I saw "Galaxy Lords" a few weeks ago on Prime Video. It is, in one word, insane. The F/X are amazing for a low budget movie and except for an extensive use of CG, fit in well with the rest of the retro feel of the movie. The movie's biggest downfall is the lumbering set-up after the initial opening action sequence. It gets very talkative and slow for a good few minutes with the only action being our hero chopping wood, terribly. Anyone who has seen "Lumber vs Jack" or "Jack vs Lanterns" knows that I take my wood chopping super seriously. My axe throwing is another story.
As suggested viewing, to get you into the right mind set, and to understand what is being spoofed here, I suggest my younger readers check out "Flash Gordon" (1980), and the "Buck Rogers" T.V. show from the same time period. Other things, like the countless knock-offs of "Star Wars" undoubtedly played a hand in inspiring the filmmakers, but production value-wise, those two should suffice. Maybe a bit of the original "Battlestar Galactica".
Now that you have some context, watch the trailer to get a true feel for what "Galaxy Lords" is like.
Do you see what I mean? The little robot buddy? The "rocket cycle" like flying treadmill with a laser cannon in it? Those red baddies really resemble Ming's troops, right?
As suggested viewing, to get you into the right mind set, and to understand what is being spoofed here, I suggest my younger readers check out "Flash Gordon" (1980), and the "Buck Rogers" T.V. show from the same time period. Other things, like the countless knock-offs of "Star Wars" undoubtedly played a hand in inspiring the filmmakers, but production value-wise, those two should suffice. Maybe a bit of the original "Battlestar Galactica".
Now that you have some context, watch the trailer to get a true feel for what "Galaxy Lords" is like.
None of this is necessarily bad. It really all depends on whether or not you can accept the tone of the movie. The beards are fake, the costumes are foam, the F/X are a mix of practical and CG and the acting is usually so far over the top it falls back down to the bottom, but this all part of the fun.
One reviewer on Amazon (where this movie is pretty well liked judging by the star rating) suggested that the movie would play better if it was transferred to VHS first. I think that observation is spot on. It would give the movie the look of its intended contemporaries.
If you like some humor with your lasers, give this one a try. You may be left confused, but you'll at least be entertained. (You may just want to fast forward past that whole wood chopping scene. I honestly nearly gave up before watching the rest of the movie. It's a painful few minutes.)
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