← Back to Reviews
in
Conan The Barbarian is not a film with the greatest of acting or storytelling, it's a pure action flick (underneath the swords and magic exterior) and unsurprisingly Arnie does well in it. The film tries a valiant effort of appealing to mainstream audience through sheer entertainment value and die hard fans by creating a faithful adaption of "The Conan" stories and dabbling into specifics. It achieves its ambitious goal and has attained cult status which otherwise would've not emerged if one of these goals weren't in place (the faithful adaption part).
The story follows the one of a drawn-out revenger; Conan witnesses his family being killed as a child, grows up and gains power, then sets out to avenge the loss of his family. The quote in the opening scenes sets up the theme in a clear manner - Conan overcomes a great amount of suffering and becomes a fierce and heroic barbarian through the strength of his inner-being.
Following the original Conan stories, the film mixes Fantasy traits like magic and sorcery with the real world. Therefore, realism is actually being put forward in a fantasy film (as unusual as it may sound). Magical elements are prevalent but not overexposed and the settings are believable and could have realistically existed at point or another - weaponry, houses, lifestyle. The high production value is proudly represented by the great looking costumes and impressive sets, an immense effort on the art director's part to create a world that will immerse the viewer and for the most part, they succeed in enabling a form of escapism.
Special effects aren't in abundance here but they're passable and their short screen time prove insignificant in swaying my experience. A scene in particular where a woman transforms into a snake is eerily convincing and lacks the cheese of most 80s special effects.
Arnie doesn't possess the prowess of an actor like De Niro or Pacino, but his remarkable presence and physical specifications fit the barbarian character to a tee, so he makes it work. Other main characters (like Lopez and Bergman) are fine, nothing to write home about. Max Von Sydow's short appearance in the role of King Orsic was exceptional. Mako The Narrator holds the viewer in a compelling manner. The most impressive performance is (other than the protagonist) is James Earl Jones, as Thulsa Doom, he is hauntingly gripping.
The music is daunting and matches up with the story and elevates the film to a height that would've never been reached. The drumming produces a kinda caveman-feel and nails the primitive time in which the story is set. The softer soundings give Conan that much needed sense of nobility and lessens the grim tone. Top-notch cinematography and music are the biggest contributors to the film's greatness, grandeur is what they bring to the table and it's absolutely needed here. There are some beautiful scenes like the village raid and the fights which fondly reminded of the boss battles in the God of War and Castlevania games. A great fantasy epic.
Review #15 - Conan The Barbarian:
(John Milius, 1982)
(John Milius, 1982)
Conan The Barbarian is not a film with the greatest of acting or storytelling, it's a pure action flick (underneath the swords and magic exterior) and unsurprisingly Arnie does well in it. The film tries a valiant effort of appealing to mainstream audience through sheer entertainment value and die hard fans by creating a faithful adaption of "The Conan" stories and dabbling into specifics. It achieves its ambitious goal and has attained cult status which otherwise would've not emerged if one of these goals weren't in place (the faithful adaption part).
The story follows the one of a drawn-out revenger; Conan witnesses his family being killed as a child, grows up and gains power, then sets out to avenge the loss of his family. The quote in the opening scenes sets up the theme in a clear manner - Conan overcomes a great amount of suffering and becomes a fierce and heroic barbarian through the strength of his inner-being.
Following the original Conan stories, the film mixes Fantasy traits like magic and sorcery with the real world. Therefore, realism is actually being put forward in a fantasy film (as unusual as it may sound). Magical elements are prevalent but not overexposed and the settings are believable and could have realistically existed at point or another - weaponry, houses, lifestyle. The high production value is proudly represented by the great looking costumes and impressive sets, an immense effort on the art director's part to create a world that will immerse the viewer and for the most part, they succeed in enabling a form of escapism.
Special effects aren't in abundance here but they're passable and their short screen time prove insignificant in swaying my experience. A scene in particular where a woman transforms into a snake is eerily convincing and lacks the cheese of most 80s special effects.
Arnie doesn't possess the prowess of an actor like De Niro or Pacino, but his remarkable presence and physical specifications fit the barbarian character to a tee, so he makes it work. Other main characters (like Lopez and Bergman) are fine, nothing to write home about. Max Von Sydow's short appearance in the role of King Orsic was exceptional. Mako The Narrator holds the viewer in a compelling manner. The most impressive performance is (other than the protagonist) is James Earl Jones, as Thulsa Doom, he is hauntingly gripping.
The music is daunting and matches up with the story and elevates the film to a height that would've never been reached. The drumming produces a kinda caveman-feel and nails the primitive time in which the story is set. The softer soundings give Conan that much needed sense of nobility and lessens the grim tone. Top-notch cinematography and music are the biggest contributors to the film's greatness, grandeur is what they bring to the table and it's absolutely needed here. There are some beautiful scenes like the village raid and the fights which fondly reminded of the boss battles in the God of War and Castlevania games. A great fantasy epic.