There are some movies, horror or otherwise, which simply defy all expectations and that is exactly what The Killing of Satan does. One might think it one thing while it turns out to be another and this film is not what anyone might believe it to be as it is pure schlocky goodness from start to finish. Some might think it terrible, truly one of the worst movies ever made but they would be both right and wrong for it definitely entertains and what is the goal of a movie but that?

It all begins with the Prince of Magic, a villain if one is wondering, doing all sorts of evil things to people in the local village. Returning home is the man named Lando who will put a stop to it but not before his daughter and a bunch of other women are kidnapped and brought underground. So it is that Lando, who has now inherited his uncle’s magical abilities, goes after them into the pits of Hell, where he will face all manner of obstacles – demons that look like men and know karate, animal-women, the Prince of Magic and even Satan himself!

There are crazy films and there are movies that are pure insanity and then there is this one which throws in every single thing including the kitchen sink to see what sticks and of course, all of it does somehow make for the most ludicrous romp ever put to celluloid. The story is basic but fine – the good guy has to beat the bad guys, save the girl and fight the villain behind it all. This time the villain is Satan himself and he is portrayed in all his glory as one might expect in a picture such as this, with horns a cape and even a trident. It is pure cheese but the good kind that makes swallowing it far easier than one might have thought. As for the rest of the tale, it is a little kooky, yet it works and while it is a horror film, or at least is supposed to be thought of that way, it leaves a smile on the face of the audience for a very large portion of it.

The special effects, what there are, are truly laughable. There is a scene where a boulder kills a man that looks incredibly awful and another where Lando can somehow shoot lasers from his hands, most likely due to magic. The costumes are cheap but effective and the audience can at least discern what the filmmakers were going for even if they looked silly. There is a fair amount of nudity at times, no effects needed, a little rape, some blood and gore and while it seems quite at odds with the rest of the movie, it somehow fits in, again, this being a horror film and all. Every bit of it leads to a climactic battle in Hell where after defeating all of Satan’s minions, the Prince of Magic and more, Lando faces the Big Man and ends it all on a happy note.

Lumaban ka, Satanas as it was known originally is different than the average bear, which is a good thing. Most people do not want to see the same thing over and over again and thankfully, The Killing of Satan is unlike anything that anyone will ever see anywhere else.

3.5 out of 5