I wanted to like it, but something about the Full Moon fantasy / sci-fi production of "Doctor Mordrid" was nothing short than disappointing. It had a majestically cheesy set-up (battling alchemists from another dimension), capably fanatical special effects and fine performances but it was too lacklustre in what felt like nothing more than war of words (a constantly wordy, silly script which drains out the fun) with the adventurous light-show kept in the background. For a running time of just over 70 minutes you would think it wouldn't outstay its welcome, but not all much happens and it's rushed anticlimactic conclusion had me thinking "Is that it?" At least it had Jeffrey Combs in the lead (whose presence always remains compelling) and opposite of him the towering, square jaw Brian Thompson. I guess you can tell who was good and evil. Thompson makes a real first impression (but so does Combs in his blue pyjamas
ah I mean sorcerer kit speaking to huge eyes in space). Loved Thompson's outfit, blond flowing locks and what was the deal with the echoing voice
in the desert? Yeah a deep voice, but an echo
must be an evil thing? Just like draining the blood out of a spunky naked women and while sitting on bench in the park creeping out elderly lady on a perfectly sunny day. Yeah Thompson was a busy alchemist in his quest to release demons from another dimension to destroy the world. Only Combs can stop him, as he has vowed to protect the earth. The dark against the light. So he investigates and there's a lot of it
and comes to the conclusion that all of this chaos is because of his adversary. Although he thought the cops would be rational enough and help him stop this immortal evil wizard. But I don't think so. A lady (a decent Yvette Nipar) that lives in the same building who's not quite a cop, but still works for them falls for him
ah I mean the story. No it's for real, as he uses his powers to prove it and in a vision we see where the timeless dual between the two began. His mystical amulet is important to his success. Where else could you freeze time for a short while to escape from those people who just don't want to hang around with or get in conversations with? In the end it wasn't used enough when it got stuck in it's dragged out verbal exchanges or confrontations. But the amulet is not only his source of power; there are magical see-through daggers that you stab in your chest to give an alchemist a charge up. So many choices. This leads to the final confrontation (hopefully now they eventually come to blows), which they knew would come. So time to dress up for the occasion. Get out the brightly lit optical work and bring some prehistoric bones back to life to do battle. The special effects are actually well pulled off; it just too bad it's uninterestingly executed by directors Albert and Charles Band. The creatively lavished art direction is let down by its limp handling, than by the cheap origins. The story bestows imagination with a beaming comic book influence (as it was originally penned as a Marvel comic feature), but the foundation just doesn't draw much excitement or interest. Watchable magic and sorcery hokum, but it simply lacks the energy.
Review of Doctor Mordrid
