Empire of the Dark (1990) | Merits of Sin | Region-Free (DVD)

Title: Empire of the Dark (1990)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Plot Synopsis:
Private detective Richard Flynn becomes entangled with a satanic cult after witnessing the ritualistic sacrifice of his former lover, Angela, by cult leader Arkham. Twenty years later, Flynn learns Angela’s son, Terry, is alive and now the target of the same cult. As Flynn protects Terry, he confronts demonic forces, interdimensional gateways, and hordes of cultists, culminating in a surreal and violent battle against evil itself.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Steve Barkett

• Writer: Steve Barkett

• Cast:

  • Steve Barkett as Richard Flynn

  • Christopher Barkett as Terry Nash

  • Tera Hendrickson as Angela Nash

  • Richard Harrison as Arkham

  • Dawn Wildsmith as Madame Oleska

IMDb Link:
Empire of the Dark (1990) 

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Lou (rhymes with wow!) – ★★★★
   “Be right back, gonna grab my sword and save my ex-girlfriend from a satanic cult… Man, I can only hope that the movie I will be writing/producing/directing/starring in during my midlife crisis will be as ridiculous as this here Steve Barkett movie.”

2. matt lynch – ★★★★
   “Imagine MST3K classic The Final Sacrifice, a woods-bound epic about a schlubby hero battling a vicious cult, but a one-man show: edited, written, directed by, and starring its lead auteur, Steve. Oh, and it’s a real movie. Like with a decent-but-still-low budget, a solid and expressive score, competent cinematography and stunts, and seriously impressive special effects. I know, I can’t believe this is an actual thing but there you have it.”

3. Kaijuman – ★★★½
   “This low-budget oddity certainly charmed the hell out of me. Our lead (who also wrote, directed, and edited) plays a detective who lives in the woods with a woman he rescued from an evil cult when she was a child. They train daily in case the devil cult reemerges, which of course they do. What ensues is heavy doses of poorly choreographed swordfights, demon monks, and a giant demon hand-puppet.”

4. Geoffrey Broomer – ★★★★★
   “I love vanity projects. A person decides—’I’m going to dedicate a significant amount of resources to a possibly once in a lifetime artistic endeavor, I might as well also star.’ This usually creates an almost home movie disconnect, with untried aspirations taking on too many hats, where they should only be judged on their own merit.”

5. Harry – ★★★½
   “What about his wife tho.”

Meta Description:
Empire of the Dark (1990) is a supernatural action-adventure film directed by Steve Barkett, who also stars as a detective battling cultists and demonic forces. Blending horror, fantasy, and low-budget ambition, it delivers an unforgettable ride through satanic rituals, swordfights, and interdimensional terror.