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Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow, Sandahl Bergman, Ben Davidson ... see more see more... , Cassandra Gaviola , Gerry Lopez , Mako , Valérie Quennessen , Luis Barboo , Franco Columbu , Leslie Foldvary , Gary Herman , Erick Holmey , Nadiuska , Sven Ole Thorsen , Jorge Sanz , William Smith , Jack Taylor , Kiyoshi Yamazaki , Akio Mitamura , Erik Holmey

John Milius's jingoistic direction and pulpy screenplay fit perfectly into this film version of the Robert E. Howard fantasy story of the sword and sorcery hero, Conan the Barbarian. Complementing Mul... read more read more...ius's heavy metal production is Arnold Schwarzenegger's leaden acting, which in any other context would be deadly, but here (as in The Terminator) corresponds nicely with the whole sonorous project. The story begins when a horde of rampaging warriors massacre the parents of young Conan and enslave the young child for years on The Wheel of Pain. The Wheel of Pain seems to have as its only purpose the building up of Conan's muscles, so it's no surprise that one day Conan grows up to become Arnold Schwarzenegger. As the sole survivor of the childhood massacre, Conan is released from slavery and taught the ancient arts of fighting. Transforming himself into a killing machine, Conan travels into the wilderness to seek vengeance on Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), the man responsible for killing his family. In the wilderness, Conan takes up with the thieves Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) and Subota (Gerry Lopez). The trio comes upon a weird snake cult, linked to Doom, and Conan wants to trek off to Doom's mountain retreat to kill him. But he is prevented from doing that by King Osrik (Max Von Sydow), who wants the trio of warriors to help rescue his daughter who has joined Doom in the hills. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

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66% liked it

115,441 ratings

Critics

77% liked it

30 critics

R, 2 hr. 1 min.

Directed by: John Milius

Release Date: May 14, 1982

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DVD Release Date: February 24, 1998

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Stats: 5,153 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,153)

  • TheDudeLebowski65
    August 29, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    John Millius' action fantasy film Conan the Barbarian is a thrilling film. The film has its imperfections, which I will get into in just a moment, but for the most part the film is very exciting and is pure fun, if you can forgive its flaws. The films weakness is in the dialogue ... read moredelivery, and some bits of the dialogue are very cheesy, but in the end, who cares? Conan the Barbarian is a fun action fantasy film based on the comic book character of the same name. The film steadily builds up to a terrific action packed climax. The film story is interesting, but it does lack a bit of substance. However it makes up for it with the action scenes. Conan the Barbarian is a flawed film, but it's also the type of film that you need to shut off your brain to enjoy. If you get past the somewhat cheesy dialogue and ridiculous scenes, then you might actually enjoy this. Conan the Barbarian is meant to be a mindless action film, and it most certainly is that. The film has a comic book feel that comes across very nicely and this is a fine action film. The film lacks effective dialogue, but the film makes up for it with an interesting storyline. John Mlius' directing keeps the film moving at a steady pace, and keeps you interested for the first hour of the film due to stunning visuals, and the story itself. Many viewers have stated that the story is almost nonexistent However, I beg to differ, and I think that the story though not very elaborate still has some merit. For all its faults, Conan the Barbarian is an action classic. This film is the type of action picture that you need to simply shut off your mind to enjoy to the film boasts some impressive action sequences and John Milius has crafted a fine action film based on the Pulp comic character. A fun ride.
  • fb733768972
    August 19, 2011
    fb733768972
    Although it may have the classic 80's feel and the bloody action is very impressive for it's time, the story seems a little unoriginal and the outcome is very cliche. The acting here is very average and the characters are hard to believe. As Conan is on a trail with two partners ... read moreto rescue a kings daughter, they seem to find many troubles along the way. To me they just seem like excuses to make an action sequence; However, the action is cool to watch and as cliche as it may be, the story is not unwatchable. It is definitely just another average action/adventure flick but I had some fun with it. Conan: The Barbarian is easily forgettable.
  • MovieGeek13
    May 7, 2011
    MovieGeek13
    Conan the Barbarian plays almost like a silent film. It's got a loud, booming, choir orchestra playing through the entire picture. There's barely any dialogue. The entire film moves sluggishly through scene after scene, this soundtrack loudly playing. It pauses briefly to allow f... read moreor some inept dialogue that doesn't enhance anything about the story before carrying on. The music isn't particularly good either. It never once sets the mood or tone for the scene. Instead, it makes the film play out like an extended music video for the Symphony Orchestra.
    My biggest problem with this film is that it isn't really about anything. There's some talk of Conan's plot to revenge the death of his family. However, the film incoherently follows Conan's life as if it were some kind of epic. But the casting of Arnold Schwarzennegger is perfect only in a physical sense, not in the actor's range to communicate any emotion. Yes, I know it's an Arnold movie, and character depth is secondary to violence, but.....there's barely even any action. And the action is severely dated; poorly choreographed with obvious continuity errors and actors throwing blood packs on themselves. The film attempts to be more of a pulp epic fantasy but only turns out to be an epic failure.
    The script contains the biggest screenwriting flaw in that a narrator recites the entire film. Why? It doesn't create any sense of a legend or mythology for the character. It distances us so much from what is going on that it is impossible to care about anything that happens. Laughable sex scenes, painstakingly long scenes of characters doing nothing, no character depth, and no plot. It actually takes over forty five minutes just to set up the so called revenge narrative. There is nothing of value in this movie.
  • cancercapricorn2002
    May 6, 2011
    cancercapricorn2002
    Robert E Howard is often credited with inventing the sword and sorcery genre with the introduction of one of the all-time great fantasy characters, Conan the Barbarian. This was way back in the early 1930s. Writer Karl Wagner describes sword and sorcery as, "...a fascinating synt... read morehesis of horror, adventure, and imagination...the common motif is a universe in which magic works and an individual may kill according to his personal code." The atmosphere of sword and sorcery is charged with violence, darkness, sexuality, and supernatural perils. The themes of the stories often reach deep into the abyss of cosmic horror and dread. It takes quite a hero to stride undaunted and undeterred across this landscape!

