It’s weird because I always wrote off this movie and here I am, in the middle of a lazy Saturday, enjoying this entire series. Did I not know that Robert Kurtzman directed this as seemingly a reel of everything that KNB could do when it came to practical effects? Did I miss out on the cast, which includes Robert Englund, Kane Hodder,Tony Todd, Joseph Pilato, Reggie Bannister, Angus Scrimm and George “Buck” Flower? How could I miss all the Lovecraft references and an appearance by Pazuzu? The cameos by Tom Savini and Verne Troyer? Was I that turned off by the Wes Craven presents before the title? I man, John Byner is in this!

This starts as great as a movie can. That’s because that’s Angus Scrimm reading the intro, which is about how djinn promise three wishes but if that third wish is granted, they unleash their demonic kind on Earth. That’s what nearly happens when one djinn (Andrew Divoff) destroys the kingdom of a Persian emperor before a sorcerer named Zoroaster (Ari Barak) imprisons him in a red gem,

Back in modern time, Raymond Beaumont (Englund) watches as a drunk dockworker (Pilato) crushes his assistant (Ted Raimi) and smashes a statue. The gem escapes and finds its way to an auction house and the eyes of Nick Merritt (Chris Lemmon) and Alexandra “Alex” Amberson (Tammy Lauren) to sell. As soon as an expert tries to study it, it explodes and unleashes the djinn.

The djinn has a goofy sense of humor in the best of ways, killing people as they make wishes, like the woman who wants to look young forever, so she becomes a mannquein. Or the security guard (Hodder) who says, “I’d like to see you go through me” that is turned into stained glass and shattered. He’s literally Alanis Ironic, don’t you think?

You can watch this on Tubi.