Tami Stronach from The never-ending story returns to the screen in another fantasy epic, Man and Witch: The Dance of a Thousand StepsThe film, a love letter to the high fantasy films of the 80s, is inspired by adventures such as pasture And The Prince’s Bride. Man & Witch is a unique blend of nostalgia and innovation. It follows the ethos of a bedtime story and takes our hero on a noble quest to find love and defeat the ogre armies. Director Michael Hines and writer/actor Greg Steinbruner have many familiar faces in the cast to bring their medieval world to life.

Our journey begins when the “Wonderful Kingdom” is in turmoil, plagued by ogres and a decree has been issued that the princess cannot marry until the ogres are defeated. A lonelyly Goatherder (Greg Steinbruner), nicknamed “Goatherd,” lives with his mother and longs for true love. Goatherd soon discovers that he was cursed at birth by an evil wizard (Michael Emerson) and that he will never find love. Desperate about his curse, Goatherd, followed by his band of talking animals (Eddie Izzard, Billy Bailey and Sean Astin, who also serves as narrator), seeks out a powerful witch (Tami Stronach) to break his curse. The witch orders Goatherd to complete three tasks if he wants to find love and save the kingdom.

“…three tasks, the witch commands that Goatherd must master each challenge…”

Pouring in Man & Witch gives the story a lot of heart. Sean Astin slips effortlessly into the role of the narrator and steers the story into the charming fairy tale motif that Steinbruner is aiming for. Eddie Izzard delivers many Hollywood references as the talking sheep and Bill Bailey is delightful as the talking donkey. The supporting characters are all strong Man & Witch. Christopher Lloyd lends the brilliant alchemist all his eccentricity, and while Michael Emerson is rarely seen in the film, Lost Fans will love him as always. As a protagonist, Goatherd hits all the right cliches for a hero’s journey, but never jumps off the screen as much as the eclectic supporting characters and cast. The biggest highlight, however, is Tami Stronach as the witch. Stronach’s return to film and fantasy is a revelation as she creates a sense of wonder about the role and the story itself. She makes the world seem inhabited and creates even more nostalgia for fans of her work. The never-ending story.

Hines and Steinbruner stay Man & Witch well within the framework of a PG-80s fantasy film. There are ogres, a dark wizard, a seemingly impossible task, a princess and true love; there would undoubtedly be a dragon if the budget allowed. The tropes are used well, making the film feel like a lost childhood VHS movie and somewhat in the same vein as Stephen King’s novel Eyes of the Dragon. Man & Witch is cheesy but always charming, showcasing the virtues and flaws of the epic fantasy genre as Goatherd searches for his future lover.

Man & Witch has some problems in the climax, as the finale needs the “epicness” worthy of its star cast. The naming of the characters still needs to be revised, as none of the characters have a real name; instead, the goatherd protagonist is called “Goatherd”, who The evil wizard is called “evil wizard”, the princess is called “the princess”, etc. Steinbruner’s story may not strike the right note with children, but Man & Witch will find an audience that is still kids at heart, and for this film, that is perhaps more important. Sean Astin’s obvious love of the genre makes the film even more of a homage, and Stronach’s return will make audiences want to see her in more films. While the story is rooted in tropes, the stellar cast elevates the material to new heights and makes Man & Witch a story worthy of the indie nostalgia fandom that Hines and Steinbruner have in mind.