Magus (2008)

Brilliant and touching

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

You see, average, disappointing movies get 4 or 5. Only true indie movies ever get 2 or 3. They are either too stupid, under-budget or unintentionally funny that they are worth seeing.Well, I wouldn't call this worth seeing. After all it is a bad script, terrible acting, clichéd story and '84 special effects are top of the line. But you can see that the people actually tried, even if completely lacking any talent. You get your evil wizard and his sexy fighting sidechick, you get the retired old good wizard and his lovely (ahem :( ) niece and a lot of secondary characters that either die in a blaze of ... magic or stick helplessly around. In the end good wins.Bottom line: this proves that anyone can make a movie. Even if almost a complete failure, at least it is not overrated: what you see is what you get. They have tried, gave their best, and I respect that.

Considering this was an Indy film with a modest budget, I was very impressed. My hat is off to Mr. Lechago for writing and directing an excellent story. The special effects were great. I enjoyed the characters, especially The Magus Fernos. Ron Fitzgerald really brought life to this role. I'm sure we will be seeing more of him in the future. Bill Steele and Lizzy Strain also delivered strong performances. Magus captured my attention from beginning to end. Michael Sean Colin did an outstanding job with the music. I have seen many films on Sci-Fi that can't hold a candle to Magus. All my best to everyone who worked on this film. Great job! This is a great Indy film with all the right elements.

MAGUS is the perfect example of talented filmmakers making the most out of a limited budget. This looks like a film that cost a LOT more than they could possibly have had. This director (John Lechago) is definitely worth watching. This is a great-looking film with credible performances (including a shockingly good one from Julie Strain), that has an interesting story, told at a quick pace. It also boasts some of the best special effects I've ever seen in a low-budget, direct-to-video film. It certainly tops anything you'd see on the Sci-fi channel or in the Roger Corman film library.Magus is by no means a perfect film. It is, however, a fun movie with a lot of great moments (watch for the "magic sex" scene!), and some cool surprises. I, for one, certainly look forward to seeing what this crew comes up with next.

The look and feel of the film is terrific. For a reportedly modest budget, this film gives a lot of bang for the buck. While I could have stood for a little less 'girl/old man', and a LOT more 'hot chicks kicking ass',that's just a personal preference.Lizzy Strain is a real find. She's going to be a HUGE star. Ron Fitzgerald, as well. The guy is the very definition of spooky.I'd love to see a sequel in which the Magus' and his hottie sidekick go on a revenge killing spree, ending with the Old Man and Claudia getting what's coming to them. Call me crazy, but sometimes it's fun to see the bad guys win.