Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

The Magic Sword Blu-ray Movie Review

An entertaining adventure fantasy worth seeking out (even if the script is awful)

A swashbuckling adventure-fantasy, The Magic Sword is a rousing odyssey based on a story from Bert. I. Gordon (who also produced and directed the feature).Combining sorcery with old-school action, the special-effects laden film has a large dose of peril at every turn. Though the film was critically reviled and may not be a total home-run, the film has some interesting sequences which may make it worth a watch for genre fans.

Bringing peril to the people, the evil sorcerer Lodac (Basil Rathbone) plots a horrible schemes against the brave knights who stand before him. Lodac's latest plight is to kidnap the gorgeous Princess Helene (Anne Helm). Fearing she may face death by dragons, the brave Sir George (Gary Lockwood) is the determined hero destined for the quest.

Joined by six other courageous knights who help him with his ambitious quest, the knight attempts to rescue Princess Helene from the vile sorcerer and save her from an unfortunate fate. Armed with a magic sword in hand that will help him on the remarkable journey, he aims to defeat the evil Lodac before its too late and the Dragon flames erupt. As the battle-armed team cross the unknown terrain which lays in front of them, spooky ghosts and vicious demons await them at every corner. Can Sir George save the day?

"Remember, men... lift with your knees!"

The weakest aspect of the film is the screenplay by Bernard C. Shoenfeld (Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Mannix). The writing is often goofy and unrealistic. The characters are paper-thin and are never as interesting as one would want them to be. The storytelling simply isn't as compelling as it should ideally be and there's no way around that.

However, fantasy fans are likely somewhat forgiving if special effects and creature effects impress (and there are scenes in the film which showcase how production work by director Bert I. Gordon and collaborator Fora M. Gordon (Village of the Giants, The Boy and the Pirates) enhanced the film nonetheless. The finale features a dragon which is truly fascinating to behold. If for no other reason, audiences might want to check the film out for the grand conclusion.

There are some other effective aspects to the film as well: the score by Richard Markowitz (The Wild Wild West, The Rebels) is often effective against the cinematic backdrop on display with the Gothic cinematography by Paul Vogel (The Time Machine, High Society) leaving its own unique impression. There's also the production design created by Franz Bachelin (prolific art director with credits which range from Journey to the Center of the Earth to Stalag 17): the sets fit the tone of the piece with the adventure-fantasy combination leaving a mark.

Bert I. Gordon (Empire of the Ants, King Dinosaur, The Cyclops) directs, produces, and tinkers with the effects with as much enthusiasm as one would expect for a genre picture. The film is by no means an underrated classic or something that deserves to be heralded as a shiny gemstone but the film has an interesting artistic-approach that makes it worth a watch. The Magic Sword is a modestly entertaining matinee that has some merit.

The Magic Sword Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

There truly is magic in the world, isn't there? Arriving on Blu-ray from distributor Kino Lorber, The Magic Sword has arrived on Blu-ray with a new 2K master. The 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation is in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The film has never received as impressive a presentation. The film has excellent detail and has not been scrubbed by DNR. It looks naturally filmic throughout the entire run-time.

The presentation is certainly a worthwhile one which is worth checking out for any fans of the adventure film. While it's not a perfectly pristine print with no flaws and it still shows some age-related wear (with specks of dirt on the print) and colors are perhaps not quite as robust as ideal, The Magic Sword still looks mighty impressive on the whole. Fans will be pleased.

The Magic Sword Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features a DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The lossless audio mix capably reproduces the sound. When the dragon roars to life in the conclusion of the film (with the epic sequence showcasing a resounding battle against the heroic knight), the lossless audio does a solid job of presenting the soundstage with due gusto. It certainly isn't a bass heavy or surround-sound presentation and is rather keeping to the original soundstage: just as fans would want. With excellent clarity and crisp sound reproduction, The Magic Sword swings its mighty blade and gets the job done.

The Magic Sword Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas

The Magic Sword Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:42)

Lastly, the release also includes a selection of trailers for other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Jack the Giant Killer (SD, 3:20), Arabian Adventure (SD, 2:54), and Sinbad of the Seven Seas (SD, 1:10).

The Magic Sword Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Did someone say Dragons? The Magic Sword might not be a perfect fantasy-adventure but it has some interesting sequences and some memorable visual effects which make it worth a watch. The film has a terrible script with paper-thin characterizations but the interesting direction and action-packed conclusion keep things afloat. Kino has produced a solid Blu-ray release with a good presentation. Worth a look.