    In the early 1980s Conan got his first film. It launched Arnold Schwarzenegger's career. It was a brilliant film, flawed, but it soared above its flaws. It has been often imitated since then, yet most of those efforts failed miserably.

    Why do imitation films fail in this genre? Because they focus on the half-naked babes, the half-naked muscle bound (and often angry) hero, the violent fights, the wizards with special effects at their fingertips, as if this were enough. But they fail to capture the fundamental and necessary element of the genre - a subtle atmosphere of the supernatural and the uncanny. There must be a credible, ever-present but not over-done supernatural theme pervading the setting. The darkness, the pathos, the sense of horror necessary for the genre entered for a few moments of the film. The witch, the wizard, the evil priest of the snake cult, the cultist's suicide, the scene where the spirits are trying to steal Conan's soul, the occasional banter about the gods, the orgy...all of these elements capture the proper atmosphere. The sorcery is not overblown, nor is it all about special effects. Few S&S movies get this right. Conan the Barbarian shows how it is done.

    There are a few issues with the movie that will bother Conan purists but all in all, I imagine Robert Howard would be happy with this Conan. A few of the scenes were right out of his stories - the crucifixion tree, the ghostly help from a dead girlfriend, gigantic snakes, thieves climbing a mysterious tower. Sadly missing are the monstrous man-apes, or unnatural creatures summoned out of the abyss by sorcerers, both of which feature prominently in Conan stories.

    The music is awesome, James Earl Jones and Sandahl Bergman are fabulous. And of course Arnold is perfect. I keep hoping for another great Sword and Sorcery movie like this one and there are no contenders as of yet.
  • lewiskendell
    April 18, 2011
    lewiskendell
    "Valor pleases you Crom, so grant me one request. Grant me revenge."

    Not a bad adaptation of the Conan origin story, even if it is somewhat sanitized and less brutal than the source material. Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Earl Jones are improbable, often hilarious, but somehow... read more good fits for the characters of Conan and Thulsa Doom.

