Anybody who thought the original "Deathstalker" (1983) was abysmal should skip its lightweight, lackluster sequel "Deathstalker: Duel of the Titans" with John Terlesky taking over the sword wielding duties from Rick Hill as the eponymous warrior hero. Indeed, "Deathstalker 2" looks like a threadbare straight-to-video sequel. This potboiler relies, much to "Big Bad Mama" director Jim Wynorski's chagrin, on footage from its superior predecessor as well as generic Roger Corman footage. Furthermore, neither scenarist Neil Ruttenberg nor dialogue writer R.J. Robertson makes any mention of Deathstalker's previous heroic exploits. <br /><br />Wynorski states on the commentary track that they tore up the first screenplay and reworked it because it was so terrible. "Deathstalker 2" is pretty terrible as it is, so one can only imagine how egregious the preliminary script must have been. This cardboard muscle man adventure springs no surprises on its audience, except for the automobile tire that appears in the garbage dump where Wynorski staged a scene and candidly admits that he missed during lensing. The sword fights lack energy, and the amateurish acting, particularly by Monique Gabrielle, is laughable. <br /><br />The first scene has our hero acting like Indiana Jones as he sneaks into a castle (the shot is lifted from Corman's own movie "The Terror," to steal a gem but then has to fight his way out. Since film boasts only the most minimal of budgets, lensed as it was on location in Argentina to lower costs, "Deathstalker 2" resembles a studio bound television comedy drama with our hero and heroine bickering with each other as they defend themselves from the adversaries. Like the original "Deathstalker," "Deathstalker 2" pits our hero against an evil sorcerer, Jarek the Sorcerer (John Lazar of "Scorpion") who has magical powers. He has made a double of Princess Evie (Monique Gabrielle), cast Evie out to roam the kingdom, installed the double on the throne, and rules the kingdom. Reena, ostensibly calling herself a seer, recruits the 'prince of thieves, Deathstalker (John Terlesky of "Vampirella") to help her recover her throne. Meanwhile, an evil female warrior Sultana (Toni Naples of "Munchie") is looking to kill Deathstalker, too. <br /><br />Predictably, it's no picnic trying to slay Deathstalker as the nefarious Gen (Marcos Woinsky) learns. During one of the film's more spectacular moments, our hero and heroine ride a gauntlet of explosive arrows as Gen and his A-Team of miscreants try to kill him. The scene in the crypt where Deathstalker escapes a crushing wall and saves Evie from a crowd of zombies is about as good as this cheesy epic gets. The only other scene that matches this occurs when Jarek kills a henchman during a conversation using water fountains to communicate. Jarek shoves his sword into the fountain and kills his incompetent henchman on the other side. Later, a tribe of Amazon warrior women capture Deathstalker and force him to defend his honor in a trial by combat. The Amazons hate Deathstalker's reputation as a womanizer, and they square him off against a gigantic redhead who makes life miserable momentarily for Deathstalker.<br /><br />Like the original "Deathstalker," the saving grace of "Deathstalker 2" is its self-effacing sense of humor. Unfortunately, there is not quite enough self-effacing humor to counteract the amateurish acting, formulaic script, and comic book bubble dialogue. The outtakes during the end credits are a bonus for anybody that hangs around long enough to enjoy them. Terlesky is more athletic than muscular. The horrendous hokum pays tribute to "Rocky," "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Escape from New York," and "Goldfinger." Once is more than enough to see this forgettable fodder.