movie: Conan the Barbarian
starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones
genre:Sci-fi, Adventure
year: 1982
format: Netflix Canada
plot: After witnessing his entire village slaughtered, a slave sets off to get revenge on the man who's responsible.
Based on the novels/stories of Robert E. Howard
So this is the character/serial that all sword and sorcery branch from? Huh. Religion runs amuck in this, from snake gods, to weapons forged by gods, to one character becoming one of Odin's Valkyries, to the lead being left to die by crucifixion. It's got a lot of trials/tests happening, that even the lead character is unaware he's taking part in. Like, having to "survive" the pits in the beginning, with his wits as much as his strength, and later; after his "death" which has nothing to do with him as much as it does his companions.
It's no secret, as I've stated it more than once, I am not a fan of Schwarzenegger at all. But, I found the film's peppering of comedy decent enough. The story being laced with paganism and occult notions from book end to book end was the only reason I was still watching it after the first ten minutes.
I would have liked some more explanation on the why and how of James Earl Jones's character though. Here's this all powerful god or witch or shapeshifting genius, and it's never explained on how he got to be so? Was he always supernatural or did it happen after his years as the warlord? I was half way expecting there to be some big reveal about Conan being descendant of Doom given the fact Conan was the only one who had been able to defeat the uber snake.
what did I learn? The witch, the warrior and the woman...got a ring to it right?
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