This dated film is merely an exercise in special effects, both with prosthetics and the then new computer graphics. While the prosthetics are pretty darned good, the computer effects in this case have dated particularly badly, looking straight out of the '80s and no match for the CGI we see in the cinemas today. Therefore this film has some kind of historical appeal for the viewer to see how far effects have come in such a short space of time; witness the 'floating dagger' scene and see how bad it really is in today's light (then again, with the atrocious effects of THE SECOND ARRIVAL, maybe we haven't come far at all).The plot is virtually missing; the film consists of two sub plots and constantly flips back and forth between each one. We have Sands killing people as he gathers the gemstones, and the two young warlocks preparing themselves for his arrival. That's it. That's the plot. I mean everybody knows that Sands will die and the young boy and girl survive at the end, so it's all a bit pointless really, a foregone conclusion.The music is totally unmemorable, as is the acting on the main part. The two young leads are typically bad, the older actors, while familiar, are neither memorable enough nor given any interesting lines. Joanna Pacula turns up but is dispatched in an instant, so it's left really to Julian Sands and his considerable charisma to carry the film. Sands is perfect in this role as the cold, calm killer, not flinching as gore rains down around him, and he is well cast and believable too, even though he doesn't change his expression once. We're rooting for him as the film goes on.While watching you will probably notice a lot of scenes being ripped off other films. I did and I lost count. The boy training with his mental powers? STAR WARS, anyone? This was virtually a step-by-step takeoff of a scene in that film where Skywalker learns to use a lightsaber and chases that hovering ball thing. There are also bits from HELLRAISER, THE TERMINATOR, a final shock scene directly lifted from CARRIE, and many more horror film clichés which are wince-inducing, like the tired "is the baddie really dead?" routine.So it's basically the special effects which are the reason to keep watching. Aside from the poor computer graphics, the gore is plentiful and quite good, in scenes where the Warlock tricks people, which seem to have inspired WISHMASTER in a way. The special effects at the end of the film are very good, where the Warlock melts into a skeleton and into the ground, and there are some stabbings, impalings, scalpings, splatterings, breakings and interesting morph work too. These bits keep the time moving by quite quickly and are fun, if a bit cheesy. WARLOCK: THE Armageddon is a typically empty film of the '90s, with no new ideas, but the SFX will keep you watching.

I must confess, I only saw half of the first Warlock, and found it quite boring. This I didn't. It's a much more energized and exciting sequel, that I love to videe, now and again. I can't believe people enjoyed the first one more, like my brother, for starters, which has left me quite quizzed. W2 is much more gorier if going by the first half of the original, with some real over the top blood spilliages, like Ms Pacula's demise. This time our evil warlock, the great Mr Sands, who I must say was born to play this role, is here for much more evil purposes, like bringing the world to an end, where the only hope to end him, is a young lad Kenny (an older and much taller looking Chris Young, from The Great Outdoors) who possesses a telekinetic, talent, but is a bit rusty. He's infatuated with a girl, Sam (Paula Marshall) acting in a Romeo and Juliet play, who also possesses the same talent. What I liked too about this one, was the humour, caused mostly by Sands, delivering some killer lines, while also looking cool spewing black blood. Him breaking out of his mother's vagina, near the start (very icky) has him saying, the most memorable line, where you have to hear it for yourself. Director, Hickox, still fresh off the heals of Hellraiser 3, which also starred Marshall, makes a name for himself with these super entertaining flicks (the sexual psychological C Thomas Howell thriller, Payback came next) with some nice ECU shots, like one involving a smiling, and very much in love Marshall. The battle to the death between good and evil is very suspenseful, and I guess was a but overlong, but I couldn't go back to ever watching the original, as this is super entertaining, with a lot of yucky blood, and great effects, and that great warlock humour.

