‘Wishmaster’ Is a Love Letter to Horror Fans

Today marks 27 years since Wishmaster first bowed theatrically. The film may have been a blip on the radar for some. But for a lot of horror fans, Wishmaster is something special. It’s a star-studded ordeal with a veritable who’s who of genre film talent popping up in various supporting roles. Robert Kurtzman (the K in KNB Effects) is at the helm of this grisly affair and he’s clearly having the time of his life. Wishmaster may not be fine art, but it’s hard to deny the film’s charm and the efficacy of its intricate creature design and effects work. Not to mention, Andrew Divoff brings the titular character to life with aplomb, delivering a scene-stealing performance that is both ominous and hilarious. Fun times, indeed. 

The setup

Wishmaster follows Alex (Tammy Lauren), an appraiser for an auction house. When she comes into contact with what she believes is a valuable opal, Alex notices something unusual about the gemstone and takes it to a friend for analysis. Before long, a genie-like creature called a Djinn emerges from the rock and begins to wreak havoc everywhere he goes. The Djinn is linked to Alex and needs her to make three wishes so he can take control of the world and unleash hell on Earth. Alex must scramble to outsmart the fast-talking Djinn before he destroys life as she knows it and alienates her from those she loves.   

I recognize that Wishmaster may not have a lot of mainstream appeal. It’s certainly niche cinema. But it’s a love letter to the horror genre and a film our community should universally embrace. Wishmaster is a feature made by horror fans for horror fans. Though it has its share of flaws, this flick is highly entertaining in its celebration of all things macabre. 

Long live practical effects!

Speaking of the macabre, the film wastes no time getting to the sinister stuff. It opens amidst complete chaos with little context provided at the onset. I remember renting Wishmaster on VHS with a couple of friends in high school and being legitimately unsettled by the visceral display of entrails which presents within the first 5 minutes. In one unforgettable depiction, a character sheds his skin and his skeletal remains rise up and walk among the living. It’s exceptionally icky and I love the s–t out of it. The team at KNB Effects brings to life brutal imagery that still looks just as convincingly repulsive now as it did when the film first bowed in 1997.

There are a few shots accomplished using primitive VFX. I get why. Some conceits cannot be achieved practically. So, I don’t hold any ill will over that. But the aforementioned CGI sequences drive home why so many genre film enthusiasts clamor for the use of practical effects and creature design. The VFX sequences juxtaposed alongside the practical work demonstrate how timeless practical effects are and why they will never truly go out of style.

The Wishmaster cast is on point

In addition to stellar effects work, the film also benefits from a strong core (and extended) cast of characters. The Djinn makes for a formidable horror antagonist. He’s brought to life with a mixture of robotics and charm by Andrew Divoff. It’s a strange juxtaposition, but it works remarkably well. His movements are mechanical and somewhat unnatural, which makes perfect sense, seeing as the Djinn is not actually human. Despite his machine-like mannerisms, he has an effortless charisma that makes him irresistible. This is especially apparent as he delivers one-liners and watches the aftermath of his handiwork unfold with a detached smirk on his face. He’s a phenomenal villain. 

As you likely know, a great antagonist functions even better with a worthy adversary. And the Djinn surely has that in Alex. Tammy Lauren is a swell choice to play the plucky protagonist. She renders Alex as resilient, compassionate, and quick-witted. She’s lost so many people close to her that she is prone to keep her guard up. Her arc is a little cheesy, but it’s nonetheless nice to see her learn the importance of human connection and ultimately seize the chance to grow closer to the people around her, rather than running from emotional intimacy.  

A killer supporting cast rounds out the roster. Angus Scrimm narrates, with Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, Ted Raimi, Reggie Bannister, Tom Savini, and Buck Flower all appearing in various roles! It goes without saying, but Wishmaster features one of the most impressive casts of genre film personalities ever assembled. It’s like The Expendables for horror fans. All of our favorites are under one roof. Very, very cool. 

Wishmaster is a fun film, warts and all

Though I love Wishmaster, I am not blind to the picture’s flaws. One distracting shortcoming is that the scope of the Djinn’s power isn’t handled very effectively. He gets his power from wishes. But he’s able to operate without a proper wish on a number of occasions. Several times, someone names something they would like and he’s able to use those statements to wield his awesome power. But these aren’t proper wishes. That’s a little distracting. I wish (no pun intended) that piece had been a little more straightforward. Oh well, even though it stretches credibility at times, the film is an undeniably great time. 

Despite everything it brings to the table, Wishmaster isn’t as celebrated as it ought to be. The flick was a modest box office success. It pulled in over $15 million against a budget of $5 million. That led to a second series installment that isn’t half bad (and is also remarkably queer). From there, the franchise went to hell. Divoff didn’t return for the third or fourth installments, and the series lost its mojo. With that said, the original film is a rollicking good time that should be remembered fondly and revisited often. Today is a great day to do just that. If you don’t own the Vestron Blu-ray (and I hope you do), you can find Wishmaster streaming on Tubi as of the publication of this post. 

Tags: Robert Kurtzman Wishmaster

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