Conan The Barbarian (Wide Screen) > Reviews > Schwarzenegger in operatic love story shocker

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Arnie, big sword, a glorious masterpiece
Disadvantages:	There are none !  !  !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The term 'classic' is used for far too many films (probably by me alot of the time) but here is another one. Conan the Barbarian is a fantasy epic that broke the mould on its release in 1982, combining a simple story of love and revenge with the might of the then, relatively unknown, big Arnie, whose film it undoubtedly is. It is said by many that the Terminator was Arnie's most awesome role but I disagree - that honour goes to Conan.

Directed by John Milius and starring the aforementioned Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones and Sandahl Bergman (and a brief Max von Sydow), it is a powerful display of great film-making. Supplemented with a stunning score, with themes of revenge, love, greed, survival, brainwashing, sorcery and goodness knows what else; some solid acting and dialogue (considering the material - hardly anywhere near mainstream), great action scenes (with no great requirement for special effects - alot of blood basically being it), scenery and location next to none and overall, visually superb; Conan, the man, the myth, the legend, excels.

The story begins with the hordes of the two-headed snake cult led by Thulsa Doom (probably spelt wrong but aka james Earl Jones) destroying a small village and its people, the young Conan holding the hand of his mother as she is beheaded by Doom himself. Sold into slavery, Conan is forced to work shoving some big mechanical water wheel around in a circle for the next 10 years before he is bought by some other Lord who puts him to work in what can only be described as a very small gladiatorial ring, where Conan learns to kill. Further educated by some far eastern buddhist-type monks, Conan is eventually freed where he immediately sets out to find the two-headed snake cult.

Rather and give the rest of the story away, suffice to say, Conan learns about friendship and love on the way; discovering each with amusement and raw naieve simplicity. He becomes a thief and earns great riches, riches beyond his wildest imaginings, where he drowns in its perils. The king captures him though and gives him a chance to find his daughter (a disciple of the two-head snake cult) and in turn, end his own silent torment. Spurred on solely by revenge; a revenge that has festered over the years and probably the only thing that has kept him alive; Conan sets out for the Dark Mountain of Thulsa Doom.

There are no great one liners here although there are a few moments of mirth. Arnold is big, bold and portrays Conan as a simple soul initially, before developing his persona as the film progresses. James Earl Jones as Thulsa Doom is equally impressive as the demi-god of the snake cult, with the power of that voice dominating every scene he is in almost. The rest of the cast is relatively unknown but all support the main protaganist well.

Co-written by John Milius and Oliver Stone, I think one thing that helps greatly in levering Conan the Barbarian to the ranks of the 'classic' is its simple story and almost operatic overtones. The direction is keen and even paced and visually excellent and a voiceover aids in the whole feel to the times and tribulations of the land.

Some people will hate this film without actually even watching it. They don't know what they are missing. Sure, it is a fantasy, starring a big and sometimes clumsy looking Arnie but it offers so much more than that - it brings with it a depth and character that many other films cannot even begin to match.

Watch, and enjoy.