A 1990s supernatural thriller set in L.A., The First Power stars Lou Diamond Phillips as a cop who stumbles into a satanic plot that just refuses to quit.

Here’s the plot in one extraordinary sentence: a serial murderer is captured and executed, locks eyes with the arresting detective (Phillips) at the moment of death, and then—naturally—decides that guy is now his raison d’être. Detective Russ Logan spends the rest of the movie running first toward, then away from, the immortal satanic murderer (played by the perpetually leering Jeff Kober). Logan’s path through the plot is mostly blind, illuminated only by a series of excellent stunts and fight sequences.

The First Power isn’t quite as fun as Angel Heart, though the two are definitely kissing cousins. Both feature big-city detectives who start the film cynical and end it muttering about the Devil. But where Angel Heart slithers into your bloodstream, The First Power whacks you over the head with a crucifix and shouts “Boo!”

If the film had a little more star power, or if Phillips had been given a character instead of just a jawline and a gun, it might’ve landed differently. And the evil here isn’t even capital-E Evil; it’s just mean for the sake of being mean. Still, bonus points for that magnificent kick through the stained-glass window: a stunt straight out of the Church of Excessive Symbolism.

We’ve got a sexy psychic (Tracy Griffith), a body-jumping bag lady, and an immortal Satanist whose main goal seems to be continuing his reign of light vandalism, mild homicide, and generally ruining Logan’s week. There’s even a horse-and-buggy chase through downtown L.A., which feels like it wandered in from a different movie entirely.

Phillips spends most of his time waiting for an excuse to fire his gun, while psychic Tess alternates between pouting and predicting. The bag lady, though? Unforgettable. Especially when she bellows, “It’s not nice to hit a ladeeeee!” A moment of pure grindhouse poetry.

Let’s be honest: the stunts and fight choreography are the only real reasons to watch this movie. I’ve never seen a defensive maneuver involving a ceiling fan before, but it works. The old-school stunt work—practical, dirty, and borderline dangerous—is a relief after decades of glossy CGI. And that final subterranean sequence in all its grimy glory is worth it. The sewer water slide alone deserves its own Oscar category.

As one would expect from a satanic immortal pugilist, the villain never dies. Luckily, the movie knows when to quit. Barely.

The First Power delivers exactly what the VHS cover promised: sweat, screaming, and at least one gratuitous explosion in a church.

-MH