Tagging onto the tail end of the eighties video revolution Hellgate is a periodically silly horror comedy with a mishmash of ideas that somehow seems recently to have unfairly been labelled as the worst film of all time by newcomers to the genre, who I can only guess don't seem to understand eighties horror sensibilities. Of course, it's no fantastic piece of work, but as something that entertains on at least an occasional basis, it certainly not a pile of steaming turd either. It actually, I would argue, has a few things going for it. Aside from the pretty cruddy crystal laser, the special effects (which include a nifty reanimated turtle and an exploding goldfish) are pretty impressive whilst not necessarily winning any Tom-Savini awards. It also contains a touch of nudity and gore, and even a few laughs, not too far away from the territory of many other American eighties horror comedies really. If I would level any criticism at it, it is that the acting can leave a little to be desired, plus the main characters are not as charismatic as, say, the posse of punks in Return of the Living Dead. And then there is that rather screwy stage host that appears for a couple of minutes before a surreal dance show. But really, people, it aint that bad. And I'd rather stick this on than much of the PC dross that drips forth from Hollywood anyway, to be honest.
P.S. At time of writing it was still available direct from Arrow, so before you go and pay some profiteering nincompoop on Amazon or ebay, check there.
