Review by Emanuel Levy on http://www.emanuellevy.com/review/conan-the-barbarian-2/
The new 3D version of “Conan the Barbarian,” directed by Marcus Nispel, is a passably entertaining fare that should please mostly young male viewers.
An ultra-violent action-adventure, which is not exactly a remake, the movie delivers the goods expected of a primitive mythic epic, whose story is driven by obsession and vengeance, guts and blood.
Opening August 19, Lionsgate should do reasonably well at the box-office with this late summer release, if only because of the curiosity factor. There have been talks about new rendition for years now. That said, I expect critics to be divided in their assessments of the film’s merits and flaws.
Overall, though, for several reasons, this “Conan” is inferior to the 1984 cult picture, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. This version is adapted to the screen by Thomas Dean Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer and Sean Hood from the original works of Robert E. Howard. Whereas the 1982 tale was more about slavery and oppression, this one is more about revenge–and darkly toned action set-pieces.
The pulp hero created by Robert E. Howard in the 1930s, was at the height of his cultural visibility in the 1980s, when the “Swords and Sorcery” movie genre resurfaced, with such films as “Krull,” “Willow,” “Kull the Conqueror.” In addition to “original” paperback books about Conan’s adventures, there were several “new” comic books, including “Conan the Barbarian,” “King Conan,” and “The Savage Sword of Conan.”
The filmmakers of this “Conan” have tried to remain faithful to the mythology and psychology of the iconic character, now played by his Jason Momoa, the handsome guy from Baywatch who’ s an unknown quantity as a big-screen presence. It’s a good idea to cast the lead with a relatively unfamiliar actor. They know that no matter which actor plays the role, he would suffer in comparison to the indelible image of Schwarzenegger in his most iconic part. As stiff and leaden as Schwarzenegger was, he was suitably cast as a comic hero, and more importantly, he was in congruence with John Milius’s jingoistic conception.
Both director and star must have realized Moama’s limitations as an actor. A silent, reticent hero, Conan relies on his sword, rather than his words. Reportedly, Momoa, having spent an extensive training at the gym, did most of his own stunts. A giant of man, rising to six foot five, he is as tall as the hero of “Thor.”
Though he plays a secondary part, Ron Perlman renders the film’s most intriguing and eccentric performance is as Corin, Conan’s father and leader of the Cimmerian tribe, a warring clan living in a hostile environment, which is defined by endless conflicts over territorial domination. Corin has the responsibility of raising his son alone after Conan’s mother (Laila Rouass), a Cimmerian fighter who dies in childbirth in the midst of a nasty battle.
The versatile thespian Stephen Lang is cast as Khalar Zym, Conan’s enemy and his father’s murderer, in other words, the nastiest warlord in Hyboria. Khalar is introduced early on in the story, when Conan is still a boy. His mission is to recover the Mask of Acheron, which he believes would help him reclaim his dead wife and perhaps even gain him fame and immortality.
Tamara, Conan’s accomplice and romantic interest, is played by Rachel Nichols, a skillful martial arts actress who had showed her abilities in”Star Trek” and “G.I. Joe.” Tamara is a direct descendant of the Sorcerers of Acheron whose blood will awaken the power of the Mask of Acheron. A smart, strong woman, Tamara breaks the mold of typical fantasy-action heroines, suitably serving as Conan’s female counterpart.
The other woman in the tale is Khalar’s obsessive (pathetic) daughter, Marique, played by Rose McGowan as half-human, half sorceress. Inflicted with what could be described as Electra’s complex, the possessive Marique is jealous of the grip that her long dead witch mother still has on her father. Her evil behavior is motivated by her wish to prove herself to her father and thus gain his love. Like a cobra, she entrances her prey and then attacks with her lethal metallic nails.
The young Conan is played by the adolescent actor, Leo Howard, whose early scenes are meant to explain how and why Conan became so tough and hard-hearted.
There are some well executed combat scenes between Conan and Khalar, a master of swords and of a double scimitar, which may establish a record for their ferocious brutality.
The filmmakers are aware of the simple (and simplistic) mythic qualities of the literary material, which explains its long-enduring appeal, especially among teenage boys. Indeed, the forge, where the clan’s swords are made, is depicted as a sacred place—sort of a devout church—due to their essential function for their very existence.
“Conan the Barbarian” was shot at Nu Boyana Studios and various locations in Bulgaria, with its harsh yet beautiful landscapes, using, among other exteriors, a big cave, Prohodna Cave in Lukovit, and a historic forest, Pobiti in Kamani in Varna, a resort town near the Black Sea.
Please do not get me wrong: I don’t think the Schwarzenegger picture was much better–the story (co-written by John Milius and Oliver Stone) was overly simplistic and the dialogue mostly ludicrous. But for me the 1982 movie was more enjoyable, largely due to Schwarzenegger’s campy performance ans the acting of two serious players: James Earl Jones as the wizard Thulsa Doom and Max Von Sydow as the grizzled king Osrik. Nonetheless, by today standards some of that movie’s visual imagery are crude and cheesy (remember the sequence with the giant snake? Or Conan’s sex with a topless woman in a cage?).
Like the 1982 movie, this “Conan” goes unabashedly for immediate, visceral impact, which is proper for a picture that spills guts, dismembers heads, and have bodies thrashed by huge sea monsters. Three decades ago, “Conan the Barbarian” inspired numerous video games, and I will not be surprised if the new picture creates new video games to be embraced by muscle-driven guys for whom sheer size matters. After all, let’s not forget that before Schwarzenegger became a bonafide movie star, he was an internationally famous body-builder.
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