The Necromancer

This reviewer took it for what it was (low budget and amateurish at times) and didn't mind it. Ambitious in spite of it's flaws. Another soldiers lost in the menacing forest film. Can't speak to the authenticity of the historic events, weapons, or garb (some of the dialogue seemed odd though). The plot makes more sense than The Terror (1963). Entire affair is minimal. Filmed nicely enough. Personally, I enjoy drone shots in the outdoors (every Horror film has one these days). The story is just OK. The acting was fine. Practical effects were passable. I agree with other reviewers about missed opportunities. I kept hoping for the story to move in a unique direction. It really didn't. The plot was the big let down. I can't actually recommend this film unless you are a war/horror film completest. I am...and don't feel any worse off for having watched it.

I'm not sure if this was one of those Indie thing because usually I like to watch them because in spite of budgets and new actors you can find a pretty good, unique story about all sorts of things. However, a war period piece about the French and English wars, being near Germany (which in a way I'm not sure if factual) and entering the Black Forest, well it seemed as if the writers, etc missed a golden opportunity about tales, legends and the early reputation of the Black Forest was such a wasted opportunity for some "blow you mind" type of stuff and those things can more often than not lead to some good story telling. The beginning battle scene was not very realistic but that can be forgiven as some projects do not have the budget for great battle scenes and I can get that weary soldiers being tired of the horrors of war and wanting to leave and somehow come to the Black Forest. Okay, that could be interesting given how isolated that area is and still is to some degree. I thought maybe a "ritual" type of movie about creatures that inhabit that area in a story book fashion and the effect it could have on this group of men as they travel through it, being confronted with their past, with things they feel guilty about or bad things they have done and having to face those things and either resolving them or falling victim to them in the way of the punishment fitting the crime/sin/bad thing they did where some live and some die by their own behavior. That sounds interesting and the beginning of their travel into it seemed rather good. It would be interesting to have a horror/war drama/mystery type of film with mythological creatures that were rumored (usually from outsiders) to allegedly be there. If anyone has seen them tv series "Grimm" would understand a bit. But then it fell flat. Sure, there were those who were confronted with the things they did and the people they hurt and were punished in ways that for most didn't make to much sense. Then we meet the Necromancer and it is anti climatic mostly because the backstory flopped for the most part and it could have been something rather interesting and wasn't. There was mention of the Brother's Grimm but that was practically a side note and nothing came of it. The characters and movie fell short of something that could have been unique and satisfying for the audience because one thing I think people like in horror films is a little bit of mystery as to WHY things are happening and to have some sort of decent explanation. Instead there were these elves, half elves, demons, whatever running around and appearing for some people and not for others. That seemed like something they would have expanded on a bit. As far as the acting and actors, I only criticize them if there was absolutely no effort or if they sound as if this is the first time they've read their lines. There was a descent enough attempt by the actors to tell the story and some were quite good and that is why I am giving this a 4 out of 10. I really wish the writer and director would have put more thought behind this story. Sometimes having the audience come to their own conclusion works very well but it didn't in this one. The audience has to have something to work with for this to happen. It had a lot of potential and fell very short and that's sad because this could have been a very good story or a descent one.

Well that's 90 minutes I won't get back. What a crock of crap. I had high hopes for this film but was sorely disappointed.

Bad acting and weird accents. There were a few good bits but they were few and far between. I found myself questioning the production and costumes as the film was so poor. Not recommended.

The premise in itself is interesting. The script, the utterly insipid, simplistic dialogues and the amateurish acting (on a level with that of a not-so-brilliant high school troupe), paired with special effects clearly inspired by Pan's Labyrinth (albeit the version you'd expect elementary school children to make for themselves for Halloween) soon make it hard to keep a straight face.

Add to that a complete disregard for period detail and wigs so visibly artificial that you expect a label sticking out of them saying '100% polyester' and you wouldn't be surprised if one of the characters were to check his messages on an Apple Watch on screen.

Makes you wonder what the jury's standards are at the Bristol Festival. The real horror is thinking about what the other films presented will have been like if this is the winner.

I must admit that I was instantly lured in by the title of the movie, I mean, "The Necromancer", it just doesn't get much more ominous than that. And being an avid horror fan, of course I sat down for watching this 2018 movie from writer and director Stuart Brennan.

While I did manage to sit through the entire ordeal that is "The Necromancer", I can in all honesty say that I wasn't particularly entertained, much less impressed with what transpired on the screen. And why is that?

Well, first of all, the movie is slow paced with very little of any great interest happening throughout the course of the entire movie. This was essentially just watching a group of grown men dressed up in old uniforms and do cosplay in the great forest, accompanied by some questionable camerawork.

Sure, I will say that the props and costumes were quite good, and that really worked in favor of the movie, and the production level was good as well, but this was hardly enough to make up for a total lack of an adequately entertaining storyline and script.

The acting in the movie was dubious, so you shouldn't get your expectations up for experiencing anything grand or Shakespearian here. But then again, the actors and actresses literally had nothing to work with from the script.

As for the characters, well they were flaccid and rather faceless. You don't really form any bond with any of them, and you just watch the torment inflicted upon them, shrug and move on, waiting for the next one to be targeted by the sinister force in the forest.

Then when the necromancer was finally revealed towards the end of the movie, you just stare in disbelief and go 'seriously? They opted for that?'. It was such an anti-climatic reveal that didn't work out well for the movie, which was already struggling with a losing uphill battle.

While the intentions behind "The Necromancer" were good and interesting, the movie just didn't translate well from script to screen, and this is not a movie that I would recommend you spend your time, money or effort on. Some of us did, and suffered through it, so you don't have to.

My rating of "The Necromancer" is a mere three out of ten stars.