Schattenkrieger: The Shadow Cabal

I will watch just about anything with swords, dragons, and magic. So I was kind of curious to see what this movie was. I was mildly entertained because right off the battle scenes were poorly choreographed. Storyline fell short of what I would have liked it to. But as a writer that is what gets me naturally. I think they just kind of took a bunch of elements together and threw it into a pot and called it a story. Dry cereal.

But if you are into sword and sorcery like I am then you can say this movie has not progressed since the same movies in the genre of the 80s. Still worth a watch if you aren't lactose intolerant because it comes with cheese.

I will say they had a nice element with the green screen and the makeup was nicely done. Honestly visually for a Bmovie I was into it, but somewhere the story fell short and the flow of the action wasn't there.

Given the nature of the film, the content and the advertising - I admit I was inclined to watch it anyways. However reading some of the comments here I got the impression this was a film over-looked by the normal mass viewer.

Fortunately I did watch it and I agree with things expressed here so far. The film is so natural feeling, yet with a hint of amateur innocence. Great set pieces, costumes, scenery. The dialogue is acceptable, the pace is quick and the direction is clear.

I only wish it was longer or a part of a larger series.

If this is what 'Indie' can do on a budget, I'm hopeful for the future of B films.

I saw this film accidentally, with zero warning, so to speak. It looked as if it was interesting enough, so after watching the trailer and a bit of pondering, I decided to go and check it out. (Besides, I tend to enjoy watching bad films - I saw Uwe Boll's "Alone in the Dark" after reading all the bad reviews - so nothing could go wrong, right?) And yes, nothing went wrong, I actually quite enjoyed the film. Yes, it was a bit cheap and the (sparingly used) CGI weren't top quality, but that's quite understandable given the film's limited budget. The music was very nice, and the costumes were spot-on, with the orcs looking quite good. (Fun fact: There were more fantastic races in this film than there were humans.) Speaking about the races though, the film certainly reminds more of WarCraft III than of Tolkien, but it only "reminds", nothing more. We didn't see a lot of dwarfs, unfortunately. The story was reasonably good and the action scenes were abundant. I'd have loved more character development and more introduction to the world (the first 10-15 minutes of the film were mostly swordfights), but it works as it is. The film is gripping and interesting enough, and worth a watch. Just don't expect something too amazing. It seems to be based on a video game and I've heard rumours about other films (or TV series? I'm not certain, sorry) in the same universe, which I'd certainly give a shot to as well.

A solid 6/10 from me, but it's very near to the 7.

NB: Note that there is some blood and a bit of gore in this film, which some viewers might find displeasing.

This film is a guilty pleasure. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be 'earnest'.

What we have here is a group of people who wanted to make a fantasy epic with a very limited budget. The special effects are passable, and the costumes and choreography make up for the other limitations.

The acting is at best so-so. The elf, Nemyt is pleasing on the eyes and is certainly athletic in the fight scenes, but has very limited acting range (if you want 'suppressed rage', she is your girl).

The script is lifted straight from the D&D cliche book. I laughed out loud when the cleric/paladin says "out of the way, old crone" to the quite obviously beautiful young women with a shawl over her head. Other memorable lines include "this was always the plan" and "we meet again - for the last time". It all feels so familiar, like a comfortable pair of slippers.

I cannot help but respect a film that takes itself so seriously. I came away with a silly smile on my face, and so I must recommend it to all fantasy enthusiasts out there.

I visit IMDb for several years, but this is the first film I really feel the urge to comment on around here. I stumbled about "Dragon Lore/Curse of the Shadow/The Shadow Cabal" by pure chance (I think it was the lead Elf's iconic mask that initially caught my attention).

The story itself isn't something to write home about, but isn't inferior to the stuff one gets served in most of the shiny Hollywood productions either. A High Elven bounty hunter, a human cleric/paladin and an Orc war chief team up -- more or less reluctantly -- to defeat the malevolent Order of the Shadow, which disciples plan to summon and materialise their demon master, the death god Goth Azul. Nothing new here.

No, the strong points of "The Shadow Cabal" (I'll stick with this title) lie within other fields.

In some parts the film is wonderfully trashy, but more than once we are granted well done sceneries, e.g. the vision sequences or the Orc's boating trip. It is also the Orc that is the trio's most entertaining one, thanks to the actor's solid performance. The Elf, Nemyt, is established as a likable "bad girl", albeit with an irritating habit for spitting (and sexy "Underworld" contact lenses). She has got an impudent attitude, indulges in animalistic hissings at times, but turns out to be loyal to the good side. Last but not least, she is pleasant to behold. Which leaves us with the paladin: He stays slightly anaemic, partly because he hasn't got as many strong scenes as the other two lead characters.

Digital effects are scarce, yet (or therefore) the final boss is rather impressive for an indie film. Furthermore, there is many a scene that sports a downright surreal atmosphere (for example the happenings at the Bleeding Stone). The locations are generally well chosen, but the footages of the Grand Canyon and other recognisable sites work against the immersion into a fantasy world. Make-up and props look good, often really good. However, the main Orc needs a nose job -- right now he reminds me of the Grinch. The fighting scenes are mostly solid and never overdone. To top it off, there are a lot of lovely details, such as Nemyt's aforementioned mask.

Unbiased, this film would get a seven. But the indie bonus makes it an eight out of ten, hands down.