The Sisterhood

The Sisterhood (1988) is a movie that I recently watched on Amazon Prime. The storyline takes place in a world trying to survive after a nuclear holocaust. Men have enslaved women to do their bidding in most civilizations. However, in the outlands women have formed a tribe of sorts that survive on their own. The only hope for women in civilizations may be for this tribe to rescue them and set them free from their oppressors.

This movie is directed by Cirio H. Santiago (Firecracker) and stars Rebecca Holden (Knight Rider), Chuck Wagner (America 3000), Lynn-Holly Johnson (For Your Eyes Only), Robert Dryer (Savage Streets) and Barbara Patrick (Lord of the Illusions).

This movie had some promise but doesn't live up to its potential. The attire, settings and props were all perfect for the storyline. This also has the classic 80s nudity you'd expect. Unfortunately the writing, especially the dialogue, was a bit stale and Wagner's acting was very mediocre and holds the film back. I did like the "goddess" depiction and introduction towards the end. The conclusion was very mediocre and a bit disappointing.

Overall, this is a below average addition to the apocalyptic genre that I would score a 4/10 but still recommend seeing once.

Cirio H. Santiago managed to churn out one B-flick I actually enjoyed, 1981's Firecracker with martial artist who wasn't afraid to go nude, Jillian Kesner. She knew EXACTLY what kind of film she was in and committed to it, not to mention she could act as well as fight.

Were it only The Sisterhood even 1/10th as good. Poor acting, directing and dialogue requires at least some sort of offset such as convincing action, dazzling pyro, generous nudity/sex or some actual drama. Nearly everything felt so contrived or phoned-in that it had no impact.

With a hundred films under his belt, I doubt very much that The Sisterhood is the worst film directed by Filipino hack Cirio H. Santiago, but it can't be far off. Part sword and sorcery flick, and part Mad Max rip-off, but ALL awful, the film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future (the far-flung year of 2021) where warlords rule the three kingdoms, and a band of women, The Sisterhood, roam the outlands in an attempt to restore peace and equality.

Bond girl Lynn-Holly Johnson plays 18-year-old Marya, who joins female freedom-fighters Alee (Rebecca Holden) and Vera (Barbara Patrick) on their quest to rescue their sisters, who have been imprisoned by Lord Kragg (Kenneth Peerless) in Calcara. On their journey, Marya learns more about her special gift - her ability to talk to hawk Lady Shri - and, being a quick learner, picks up some nifty fight moves, handy for when she finally comes face to face with Mikal (Chuck Wagner), the warrior who killed her brother.

After Vera is abducted by Mikal and his men, and taken to Calcara, Alee and Marya narrowly escape being killed by mutants (men in rags with mud on their faces), stumble upon a cave full of automatic weapons and an armoured vehicle, and proceed to lay waste to the enemy despite no prior knowledge of firearms and zero experience behind the wheel.

Packed full of badly choreographed fight scenes, dreadful dialogue and tepid escapades for our heroines, The Sisterhood might have been a lot of cheesy fun if only the direction wasn't so uninspired and the budget clearly lacking. Sadly, the whole thing looks and feels extremely cheap, from the really naff Mad Max reject vehicles, to the crappy costumes and props, to the awful music, which sounds like a drunk is bashing random keys on a Bontempi organ.

The fun stuff: a modicum of gore (a couple of sword slashings and a severed hand), a reasonable amount of topless nudity (I counted nine breasts), and one of the chicks can fire lasers from her eyes. The rest of the film is dull grade-Z trash.

2.5/10, rounded up to 3 for IMDb (although it doesn't deserve to be).

Cirio H. Santiago is a director who has made quite a few "girls-with-guns" (or, in this case, "girls-with-swords-and-later-guns") films; he could perhaps be described as another Andy Sidaris, but with less sleaze and an even lower budget. "The Sisterhood", a cheesy post-apocalyptic flick complete with laser beams and "talking" hawks, must not be one of his best moments: most of the action sequences are rather flat, and there is too much wandering around in the desert. But the two female leads are physically well-cast, and as for the third....let's just say that if you ever wanted to see Lynn-Holly Johnson, of "For Your Eyes Only" fame, kicking some serious butt (though it is never quite explained how her character is able to do that), this may be your only chance! (**)

In this, yet another apocalyptic, MAD MAX ROAD WARRIOR spin-off, we find ourselves in the year 2021, when "all women are slaves and all men are their masters!" until...The Sisterhood arrives! The film features a young Anna Farris-look alike, who is allegedly a witch and has a pet hawk named Lady Shree. Orphaned along with her younger brother, they hide out in the desert from the marauding bands with the hawk as their only companion. The brother mentions a group of women fighters of lore, the Sisterhood, whom traveling bards have sung of. The sister, named Marya, dismisses such a story as old wives' tales, but not before the brother opines that his sister should seek refuge among the Sisterhood. When she points out they only accept women, he decides he will become a traveling bard too. In terms of the plot, that's all you need to know to enjoy this movie.

The plot, unlike other sword and sorcery/post-apocalyptic movies (I'm looking at you, The Sword and The Sorcerer, and She, the latter I gave 10 stars, but not because of its plot!) makes sense, but there are some silly elements. The villain, Mikal, looks like he should be the good guy, and the emblem on his chest bears a menorah. Oh, and the leader of the Sisterhood wears a crown that I kept mistaking for a porkie pie hat throughout. The cars are cool, but not anything fancier than Road Warrior. The music is dreadful, feeling like an 8-bit version of a circus. I give this a 8 for its plot, landscape, hawk-human relationship, and scenes involving girls with guns, tanks, and long bows.