KRULL. Old-school, enjoyable science fiction adventure
In its time (1983), it was one of the most expensive fantasy films ever made, which is surprising considering that Krull was not produced in Hollywood but in the United Kingdom, and the cast did not include any significant names. As a result, Peter Yates’ production (the director of Bullitt) garnered relatively little audience interest and did not recoup its budget. Only years later did it achieve a cult status in certain circles.
The titular Krull is a distant world located somewhere in space. In terms of set design and costumes, it resembles the late Middle Ages, infused with elements from science fiction cinema. The characters wear costumes reminiscent of Robin Hood (including the famous tights that Mel Brooks would later mock a decade later), but during battles, they use laser rifles and other fantastical gadgets borrowed, in a way, from George Lucas’s imagination. The list of inspirations for Krull is long, including elements from the RPG game Dungeons & Dragons, and the plot strongly resembles The Lord of the Rings: the main character, young king Colwyn, must obtain a magical artifact and embark with a group of brave warriors to the Black Fortress, ruled by the dark, shape-shifting Beast, holding his beautiful fiancée captive. It’s easy to infer that if Colwyn fails, he will lose not only his beloved but also the kingdom, as the Beast aims to rule the entire universe.
At this point, the first question arises: Can the combination of Tolkien with Star Wars, seasoned with Robin Hood, structured like a straightforward quest from role-playing games (find the artifact -> gather a team -> locate the sage who will show you the way to the Evil One, etc.) succeed at all? Contrary to appearances, yes, although it’s challenging for me to evaluate Krull without considering my fondness for the imperfect yet incredibly charming fantasy cinema of the early eighties. Yates‘ film can be criticized on several fronts—characters are likable but one-dimensional, and there’s no one among them who breaks away from the fantasy tale hero canon (we have the brave, charming youth, a faithful princess, a self-sacrificing sage, a rogue who turns out to be brave and noble in the end, etc.). Additionally, the abundance of staging errors and overly noticeable special effects might give one a headache. Moreover, the main character (completely forgotten Ken Marshall) seems to be more of a combination of familiar characters (looking almost identical to a young Richard Chamberlain) than someone who could encourage viewers to visit the cinema.
Despite this, Krull valiantly holds its ground, mainly thanks to the inventiveness of the creators, allowing for skillful blending of interesting motifs into a coherent and engaging whole. On screen, we encounter dark knights transforming into bloodied snails (!), a lonely but incredibly effective cyclops who not only knows the exact moment of his own death but can also defy fate and save the heroes at a crucial moment, and, most notably, magical horses that gallop so fast they leave behind a trail of spectacular smoke. The design of the Black Fortress deserves special recognition—an eerie, unreal place resembling Salvador Dali’s surrealist paintings. I truly wish that any contemporary mainstream fantasy film would feature the visual inventiveness that inspired the creators of Krull.
Despite its flaws, Peter Yates’ production is still enjoyable today, and the pompous, almost constantly playing background music by James Horner only enhances the impression of experiencing an old-school, fantastic adventure.
Grzegorz Fortuna