGI effects look good, some even great, but there aren't enough of them to hide the low budget. Some sets, like the inside of the glass wall, reminded me of old Star Trek episodes - TOS, that is. What's left is an intriguing scenario, ripped apart by the most disappointing feature: the plot. It starts well, descents into a slow and boring trip and even manages to screw up the showdown. "For the Cause" (aka Warhammer) is more like stretched version of a weak Outer Limits episode. Too bad Tim and David Douglas failed in bringing their obvious passion for film making into the movie.

I must admit it's hard to take *any* movie seriously that has Dean Cain or Thomas Ian Griffith in it, seeing how much made-for-video junk they have been in previously - and both of them appear in this movie! Overall this movie is a disappointment - many important elements that would have explained things are not here (I suspect they got edited out along the way), there is a lack of excitement in the action and the lack of war-weariness this 99 year-old war would have placed on its people. Some of the effects and sets (such as the glass caverns) would embarrass even Roger Corman. The climatic battle is straight out of a video game!

Still, a few effects (like some matte paintings) aren't bad, and there are some interesting ideas here and there, intriguing ideas that, in a better screenplay, could have made for a compelling adventure. As it is now, this plays like a (rough) first draft, and it's easy to see why Dimension released this directly to video stateside (after spending two years on the shelf.0

There were some extremely good special effects in this movie. The sets were cheesy though.

They didn't explain why some of the double-crosses were happening or were even necessary.

Some good idea and dialogue don't save the script from being too slow-paced for most moviegoers. That's no problem for me - but it lacks depth to make up for its length.

I appreciate the plot and I *really* appreciate something found almost only in B- and C-Movies - main characters getting killed. Permanently, no comeback. A remake with sufficient budget could result in a good mini-series, but I am afraid they wouldn't dare to have expensive actors only in parts of the movie - and then, it couldn't work.

So, in any case, interesting aspects, and potential that was not realized. If anybody tries a remake - really try to get it right, please, and put some more time in background and character development. You can save on the (cheap) atmospheric pictures. And: Don't count on your audience to know the Warhammer(tm) stories.