---
title: "Krull"
year: 1983
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/krull"
fi1m_id: "krull"
imdb_id: "tt0085811"
tmdb_id: 849
wikidata_id: "Q195710"
fi1m_score: 54
critics_score: 41
critics_reviews: 7
published: "2026-10-04T18:32:12.294268+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-04T18:32:12.737415+00:00"
region: "IL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Krull (1983)

Directed by Peter Yates · 2h 01m · Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction

## Identity

Krull

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/krull
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** krull
- **IMDb ID:** tt0085811
- **TMDB ID:** 849
- **Wikidata ID:** Q195710
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085811/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/849, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q195710

**Fi1m score: 54** · Critics 41 from 7 reviews

*In a sentence:* The spider makes more of an impression than the prince, which is awkward for the prince

> Peter Yates gives this science-fiction fantasy some dignity, and the creatures occasionally unsettle us. But thin characters and faltering momentum make *Krull* a mixed prospect, even for viewers inclined to forgive an unconvincing effect.

## Synopsis

Prince Colwyn (Kenneth Marshall) and Lyssa (Lysette Anthony) inhabit a fantasy world alongside Ynyr (Freddie Jones), Torquil (Alun Armstrong) and Ergo (David Battley). Its other figures include a Cyclops (Bernard Bresslaw), the Seer (John Welsh) and the Widow of the Web (Francesca Annis). Kegan (Liam Neeson) and Titch (Graham McGrath) also appear in an adventure that mixes a quest with science fiction. Directed by Peter Yates from a screenplay by Stanford Sherman, *Krull* runs for 121 minutes and carries a PG certificate.

## Review

*Krull* is a patchy fantasy adventure with enough curious sights to make its thin storytelling frustrating. Peter Yates approaches the combination of science fiction and fairy tale without embarrassment, which helps when the material threatens to look faintly ridiculous. There is pleasure in being invited to accept it all so earnestly. Stanford Sherman’s screenplay, however, does too little to make us care about the people moving through this world, or persuade us to follow them for two hours.

Kenneth Marshall gives Prince Colwyn the requisite earnestness, but little that makes the character feel particular. Lysette Anthony has much the same problem as Lyssa: the performance cannot supply the emotional connection missing from the writing. Freddie Jones brings more interest to Ynyr, while Alun Armstrong gives Torquil a welcome firmness. The supporting actors help the film maintain its dignity, though we kept wishing the leads had something less dutiful to do than carry the adventure.

Stephen B. Grimes’s production design is rewarding to inspect, particularly the miniature fortress. Its visible craftsmanship is part of the pleasure; we need not mistake every surface for reality to enjoy looking at it. Peter Suschitzky’s photography gives the fantasy settings enough weight to keep them from feeling merely decorative. The effects are uneven, but their more successful images remain worth studying through passages when the human drama has gone slack.

We were unsettled by the spider imagery, which makes the danger feel unpleasantly close in a way the broader action rarely manages. The creature gives us something specific to recoil from, and the film briefly stops feeling so polite. Such moments explain why we cannot dismiss its practical effects as an embarrassment. They also make the less convincing effects harder to excuse, because there is evidence here of how much a carefully chosen creature can contribute.

Ray Lovejoy’s editing keeps individual stretches moving, but the action does not accumulate into much suspense. Each new passage seems to require another effort to get us interested, rather than benefiting from what came before. At 121 minutes, that repeated loss of momentum becomes wearing, especially when Stanford Sherman’s characters remain so thinly drawn. We do not need complicated psychology from this sort of adventure, but we do need a reason to worry about the people undertaking it.

James Horner’s music supplies enthusiasm that the drama often fails to earn. It helps the spectacle, lending the images a conviction we sometimes wish the performances shared, though it cannot repair the weak character writing. By the standards of quest fantasy, a familiar story is hardly a disqualification; the lack of urgency is a more serious fault. A strange creature can renew our attention for a scene, but this film asks that trick to work too often.

An interest in handmade fantasy will help, provided that interest runs deep. We would be cautious about choosing it simply for an evening’s adventure: the pleasures are intermittent, and the long stretches between them matter. Those already fond of this sort of film may be more forgiving of the thin characters. Everyone else should be prepared to spend rather more time inspecting the scenery than fearing for anyone in it.

*Fi1m score 54, published 4 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics find Krull a derivative fantasy adventure whose action fails to sustain an absorbing story. The praise centres on its fantasy world, with the more receptive reviews finding charm and excitement in the effects and imagery. Even some sceptical responses allow it modest pleasures: Variety credits Peter Yates’s professionalism and the mainly British cast with keeping the material from becoming laughable, while finding it never quite dull.

