Krull (1983)

Krull (1983)

 

2/10

 

Starring

 Ken Marshall

Lysette Anthony

Freddie Jones

Francesca Annis

Directed by Peter Yates

 

Krull is a perfect example of a good idea gone wrong. It begins with a prophecy about a future savior, planting a seed that the film will involve some kind of time jump, only to never deliver. This makes the introduction feel pointless. Set in a distant galaxy, the planet Krull is invaded by aliens, and the visuals, considering it was made in the 80s, are impressive. However, the story is so absurd that it’s difficult to understand how anyone thought this would work on screen without some serious rewrites.

The plot centers on a princess, whose child is supposed to save the world. But as quickly as this plot point is introduced, it is discarded. The princess is kidnapped by the alien leader, though the film never makes clear why. The kidnapping happened when the princess and a prince were to marry to unite their kingdoms. The battle that ensues in the wedding kidnap is a massacre, as swords are utterly ineffective against laser guns. Miraculously, the prince survives the attack, though this is without any backstory or real emotional investment in the character.

So, as you can guess the prince has to go save the princess. We are then introduced to a mysterious character known as "the Old One" which to me is a stupid name. He gives no explanation about who he is, but his purpose seems to be the one to guide the prince. He did this using vague hints that are confusing and offer no real substance. What we know is that, the prince is to follow him to get information on how to save the princess.

Along the way, they meet several other pointless characters, each adding nothing to the story. One group of bandits, who inexplicably joins the quest, are convinced by the Old One’s nonsensical speech.

The film continues in this manner, with random events and characters being thrown in without explanation, leaving viewers to wonder how any of this is connected. The plot feels like something a child might dream up during a long afternoon of daydreaming. As much as the visual effects try to carry the film, they can’t make up for the lack of coherence and logic in the narrative.

Watching Krull felt like wasting valuable time, as I struggled to understand how such an incoherent script could ever be considered worth filming. Even re-reading this post, I can see how incoherent it sounds, but this is the movie plot.

I couldn’t help but feel a sense of depression knowing I had spent part of my life watching this film.