Conan the Barbarian

By Caleb Pullum (a.k.a. Archangel)

As a fan of the Sword and Sorcery genre, and a fan of the character Conan in particular, I met the news that they were making a new Conan film with tempered excitement. I was excited to hear that one of my favorite characters, for whom there is huge amount of source material, was being brought back to the big screen. Conan done right could be epic! On the other hand, I know Hollywood. Time and time again I’ve seen Hollywood use a well known and beloved character in a lack luster film just to earn a quick buck off the fans. Conan could be epic, or it could be nothing more than a poorly acted, poorly directed blood bath of a film. I decided to expect something in the middle. I wasn’t disappointed.

The film starts out with a brief explanation of the land Hyboria, its people and its history, narrated by none other Morgan Freeman. He tells of the time in which the barbarian tribes of Hyboria rose up against the Necromancers of Asheron whom had enslaved them. After defeating the Necromancers, the barbarian tribes destroyed the Necromancer’s magical crown and spread the pieces across the continent to prevent it from ever being repaired and used again. One of these tribes, called the Cimmerians, gives birth to the child named Conan. As a boy, young Conan shows he has the passion, tenacity, and ability to become a great warrior. His father, portrayed by Ron Pearlman begins training his son to be a warrior, and also in the trade of blacksmithing. However, before Conan earns the right to carry the sword he and his father forge for him, the Cimmerians are attacked by Khalar Zym (Played by Stephen Lang) his daughter Marique (Rose McGowan) and his army. If you’ve seen Stephen Lang as a villain before, such as in the movie Avatar, expect much of the same here. Zym is searching for the piece of the Necromancers crown that the Cimmerians posses. Finding the fragment, he burns the Cimmerian village to the ground and in a torturous scene leaves Conan and his father to decide who lives and who dies. Conan’s father makes the ultimate sacrifice for his son.

When next we see Conan, he has grown into a young man, played by Jason Momoa. Momoa is one of the bright spots of the film, as I believe he does a great job in capturing the essence of the character. The ferocity, intelligence, and strength of Conan are all here. Conan is seeking revenge against Zym, but he’s lost his trail. He’s become a wandering adventurer living by his own code, on his own terms. He comes to find that Zym is searching for a young woman, Tamara (played by Rachel Nichols). Tamara is the last pure blood descendant of the Asheron necromancers, and Zym needs her blood to complete an ancient ritual that will make him all powerful. Conan rides off to finally receive his vengeance against Zym and his legions.

If you want to enjoy Conan the Barbarian in theaters, you should expect it to be what it is. A visual, action packed gore fest. The sword play is exceptional. Momoa’s intensity and the character exploration of Conan are fantastic. The villains are extremely over the top, but in this genre, that’s to be expected. Visually, spectacular, as some scenes in this film are truly breathtaking. If you’re expecting something along the lines of The Lord of the Rings when you go to see this film, stay home. You’ll be disappointed. Conan seems jumpy, quickly moving from one action scene to another, with just enough story to keep you from becoming completely lost. The love and romance between Conan and Tamara, like most action films, feels to quick, easy, and contrived. Most of the supporting cast and extras seemed as if they received no direction at all.

I enjoyed Conan the Barbarian. It was what I expected it to be; therefore I wasn’t disappointed, even though I had hoped for more. If you’re looking for some mindless action packed entertainment, you won’t go wrong with this one.

Archangel rates Conan the Barbarian - Great