Of all the guests I have met at various conventions over the years, Ashley Laurence is probably the loveliest - not just beautiful but really nice to talk to as well. So it pains me to say that The End of Innocence, in which Ashley takes the lead, is easily the weakest Warlock of the three; not that I blame Ms. Laurence - she is easily the best thing about the whole sorry mess.
Ashley plays art student Kris Miller, who investigates an old ancestral house in the hope of learning more about the history of her family. After some spooky goings on, Kris is relieved when she is joined by her boyfriend Michael (Paul Francis) and a group of their college pals for some partying, but their fun comes to an end when suave architect Phillip Covington (Bruce Payne) -- in reality an evil warlock -- works his wicked magic.
Part III couldn't be less like the first two films: instead of a mix of humour and horror, director Eric Freiser plays it straight, but he fails to generate much in the way of genuine scares, his film an embarrassment of fumbled frights, weak performances (Bruce Payne, a poor man's Julian Sands, is terrible), tacky stylisms, and cheap and unconvincing visual effects (the shattering of witch Robin and the burning of Michael are unintentionally funny).
Freiser tries to compensate with some nudity courtesy of Playboy playmate Angel Boris Reed, who plays sexy dominatrix Lisa, and a little gore (bloodiest moment: a man having his throat torn out), and even tries to emulate Argento for a scene where Kris makes a bid for freedom (complete with operatic style music). It's all for naught though: some boobs and a little blood isn't enough to disguise that fact that Warlock III is predictable third-rate pap.
3.5 out of 10, rounded down to 3 for that awful goat demon at the end, and for the overuse of an irritating 'eagle screech' sound effect.
Ashley plays art student Kris Miller, who investigates an old ancestral house in the hope of learning more about the history of her family. After some spooky goings on, Kris is relieved when she is joined by her boyfriend Michael (Paul Francis) and a group of their college pals for some partying, but their fun comes to an end when suave architect Phillip Covington (Bruce Payne) -- in reality an evil warlock -- works his wicked magic.
Part III couldn't be less like the first two films: instead of a mix of humour and horror, director Eric Freiser plays it straight, but he fails to generate much in the way of genuine scares, his film an embarrassment of fumbled frights, weak performances (Bruce Payne, a poor man's Julian Sands, is terrible), tacky stylisms, and cheap and unconvincing visual effects (the shattering of witch Robin and the burning of Michael are unintentionally funny).
Freiser tries to compensate with some nudity courtesy of Playboy playmate Angel Boris Reed, who plays sexy dominatrix Lisa, and a little gore (bloodiest moment: a man having his throat torn out), and even tries to emulate Argento for a scene where Kris makes a bid for freedom (complete with operatic style music). It's all for naught though: some boobs and a little blood isn't enough to disguise that fact that Warlock III is predictable third-rate pap.
3.5 out of 10, rounded down to 3 for that awful goat demon at the end, and for the overuse of an irritating 'eagle screech' sound effect.