Empire of the Dark (1990) (DVD Review)
Directed By: Steve Barkett
Starring: Steve Barkett, Christopher Barkett, Richard Harrison
Rated: UR/Region: 0/1:33/Number of disc: 1 (DVD-r)
Available from VCI Entertainment
A private detective searching for a killer comes across a satanic cult from another dimension, monsters called up from hell and murderous ninja assassins. If you can’t have a good time watching something with a plot like that, then I don’t know what it might take to float your boat!
When I said The Aftermath was the best film I had ever saw by Steve Barkett, I wasn’t aware that he only directed two films. The second film he directed came in 1990 and this is it. With a plot that makes you assume acid had to be involved in the creative writing process, Empire of the Dark, gives us a crazy and wild time that makes you scratch your head at times, but still remains entertaining and oddly dramatic.
Now don’t get me wrong, we have a film on our hands that could very well be called so bad it is good, but being good enough for a watch is the key thing here. While there were moments that made me roll my eyes, I did get a kick out this thing. We have cults, ninjas, shoot-outs in the grocery store and other fun moments in this one. Steve Barkett oddly fits in the bill in these weird action films. He isn’t Charles Bronson, but in stuff like this he doesn’t really need to be.
– None
