Gruff booze-sodden Sergeant J.J. Stryker (Charles Napier in top rough'n'tumble form) and his sarcastic partner Charlie Garrett (an excellent and engaging performance by Robert Viharo) go after a vicious crazed psycho (a supremely creepy portrayal by the hulking Robert Z'Dar of "Maniac Cop" fame) who's ritualistically murdering prostitutes in order to acquire great power and immortality. Director Max Kleven, working from a familiar, but still serviceable script by John Goff and Don Edmonds, relates the absorbing story at a snappy pace, maintains a tough gritty tone throughout, makes good use of grimy urban locations, and sprinkles in a little tasty female nudity for added sleaze value. The shoot-outs and fisticuffs are staged with skill and gusto, with the fierce climactic confrontation between the nutjob and the police in a warehouse rating as the definite exciting highlight. With his brawny physique, extraordinary feats of superhuman strength, and his constant spooky chanting, Z'Dar's lunatic cuts quite an imposing and menacing figure. Moreover, it's a real treat to see crusty character actor Napier scowl and growl his way through a rare juicy lead role. This movie further benefits from sound contributions from Michelle Reese as J.J.'s sassy ex-hooker girlfriend Rene, Gary Crosy as insensitive jerk Vic Gallagher, Katherine Kelly Long as the sweet Denise, James Watkins as mean pimp Julius, Joey Gian as nice guy Detective Buddy Brown, and Goff as the no-nonsense police captain. Popping up in neat bits are delectable redhead Lydie Denier as the killer's first victim and the ubiquitous George "Buck" Flower in one of his trademark seedy bum roles. The sharp cinematography by Don Burgess provides a cool glittery neon look. The pulsating score by David Kitay, Sam Winans, and Richard Kosinski hits the stirring spot. A fun little flick.

In one sense, watching The Night Stalker, is kind of like watching Roots of Evil that kind of bares similarities. They're both sleazy, straight to video flicks, and that sleazy cop Vic, in this, whose mouth is like a gutter, reminded me of the killer in Roots Of Evil in looks and voice. But in this psycho thriller, where boozing cop Napier is thankfully the lead, we're battling an unstoppable evil, a maniac cop sort, where fired bullets don't work, but just put holes in this faceless being of incredible human strength. Is this guy human. Yes? It almost stretches the reality factor, kind of making us think, may'be this is possible, plausible. Napier makes a meal of his starring lead, carrying this film, out to catch this maniac, who's been disposing of a few prostitutes. J.J (Napier) is in love with such a woman, a pro, who of course, is losing a couple of her close pro friends/lovelies, even a younger Joan Chen, to this psychopath. They have, what you could say, is a love hate relationship. There are a lot of things to this film that are fun: 1- Napier fixing a dude and his mate who try to get smart at a hot dog stand, ruining his morning coffee. His partner watches on amused, saying to Napier, in aid of some help with one big guy, "Oh, you own him". 2) Napier blacking out on a rooftop where his partner almost thinks Napier's gone, then when he revives, he gives him a piece of his mind. 3) Vic giving a younger cop, Joey Gian (Death Before Dishonor) some rookie advice about falling for the younger sister of Napier's woman. Gian retaliates verbally, then storms out of the car, with Vic, saying "Sensitive little f...er, ain't he". And 4) Vic then makes out with a woman who's not a woman, and he's caught with his pants down by Napier and co, such a figure of mortification. What was great about the film, though was the cool talking pimp, Julius, who wraps up his words in riddles. This black pimp is Napier's nemeses, and with such a cool and slick demeanor, I almost feel, Napier's gum chewing partner, envies Julius. He even smooth talks Gian's love interest, in joining his stable when he drops in on her sixteenth birthday, Napier, making sure this won't happen when telling the older sister straight, later at the party, the song "On The Edge Of Love" playing off, nearby at muffled volume. He then makes a joke about Julius, that is indeed, in bad taste. Julius and his mates even try to take on The Night Stalker. Guess how that works out. Whatever your fancy, to all you b grade lovers out there, this isn't a bad pick, and The Night Stalker isn't a dude who'll go down easily. Adequate flick, with somewhat of a uninviting cover, like the freak himself.

Charles Napier gives a good performance as boozing detective J.J.Stryker, pursuing a call girl killer. If you demand realism as part of your movie experience, then I suggest skipping "The Night Stalker", because the killer is practically immortal, and bullets do not even phase him. It is this killer that cannot die angle which requires complete suspension of disbelief by the viewer. What you wind up with is yet another "Dirty Harry" clone, with a psycho villain and a cop who finds trouble wherever he goes. Stryker stops for breakfast and gets hassled into a fistfight. Stryker stops for a beer and interrupts a robbery in progress. You get the picture. - MERK

First, to set things straight, the film's copyright date is 1986, year of release, but video release is 1987. If you are lucky enough to find a VHS copy, there was only one release, and not on DVD yet, and you can find it for just a few dollars, and you're a genre fan, get it. This was given the go ahead right after the Richard Ramirez murder spree as the Night Stalker in Los Angeles in the summer of 1985, to capitalize on that wave of fear that ran through the city, well-fed by a hysterical news media. It actually has a seemingly unstoppable serial killer preying on mostly street-walkers late at night, whereas Ramirez slipped into homes and killed those in their sleep, a much more frightening premise. The similarity with Ramirez is in name, location, satanic style influences, and that's about it. Otherwise, the film plays very much like an episode of the TV series, Kolchak, the Night Stalker, with it's supernatural elements, invincible killer, and TV-movie style of production, plus some cheesy lines, some over-acting, and several good character actors, but without the great Kolchak himself. Charles Napier is an adequate lead, and Robert Z'Dar is a spooky serial killer, check out his photo here on IMDb and you'll see why. For genre fans who are a little forgiving of the silly moments, it won't be a waste of time.