The spread is wide, particularly on the effects and the question of whether the quest entertains. /Film offers the clearest positive dissent, praising the practical effects, spider sequence and miniature fortress, and arguing that familiarity need not spoil the enjoyment. Other reviews find the effects poorly realised and the action clumsy. Eye for Film is especially severe, finding too little imagination, humour or character development to establish an emotional connection. The central divide is between enjoying the fantasy trappings and finding them insufficient.

## Straight answers

**Is Krull worth watching?**

*Krull* is a mixed prospect we score 54 out of 100, with most to offer viewers who enjoy handmade fantasy effects. The miniature fortress and unsettling spider imagery reward that interest, but thin characters and faltering momentum make its two hours harder to recommend as an evening’s adventure.

**How long is Krull, and what is it rated?**

*Krull* runs 2h 01m. It is an action and adventure film.

**Where can I watch Krull in Israel?**

*Krull* is not on any streaming or rental service in Israel at the moment. It is available in 25 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How does Krull compare to The Dark Crystal?**

*Krull* is the weaker choice beside [*The Dark Crystal*](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal) for viewers drawn to handmade creatures and detailed fantasy worlds. We find more personality in *The Dark Crystal*’s creatures than in *Krull*’s dutiful leads, though both adventures struggle to sustain attention. *Krull* offers a science-fiction and fairy-tale mixture, with intermittent pleasures in its scenery and effects.

### Reviews we read (7)

- **Time Out**, SGr (64/100, inferred): The available description highlights the film’s fantasy world as its main interest. It compares that world to Mad Max 2 and Excalibur, but the full review’s verdict is unavailable. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/krull)
- **Radio Times**, David Parkinson (3/5): Parkinson finds the fantasy engaging but not enthralling, while noting its poor box-office performance. He praises the charming world created by the effects and the excitement they add to the quest. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-8xt484/krull/)
- **Variety**, Variety Staff (35/100, inferred): The review finds the film derivative and its action sequences unable to form an absorbing narrative, though it never becomes genuinely dull. It credits Peter Yates's professionalism and the mainly British cast for keeping the film from becoming laughable. [Read](https://variety.com/1982/film/reviews/krull-1200425514/)
- **Empire**, Ian Nathan (30/100, inferred): Nathan finds the film derivative and dreary, though mildly distracting. He singles out the poorly realized effects in the final confrontation as a major weakness. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/krull-review/)
- **Little White Lies**, Adam Lee Davies (15/100, inferred): Davies delivers a sharply negative verdict, portraying the film as a dull, failed fantasy adventure. He singles out its contrived flying-horse rescue and clumsy Glaive fight as especially inept. [Read](https://lwlies.com/ex-rent-hell/krull-ex-rent-hell)
- **/Film**, Witney Seibold (75/100, inferred): The critic argues that Krull is genuinely entertaining despite its derivative reputation. The film’s practical effects and imagery, especially the spider sequence and miniature fortress, stand out for praise. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1790691/liam-neeson-sci-fi-flop-visual-treat-krull/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (8/100, inferred): Kermode gives the film a sharply negative verdict, calling it an exceptionally boring fantasy adventure. She singles out its lack of imagination, humour, emotional connection, and character development. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/krull-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

## Details

- **Director:** Peter Yates
- **Director:** Peter Yates
- **Screenplay:** Stanford Sherman
- **Cinematography:** Peter Suschitzky
- **Editor:** Ray Lovejoy
- **Music:** James Horner
- **Production design:** Stephen B. Grimes
- **Costume design:** Anthony Mendleson
- **Producer:** Geoffrey Helman, Ron Silverman
- **Cast:** Kenneth Marshall as Prince Colwyn; Lysette Anthony as Lyssa; Freddie Jones as Ynyr; Francesca Annis as Widow of the Web; Alun Armstrong as Torquil; David Battley as Ergo; Bernard Bresslaw as Cyclops; Liam Neeson as Kegan
- **Runtime:** 2h 01m
- **First release (the US):** 29 July 1983
- **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- **Budget:** $27 million
- **Box office:** $17 million

## Where to watch in Israel

Not streaming, renting or buying in Israel at the last check.

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CL, CO, DE, FI, FR, GB, HR, IE, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NZ, PT, RS, SE, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Dragonslayer* (1981): A sterner fantasy quest whose creature gives the danger convincing weight.
- *The Dark Crystal* (1982), Fi1m 78: For handmade creatures and a fantasy world worth examining closely. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-dark-crystal.md)
- *The Fabulous Baron Munchausen* (1962): Playful fantasy whose deliberately artificial images remain a pleasure to explore.
- *The Thief of Bagdad* (1940): A generous helping of fantasy spectacle, with rather more narrative spring.
- *Tale of Tales* (2015): For adults wanting stranger creatures and less reassuring fairy tales.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/krull