Fire and Ice (1983)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The acting in this movie is really good.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Ostensibly a pulp movie for kids, this animation has many things I like in it, and should not be judged by first impressions.Yes, it has some hopeless plot fails.  Like it seems that the Fire King can totally destroy Nekron at any time by releasing lava from the volcano.  The price is the collateral damage - all the intervening land is destroyed as well.  But hey, they can win the war anytime they want.  You could also make fun of Teegra's virtual nudity.  But maybe this is a tactical solution to a known problem?  If Dad has to take the kids to a PG movie on a Saturday morning, isn't it fair to put something in it to help the time pass nicely for him too?Normally on most movies, I have an idea what is going to happen next, but in this one, the next act is often a surprise.  Of course, it is expected that the Fire King will try sue for peace with   Nekron, and at the end, that Teegra will stop Larn from killing one of the troglodytes ... but this movie doesn't follow the 'established' script in the appalling way that Star Trek Beyond does, for example.For example, none of the baddies, not even Nekron, shows any sexual interest in Teegra.  Nekron, who speaks with a rather gay voice, is contemptuous of her, but is scarily powerful.  Indeed, all the way till the end it looks like he totally outclasses all the opposition and they don't stand a chance.  There is no finely balanced match between good and evil here: for Nekron its  a turkey shoot.  When he says of Larn "you interest me" so commands against killing him, you sense his boredom with life, and with the idiotic allies - and enemies - that he is surrounded by.I like the bit where Teegra steals some meat from Larn's fire, he then says "if you want it take it" and she replies "I am not a thief".  She then leads him flirtatiously to some red berries/cherries which he eats, then SHE stands proudly on a high rock.  There are enough interpretations of this 60 seconds alone to keep you entertained for a while.Later Teegra decides to head off home.  She doesn't invite Larn but just sets off without him!  So like a junior schoolboy, the big strong Larn has to tag along with the 100% feminine Teegra.  Its a nice demonstration of a true power play between the sexes. Feminists take note.When Larn and Teegra get dragged down by the lake monster, I expected them to fight together and even bond by it.  But Teegra swims off leaving Larn to his fate.  I don't think its cowardly and wrong, I actually think its correct, but this is not the kind of realism we are used to in children's or even adult's movies.  "Better one dies than two" is not the kind of mathematical morality we get normally, not even in Die Hard movies. Then for the rest of the movie till the end, she sadly and reluctantly assumes he is dead.Teegra is dropped off at the hut of Moleel, a lesbian witch who appears to want her as a sexual plaything.  So, Teegra is carried off by Artois, the hulking, dangerous looking monster (bad); then found to be in the hut of a kind and beautiful woman (good); then the woman wants to have sex with her (not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling right now?).  If there's one thing this movie is not, its predictable.Later, Teegra makes a bungled escape attempt.  But if it weren't for that, the rescue attempt by Larn and Darkwolf could have been successful.  As it was, it turned out to be a fiasco.  Now there's a plot twist I've never seen before.Nekron's response to Teegra's plea for a common humanity that can live in peace, is priceless.   For a while he seems genuinely baffled as to how to respond.  Is he weighing it up? Is he shocked by her openness and kindness? The normal 'bad guy' response is an instant "I spit on your kindness and humanity", but Nekron also says "I spit on you", to the beautiful and seductive Teegra.  I don't think I've seen this kind of bad guy confusion and contempt before in any fantasy or sci-fi.Nekron then tells his mother not to bring any more of her sluts to him.  Now it really looks like Nekron is gay, his mother doesn't seem to get it, and they have a relationship that Freud could have a field day with.Anyway, I've said enough.  I think this animation is a lost gem.

A king's land is under an impending threat from an ice lord and his army. After his daughter is kidnapped a warrior assists the princess to reunite her with her people.Like Ralph Bakshis' The Lord of the Rings (1978), Fire and Ice has plenty of atmosphere, it actually oozes it but it's dispensable story leaves it lacklustre given its similarities to other tales. It also appears unusual that the sub character, namely Darkwolf is more fleshed out than the main lead Larn. That said, there's some nice fantasy elements notably the sub-human ape-like beings, flying dragon hawk-like creatures and sorcerers to name a few.Given the adult nature of the film it may have been rounded by more blood splatter and Cynthia Leake/ Maggie Roswell (voice) Teegra either being topless through-out or less scantly clad as she almost becomes a titillating distraction.That said, there's no shortage of ambiance with wonderful background paintings on display. The rotoscope technique and animation give it a magical unearthly feel. The Teegra flesh on display and a Conan-esque witch scene that makes it worth a viewing alone. Yes it's flawed but it's also visually masterfully crafted.

I'm probably one of the few reviewers here who is not an animation geek.I'm a very simple viewer and watch things purely for the entertainment value they were intended for. All those behind-the-scenes "extras" (such as who Bakashi is, past and previous works, history of the actors, etc.) and other trivia I leave to the geeks who enjoy that kind of stuff. Truthfully, I don't care much about all of that.That said, I decided to watch this one because of my geek friends who recommended it, plus it was actually available on Netflix streaming.The animation is well-drawn and fun, nostalgic to the "Thundarr" cartoons I used to watch as a kid, except with better body representations, excellent for the animation techniques available at the time. The muscular lines of the hero are nice, and the princess is one hot number spending the entire film barefoot and wearing only a scant minimum thong (the occasional "nipple poke" views are a nice touch too).Some of the effects could use a little work, like that of the ever-growing glacier which seemed a bit too choppy to me, but the motion of the characters was actually very well done.Not much in the plot department, simple good (Fire) vs. evil (Ice) in a fantasy world with a few bits of sword and sorcery thrown in for good measure.And the dialog is second-rate, quite cheesy, but most animated films are not meant for that anyway. And fortunately, there really isn't very much of it.I say give this one a shot. It's not going to blow you away, but it's a good way to kill an hour and a half with sufficient action and eye candy that you won't be totally bored.

Don't get fooled by the lower rating of this animated movie. This is one of the most under rated animated movies I have seen so far. Just by seeing screen shots, I decided to watch the movie. I thought its rating would be more than 8 and I was quite shocked to see the lower rating here. This movie is totally as I thought it would be. Its a battle between fire and ice, love and hatred, peace and chaos. I like all the main characters including negative character 'Nekron'. All the characters were portrayed beautifully and carefully. The movie was interesting enough to watch in one go without being bored for a moment. It was dramatic, it was romantic, it was passionate and also sometimes violent and cruel; It was epic. Above all, this movie also provides good lesson. I will always remember it as an exceptional great animated movie.