Conan The Barbarian (2011)

**saintjon** · August 4th, 2011, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by DailyRich

Yes. And Wilt Chamberlain, who as an actor is a fine basketball player.

How did they get him to stop banging women for long enough to be in a movie?

**kahnovitch** · November 12th, 2011, 05:31 PM

From the lack of posts since August I'm guessing you all saw it and were left so totally unimpressed that even commenting on it felt like a chore.
I have literally just finished watching it and I don't blame any of you at all.

There were so many things wrong about this film I barely know where to start myself so I won't bother.
If you are a Conan fan, you can safely go to your grave having never seen this film and knowing you missed nothing.

**algernoninc** · November 13th, 2011, 02:10 PM

being a Conan fan, I went and watched this. I thought: How bad could this get? I once did the original poster with Schwarzenegger in charcoal from a 4 inch magazine photo to an A3 poster for my college room. That's how geeky I was in 1985.
Well, now I found out ...

Ron Perlman was OK, Tamara was fine, seeing as she was just eye-candy. Even the plot had some potential, but the director made a huge pile of doodoo out of it. soo dissapointed.

**Evil Agent** · November 13th, 2011, 03:01 PM

I saw this a couple months ago, but forgot to post my thoughts.

I went in with low expectations, but high hopes. The movie started out nicely (I liked young Conan). The visuals were pretty good throughout the film. But unfortunately, the flaws in the screenplay kind of ruined this movie. No real development of Conan's character, just a somewhat humdrum revenge quest with forgettable villains, and no real sense of excitement or urgency.

Jason Momoa was pretty good. My only complaint was that his voice sounded too much like the actor in real life. Too much like a 21st century American. I wish he'd speak in a gruffer, more guttural tone with less of an American accent. Otherwise, he was a pretty good fit as Conan.

I think this deserves a second chance, but the sequel would need a better director and a better screenplay. There is so much potential for Conan to be all kinds of awesome, it's a shame seeing it wasted like this.

**DDCOrange** · November 18th, 2011, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by Lagomorph_Rex

The first Conan movie used the name of the villain from a Kull story, Thulsa Doom.. but the James Earl Jones one is nothing like the one in the novel.. who is a bit more like Skeletor.. and dosen't mutate into a snake.

The Kull movie roughly adapts the story "By This Axe I Rule!" which Robert E. Howard, upon it's rejection, re-wrote into the first Conan story "Phoenix on the sword"..

I've always thought that James Earl Jones's performance in the first Conan movie is what held the whole thing together. While he doesn't normally do villians he was absolutely great job here; he literally stole every scene he was in. Most of the other actors were pretty forgettable (except for a brief scene with Max Von Sydow) and looked like football players in animal skins, but that's the point isn't it? Terosterone, muscle, blood and a little sex tossed in. If you can I'd recommend finding a DVD with the commentary from Schwartzenegger and director John Milius. Some of the stories behind the making of the film and decsions that have gone into the storyline are quite hilarious and interesting.

**kahnovitch** · December 7th, 2011, 05:43 AM

I think Thulsa Doom did make an appearance in some of the Conan comics and apparently even showed up in a Cormac mac Airt story.
Obviously those appearances had nothing to do with Howard's original work.

Originally Posted by DDCOrange

I've always thought that James Earl Jones's performance in the first Conan movie is what held the whole thing together.

You can't go wrong with James Earl Jones, the guy is a legend.
I loved Sandahl Bergman as Valeria. The best female warrior I've seen on screen still to this day.

**DDCOrange** · December 9th, 2011, 08:22 AM

Originally Posted by kahnovitch

I think Thulsa Doom did make an appearance in some of the Conan comics and apparently even showed up in a Cormac mac Airt story.
Obviously those appearances had nothing to do with Howard's original work.

You can't go wrong with James Earl Jones, the guy is a legend.
I loved Sandahl Bergman as Valeria. The best female warrior I've seen on screen still to this day.

Pretty much agree with you about Sandahl Bergman though some people might make a case for Grace Jones in the terribly-awful-rightfully-designated-to-the-ashheap-of-filmaking-history sequeal Conan the Destroyer. According to the commentary, Jones did all her own stunts... until the other stuntpeople refused to work with her; she kept hurting them.

**kahnovitch** · December 11th, 2011, 09:13 AM

I liked Grace Jones character in the film, she was/is a fierce looking woman. but the film itself was pretty generic stuff and really didn't need to be associated with Conan at all.

**saintjon** · December 11th, 2011, 10:12 AM

I just watched it and I was fine with it. I thought it was a lot better than the original actually. The catapult thing and the fight on the chained up wheelymagig over the pit of doom were both kind of dumb but other than that I pretty much liked it. It didn't have the impact it could have had but visually it was pretty strong, appropriately brutal etc. Everyone's entitled to their opinion but I'm kind of surprised at the magnitude of negativity about it going on here.

Maybe now the Nolans are done with Batman they'll decide to make a mind-blowing Conan movie but short of that I wouldn't be expecting any given director to stroll along and blow your mind with a Conan movie.

**Kazz Wylde** · January 31st, 2012, 11:56 PM

I saw this last week, I think Jason Momoa nailed it, and I didnt even really used to like him, he's obviously a big fan, too bad the directing, and costumes were so bad. I wish Conan could be done at least on par with LOTR or ASOI&F.

**gollumbells** · March 22nd, 2012, 07:14 PM

I stopped watching it. The guy was a joke of an actor.

Arni was the perfect character for the role. Big, muscular brute.

Who can forget his gormless "Krom"

Its his bad acting that made the film great, and it fitted him well for that role.

**Kazz Wylde** · May 9th, 2012, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Evil Agent

I saw this a couple months ago, but forgot to post my thoughts.

I went in with low expectations, but high hopes. The movie started out nicely (I liked young Conan). The visuals were pretty good throughout the film. But unfortunately, the flaws in the screenplay kind of ruined this movie. No real development of Conan's character, just a somewhat humdrum revenge quest with forgettable villains, and no real sense of excitement or urgency.

Jason Momoa was pretty good. My only complaint was that his voice sounded too much like the actor in real life. Too much like a 21st century American. I wish he'd speak in a gruffer, more guttural tone with less of an American accent. Otherwise, he was a pretty good fit as Conan.

I think this deserves a second chance, but the sequel would need a better director and a better screenplay. There is so much potential for Conan to be all kinds of awesome, it's a shame seeing it wasted like this.

I agree with you Evi Agent. I thought Momoa was a kickass Conan though, it is a shame they dont do this right!