Spellcaster is a fun little slice of horror that oozes Eighties nostalgia at its finest. At least the parts without the blood and the demons and so forth. There is a lot of cheese present; it is not the most excellent film to have emerged from that decade, but it is pretty enjoyable, and its entertainment factor outweighs any negatives that might be found within.

The entirety of the film takes place in a castle, where those who arrive have been entered into a contest to win a million dollars. A life-changing event for sure, and because of that, everyone is looking to gain the upper hand in the competition. Jackie and Tom are brother and sister, and just so happen to make it into the contest together. They are looking to win, and as the film moves along, Tom is a little more gung-ho about it than she is. Despite everyone trying to cheat, the game is rigged, and soon enough, people start getting themselves killed thanks to Diablo, a demon played by singer Adam Ant. Diablo is looking to harvest a few souls, or rather all of them, so that he can take them to hell, and the competition is just a front for that goal. In the end, the good guys win thanks to a girl named Cassandra, and Diablo becomes a VJ so he can head up the next treasure hunt.

If there were ever an ending to a film that was out of the blue, it is this one, and it is so ridiculous that it only adds to its charm rather than takes away from it. Much of the present-day audience will not understand much of what is going on in this film, simply because music channels are no longer a thing, and thus, VJs are no longer a thing. Once upon a time, though, they were, and they were like celebrities themselves. It is a sad state that one cannot watch music programming on a dedicated channel anymore, as the audience is still likely to be there. However, for those who remember the good old days, this film will at least partially hit one in the ‘feels,’ as they say. It is pretty corny at times, with a lot of the humour falling flat, but the horror and special effects work out, making it all worth the price of admission.

While the film is not particularly scary, it is too lighthearted to evoke genuine fear by the time the horror unfolds; however, it does manage to include some genuinely creepy scenes. The film offers its audience a chair with lion-like aspects. At one point, it comes alive, and the armrests that are paws and claws reach out, the head of the creature at the peak of the chair stretches down, and it kills the young woman who dared sit in it. It has to be seen to be believed, but it is truly fantastic and just one of a few moments where the film actually outdoes itself.

Overall, the cast is decent enough with no real standouts, including Ant himself, and the story is fine, but it limits itself with the passage of time. As the years pass, Spellcaster will find itself in an ever-increasing niche that will appeal to few except those who love horror and those who can relate.

2.5 out of 5