A supremely wicked and powerful warlock (Julian Sands in peak sinister and sardonic form) gets reborn and plans on unleashing Satan's wrath upon the world. Two virtuous teenagers blessed with supernatural abilities have to stop the warlock before it's too late. Director Anthony Hickox, working from a grim and harsh script by Kevin Rock and Sam Bernard, handles the extremely macabre subject matter with real flair and style: Hickox relates the twisted story at a constant brisk pace, sustains a properly dark and ominous mood throughout, and tackles the grisly gore set pieces with lip-smacking nasty brio (gruesome highlights include the warlock's truly vile and revolting rebirth and the warlock ripping a woman's scalp off). Chris Young as the nice, reluctant Kenny Travis and the lovely Paula Marshall as the sweet Samantha Ellison make for engaging protagonists. The veteran cast of seasoned professional thespians helps a lot: R.G. Armstrong as the crusty Franks, Steve Kahan as Kenny's amiable dad Will, Bruce Glover as sensible priest Ted Ellison, Charles Hallahan as the foolhardy Ethan Larson, Joanna Pacula as snobby fashion designer Paula Dare, and David Gaines as obnoxious businessman Nathan Sinclair. Ferdy Mayne, Zach Gilligan, and George "Buck" Flower pop up in cool bit parts. The special effects are pretty gnarly, with the best moment occurring when the warlock turns Sinclair into a living piece of modern art. Another great scene happens when the warlock shoots two men with his fingers. The climactic battle between the forces of good and evil is lively and exciting. Mark McKenzie's spirited shuddery score hits the bull's eye. Ditto Gerry Lively's polished cinematography. An immensely enjoyable horror movie.

'Warlock: The Armageddon' is a more than capable sequel to the original film.**SPOILERS**A druid ceremony is interrupted and five sacred stones are stolen and buried, hoping to never be used again. Today, high school teen and future warlock Kenny Travis (Chris Young) is having a series of problems involving his girlfriend Samantha (Paula Marshall) and the school bully Andy. (Craig Hurley) Kenny's father Will (Steve Kahan) tells him of his destiny, but he would rather get along with Samantha. The Warlock (Julian Sands) is reborn and goes off in search of the five sacred stones that are needed to bring his father back to Earth. One of the stones is held by fashionista Paula Dare (Joanna Pacula) and acquires it forcefully. Kenny learns that he comes from a long line of druids who protect the world instead of destroying it and that only he can defeat the Warlock. Will and his Warlock friend Franks (R.G. Armstrong) teach him to learn the ways of the druids to fight the Warlock, who continues on a bloodbathed path to find the stones. With Samantha coming along to help, Kenny takes on the Warlock for the fight of mankind.The Good News: I'm really glad this one is a bloodbath. The first one was a very decent effort that featured very few gore effects, but this one contained several impressive kills. Being impaled on a series of spikes from a torture chamber, having an eye ripped out, having more than twenty slash marks all over their body, and being dropped over thirty feet onto a skylight, then falling trough with blood splattering on the onlookers are just some of the scenes which are more violent in here than in the first one. The elevator scene, with the stabbing, was the real killing highlight because of the suspense it involved. Because there was a couple false movements where something didn't happen when it was believed to have been, then it suddenly happens does shock the first time viewer. However, than is the only main jump in the movie. Sands really seems to have fun in the role as he actually kills people in this movie. He almost becomes a sort of Freddy-ish killer in this movie, as he does have a few pretty funny comments to his victims, but they just don't seem as good as Freddy's lines. He does kill with abandon, so it does come as a surprise when he kills them. The actual method of killing the Warlock was pretty creative, with the whole scene carrying out pretty entertaining way. The battle shifts back and forth as no one has a clear-cut advantage over the other and it never loses your interest.The Bad News: There was a serious lack of jumps in this movie compared to the first one. The first one was pretty clever in how it build up suspense in it through the use of camera, scene layout, lighting, etc. This one simply abandoned that in favor of simply showing images that could've been scarier, but instead seems rather dull. If you get used to the violence, this becomes a very shock-less movie over time. The Freddy lines do need some work, as only a few are actually pretty funny. If only they would've taken the same approach, then part three would've been the laugh-fest it could been.The Final Verdict: It could've been a whole better than what it was, but as it stands, this is a very entertaining film. It has a lot more blood and gore than the first one, so gore hounds will love this one. Seek it out if you like the first one or if supernatural films about witches and warlocks are up your alley.Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Brief Nudity, and a brief sex scene.