jimm-8 This review gives away the remarkable twist at the end. So, if you don't want to know the result, look away now! Back in 1989, our family used to rent a video every Saturday night from our local store. Usually, it was a tacky horror film, nearly always forgettable, but very occasionally we got something a cut above the rest. The very few I recall include Neon Maniacs and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Most memorable of all was Spellbinder, from MGM/UA Video, because of its never-to-be-forgotten ending. The hero of the movie is about to be sacrificed by a bunch of devil worshippers. But, not to worry, his best friend is on his way, accompanied by two uniformed police officers. After a long sprint, they get there just in time, so everything's going to be fine, OK? Well, as Alfred Hitchcock liked to tell his audience: "So you think you know what's going to happen next, but do you?" The friend, of course, turns out to be the leader of the coven, but the scary part is the cops stripping off their uniforms to change into satanic robes. Even the devil never saw that coming!

BA_Harrison Yuppie L.A. lawyer Jeff Mills (Timothy Daly) and his colleagues rescue a beautiful woman, Miranda Reed (Kelly Preston), from her abusive boyfriend: with nowhere to go, the sexy damsel in distress accepts Jeff's invitation to stay at his place and before long, the pair start a relationship. But Jeff's newfound happiness doesn't last long: it transpires that Miranda is a witch, and the other members of her coven want her back—at any cost.Supernatural thriller Spellbinder will hold no surprises at all for anyone familiar with The Wicker Man, for its build-up and eventual twist are all very derivative of Robin Hardy's critically acclaimed (oc)cult classic. That said, the film is still a reasonably enjoyable time-waster, with decent turns from all involved, some atmospheric chills, and the lovely Kelly Preston pleasing admirers with a steamy sex scene.6.5/10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.

callanvass Spellbinder is a movie that I didn't mind at all. It looks and feels like a cheap T.V movie, and that's essentially what it is, but it has a fair amount going for it. It's derivative of other films, but despite that, I still managed to have an OK time with it. Devil cult films started getting big around the 60's and 70's, but I highly doubt any of them had such a gorgeous female lead like Kelly Preston. This was before she was solidified as a star, so I highly doubt she'll look back fondly at this one. My only real problem with this one is that I figured out where this was going in 25-30 minutes into the movie. I knew how it was gonna all boil down. Predictability isn't always a bad thing. I'm just saying I knew where it was going to head. It delivers some decent suspense for a T.V film, though. Despite the predictability of the finale, it was still rather intense. I don't mind predictability at all if it manages to be effective. Kelly Preston is spellbinding herself. Her beauty is near untouchable, but she's also a very solid actress. Her unpredictable show is rather unheralded in my opinion. Tim Daly is OK, but he was pretty wooden at times. I didn't really buy him as the lead, but he was tolerable at least. Rick Rossovich is solid as per usual as the supporting friend. Audra Lindley is absolutely chilling. Let's just say she has one scene you won't soon forget. Final Thoughts: Not bad for a low budget film. It's quite derivative, and doesn't feature many surprises, but I still had a decent time with it. If you manage to find it on V.H.S (It's not on DVD as far as I know) or on the net, I would give it a look. 5.5/10

Claudio Carvalho In Los Angeles, the successful lawyer Jeff Mills (Timothy Daly) plays a basketball game after hour with his colleagues. When he comes to the parking area with his friend Derek Clayton (Rick Rossovich), they see a stranger hitting a young woman and Jeff and Derek protect her. Then she explains that her name is Miranda Reed (Kelly Preston) and she lives with the man named Aldys (Anthony Crivello). Jeff brings her home and they have one night stand; but she moves to Jeff's apartment and they start living together. When Aldys finds Jeff, Miranda vanishes and he seeks the police department to report the disappearance of Miranda. Lieutenant Lee (Cary- Hiroyuki Tagawa) sees the photo of Miranda and asks him about her necklace. Soon Jeff learns that it is the symbol of a satanic sect that worships the devil. Out of the blue, Miranda reappears and explains to Jeff that her mother is a witch that introduced her to her coven. She is trying to leave them and she needs to miss the next solstice, when they will gather at a beach to sacrifice a human being that will spontaneously participate of the meeting and take his heart. When Miranda is abducted by the worshipers, Jeff decides to seek her out. "Spellbinder" is a spooky, sexy and underrated horror movie with a flawless story in the style of "Rosemary's Baby". I saw this movie three or four times in the 90's and today I have just watched it again on VHS. The plot convinces mainly due to Kelly Preston, who is lovely gorgeous and sexy and capable to seduce the lonely Jeff Mills like she does in the story. The final twist is absolutely unexpected and surprises the viewer. My vote is nine.Title (Brazil): "Enfeitiçados" ("Bewitched")Note: On 03 September 2015, I saw this movie again.