it do not take too long after halloween have kick off the slasher boom for the category to be curse by continuous mediocrity . as early a 1983 the genre be already struggle to release more than three decent offering per year and by 88 the stalk and slash flick have become pretty much the whip boy of horror cinema . by that time major studio be all aware that repeat the tired formula be no long a lucrative direction and which leave it up to independent and mostly inexperienced filmmaker to continue the legacy that john carpenter have create . although there be still an impressive number of feature hit shelf in 88 and most of them be weakly produce and take a a whole they be eminently unappealing . with that say there be a couple of gem amongst the rubble . scott spiegel intruder in it uncut form be a superb gross out classic and whilst evil dead trap prove that the cycle have not yet completely run out of style and panache . william lustig maniac cop be successful enough to launch a franchise and two year later dead girl and mirage prove to be the last beguiling breath of life in the ailing category . it be the continual release of schlock like berserker and blood lake and rush week that curse the slasher movie to eight year of obscurity . it finally take the big budget flamboyance of wes craven scream to provide the necessary resuscitation . have not hear anything about demon warrior before i come across it unexpectedly and i instantly assume that it be part of the low brow trash that lead to the downfall of the slasher phase . but with that say the movie boast an intriguing premise that sit comfortably beside scalp and camp del terrore a another welcome addition to the native american influence catalogue . a truck pull up on a woodland road and out step two laughably dramatise redneck . the hillbilly lumberjack be only on screen for around for ten second and then they be murder by an unseen menace . next we meet a troupe of five young adult that be head to the same location for a spot of shotgun target practice on some of the local wildlife . the area be own by neil willard and have be pass down through three generation of his family . his grandfather steal the land from an indian medicine man that be rumour to have leave a curse on the property . accord to legend and every ten year a demon warrior with an extreme hatred for mankind stalk the forest reaping revenge on those he deem responsible for the pilfering of the tribe home . it wouldn not be much fun if those myth be a falsehood and so regular a clockwork a maniacal assassin turn up with a taste for blood . will the kid be able to stop this phantom killer . demon warrior be best describe a a big budget ( but still woefully cheap ) re image of fred olen ray scalp . the bogeyman from both film be virtually identical and the director even throw in a scalping sequence to confirm my suspicion . thing start promisingly with some crisp friday the 13th style first person cinematography and a couple of shock jolt that be compose with finesse by director frank patterson . thomas callaway do a good job with the photography and the tribal drum score make a refreshing change from the more traditional late eighty synthesizer rubbish . flourish of suspense be juxtapose with a couple of credible directorial embellishment and there be even a few attempt at humour . the killer look successfully creepy in demon attire and the inclusion of a bow and arrow a the main murder weapon be a deft touch from the director . fred olen ray notorious slasher be notable for it stark and credibly unsettle atmosphere . unfortunately despite be produce on twice the budget and demon warrior never come close to the film that it so desperately emulate . rumor have it that the majority of the actor be draft from the texas baylor university and be not even pay for their inclusion in the feature and so of course it go without say that the dramatics be appropriately abysmal . i especially enjoy the hilarious john langione an italian native american ( do not ask ) that portray about as much emotion a the tree in the forest that surround him . warrior start with some credible glimpse of panache from the director that actually lead me to believe that this could be a welcome inclusion to the slasher index . unfortunately and the poisonous cocktail of heinous act and an end pluck directly from stupidsville seriously change the initial plan i have in mind for a rating . it a shame that the dramatics be so scrap from the bottom of the thespian barrel and because at time demon warrior show flash of potential . all in all and patterson movie be a mixed bag of idea some of them be good and but mostly they be staggeringly mediocre . because this be release at a time when the slasher genre have be water down to avoid the scissor happy censor and there really no gore worth mention . even the scalping sequence be relatively tame compare to olen ray graphic depiction . demon warrior have the odd moment of credibility and but not often enough to warrant a purchase . not as bad a the aforementioned berserker and blood lake et al and but not really that good either .