    Overall, this will probably be worth your time if you're interested. Lots of sword-fighting action, that's for sure.
  • ajv2688
    January 12, 2011
    ajv2688
    A nice epic battle adventure fantasy movie, I liked it for the most part, but overall it could have been a lot better, especially the story could have been clearer. Overall, it's okay, though.
  • SirPant
    April 28, 2010
    SirPant
    Ok, it's not a great film but it is my most guilty of pleasures. Pure 80's cheese, and I'm not ashamed to declare my love for it. So bad it's fucking brilliant territory!
  • ironclad1609
    April 5, 2010
    ironclad1609
    When it comes to sword and sorcery films it still doesn't get much better than the first "Conan" film. Surely, it's dumb at times, has a few lousy dialogs and tacky sequences. But the rest is near-perfect. The atmosphere, the characters, the fights, the settings and cinematograph... read morey, it all has a very special feel to it and makes for a really enjoyable and rewatchable fantasy experience. The story is actually a lot more complex than it is getting credit for. And Basil Poledouris' soundtrack is one of the most fitting and beautiful ones ever written.
  • FilmFanatik
    February 14, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    I found this film to be pretty damn mediocre and very boring for the most part. Red Sonja was more fun to watch than this.
  • ythelastman89
    November 17, 2009
    ythelastman89
    Arnold Schwarzenegger doing what he does best, crushing human beings with his bare hands and stabbing giant snakes. This is a great adaption, even though it strayed away from the source material. It kept true to the essence of Conan's character which is the most important thing. ... read moreThe sets and look of the film is amazing, complete attention to detail. The action sequences were done brutally, yet not overdone. It's a great epic and I love that it was told so gracefully, the viewer isn't overcrowded with meaningless exposition and pointless side characters.

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Not since Bambi's mother was killed has there been a cannier movie for kids than Conan the Barbarian. Full Review

Vincent Canby
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Conan the Barbarian is an extremely long, frequently incoherent, ineptly staged adventure-fantasy set in a prehistoric past. Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Even 17 years after its release, Conan the Barbarian still weaves a spell capable of ensorcelling fans of fantasy adventure. Full Review

Rob Vaux
May 14, 2012
Rob Vaux, Mania.com

Its magnificence stems from the very properties we should be condemning with all our might. Full Review

R. L. Shaffer
January 29, 2012
R. L. Shaffer, IGN DVD

A classic tale is told through fascinating visuals, cheesy characters and good old fashioned muscle-bound strength. Full Review

Tim Brayton
August 22, 2011
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy

A film that only wants to be described by the single adjective "awesome", though "epic" would do in a pinch. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
August 19, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

This primitive, mythic epic catapulted Schwarzenegger to movie stardom after being a famous body-builder. Full Review

Josh Larsen
August 11, 2011
Josh Larsen, LarsenOnFilm

...ironically undone by its star, a preening peacock eager to sow the seeds of self-parody with a well-placed camel punch. Full Review

Fernando F. Croce
November 17, 2009
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion

Visualizing Robert E. Howard's creation in the midst of the Reagan era is an offer the auteur can't refuse Full Review

Steve Crum
July 17, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

OK sandals and loin cloth muscle adventure...which made Arnold a star.

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Facts

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    • Conan: Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women!
    • King Osric: There comes a time, thief, when the jewels cease to sparkle, when the gold loses its luster, when the throne room becomes a prison, and all that is left is a father's love for his child.
    • Conan's Father: Fire and wind come from the sky, from the gods of the sky. But Crom is your god, Crom and he lives in the earth. Once, giants lived in the Earth, Conan. And in the darkness of chaos, they fooled Crom, and they took from him the enigma of steel. Crom was angered. And the Earth shook. Fire and wind struck down these giants, and they threw their bodies into the waters, but in their rage, the gods forgot the secret of steel and left it on the battlefield. We who found it are just men. Not gods. Not giants. Just men. The secret of steel has always carried with it a mystery. You must learn its riddle, Conan. You must learn its discipline. For no one - no one in this world can you trust. Not men, not women, not beasts... [points to sword] This you can trust.
    • Subotai: He is Conan, The Cimmerian, he won't cry. So, I cry for him.
    • Conan: Crom!
    • Thulsa Doom: Steel isn't strong, boy, flesh is stronger!
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Conan the Barbarian Trivia

  • In which movie did James Earl Jones play the character Thulsa Doom?  Answer »
  • in conan the barbarian when conan was ask what the best things in life were what was his reply?  Answer »
  • What was the name of the movie sequel that Arnold Schwarzenegger did for Conan The Barbarian?  Answer »
  • who plays thulsa doom in conan the barbarian  Answer »
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