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Following the success of Conan the Barbarian in 1982, 1984 saw the sequel, Conan the Destroyer, with Arnold Schwarzenegger once again taking the lead role. The film was toned down a little to attract wider and younger audiences than Barbarian did, and it was released in the same year as Terminator, which is perhaps Arnie's most famous role.
The Plot
Queen taramis summons legendary fighter Conan to her in order to send him to retrieve a special gem and a magic horn that will give life back to the God Dagoth. Conan leads a band of adventurers on the quest, and encounters his old friend Akiro the wizard as well as some other friends and foes. Wondering whether the rebirth of Dagoth is a good idea or not, his troop put their lives ont he line for their quest, for in return, Taramis has promised to resurrect Conan's dead lover, Valeria.
The Cast and Performances
Arnie is once again a powerhouse of a performer in front if the camera, with his trademark swordsmanship from Conan the Barbarian being put to the test for the second time. A little more acting is required in this film than the first, and the actor accomplishes this with ease, although the speaking element is still a little stuttery, his command for the English not full at this point.
Mako returns as Akiro the wizard, and female bodybuilder and Bond girl Grace Jones joins the troop as Zula. NBA basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain lends his considerable height to the film as Bombaata, with Tracey Walter starring as Malak, Conan's right hand man for the film. The remainder of the cast do well, particularly Sarah Douglas as Queen Taramis and a very young Olivia d'Abo (another Bond girl) as Princess Jehnna.
My Opinion
Many regard Destroyer as the better film of the two Conan movies. My personal favourite is Barbarian, but Destroyer definitely has more of a push in it towards a larger target audience. Many of the gruesome scenes were cut from the final film in order to reduce the certificate to allow a younger audience, and there are more heroes and camaradery in the film, something kids often respond well to in films.
The director's chair was not taken up again by John Milius, director of Barbarian, as he was tied up with other commitments at the time, so Richard Fleischer took the seat for the more gentle of the two Conan films. He would go on to direct Arnie in Red Sonja. The scenery is amazing in the filming. Much of the filming was done in Mexico, and the landscape is breathtaking at times. The film itself involves much more fantasy, with more creatures and fantastical events than Barbarian, which opted for a more raw, Bronze Age type feel, and many have actually criticised it for lacking the brutal edge of the first film, but Destroyer has its own place as a film, and does appeal to the wider audience, so it does balance out in the end.
Conclusion
A decent sequel, but not a patch on Conan the Barbarian.
The DVD is available from amazon.co.uk for £0.97, used at the moment.
This review may also be posted on dooyoo.co.uk.
Thanks for reading.
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Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Willow Smith, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson, Alice Braga
Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
The dark, brooding tone ofConan the Barbarianis replaced in this rousing sequel by a ... more
lighter, more humorous tone and one of the campiest casts ever assembled. InConan the Destroyer, our massively muscular hero (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is assigned by a d...
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![Conan The Destroyer [DVD] [1984]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78525871.jpg "Conan The Destroyer [DVD] [1984]")
Jun 9th, 2008
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